Category Archives: State

OCC Efficiency and Partnership

By Staff Report

The Oklahoma House Energy Committee last week heard a study, led by Chair Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City, examining the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s (OCC) regulation of the state’s oil and gas industry, including workforce challenges, orphan well plugging and seismic activity.

“The Legislature must work with OCC to find solutions to the issues and gaps facing the agency, especially in the protest docket,” Archer said. “If we remove barriers and work with Oklahoma’s oil and gas industry, we can help the Commission fulfill their mission and regulate the industry effectively while protecting jobs, revenue and public safety. But first, they need the resources, tools and authority to do their job well rather than the current slow, inefficient process.”

OK Rep. Nick Archer (R-Dist. 55) Majority Caucus Vice Chair
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Big Rig ‘No Name Given’ Drivers

By David Arnett

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has gathered a significant amount of state and national media over the arrest of 130 commercial drivers taken off the road for various violations as part of a three-day effort conducted at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission‘s (OCC) Ports of Entry. The story was illustrated graphically by a New York State issued Commercial Driver License that says, “No Name Given.” Who knew a person could get a license without a name, even in cow-chip-crazy New York State.

In a release Monday, OCC detailed their welcome for visitors from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to share space at the Beckham County Port of Entry the previous week. A special enforcement emphasis and focus on, specifically, CDL drivers and commercial trucks licensed and registered in the state of California was conducted in conjunction with DPS Troop S and OCC. The most outrageous was No Name Given from the formerly-great New York State.

No Name Three Year Big Rig License Road Danger
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Oklahoma Guardian 2.0 Launch

By David Arnett

UPDATED: The launch of Guardian 2.0, Oklahoma’s next-generation campaign finance & public reporting system will happen – someday in October officials say. It did not happen when promised October 1 and now the public and candidates for office have no exact date for this important ethics system launch. The old Guardian system has been shut down.  The “fast-paced” development effort began in early 2025 by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

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Permitting Process Holds Us Back

By Monica Collison, President & Exec. Director, OK Rural Association

Opinion: Everyone rails about how government red tape is a problem. I’ve seen it firsthand, and they’re absolutely right—especially when it comes to permitting new energy and infrastructure projects.

Our country’s burdensome permitting process is one of the biggest obstacles to modernizing infrastructure, unleashing American energy production, and spurring economic growth in rural and underserved communities. The capital and technical capabilities exist—they are just sitting on the sidelines because the process of obtaining federal approval for major projects has become so slow, uncertain, and fragmented that it discourages investment altogether.

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Stop D.C.’s Push to One-Size Agreements

By Jessica Garvin

For nearly two decades, I have dedicated my career to caring for Oklahoma’s seniors and supporting the professionals who make their long-term care possible. As co-owner of Bison Health Management, Executive Director of West Wind Assisted Living, and owner and COO of Refuge Care, I see firsthand the challenges of building strong teams and running businesses in a heavily regulated field. Add to that my experience as a small business owner and former Oklahoma state senator, and I have learned one thing above all: when government oversteps, workers and businesses both suffer.

That’s why I am deeply concerned about the so-called Faster Labor Contracts Act recently introduced in Washington. On its face, the bill claims to streamline negotiations between employers and newly certified unions. In reality, it hands unprecedented power to government bureaucrats at the expense of Oklahoma workers and businesses.

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