Jake Merrick joins GOP race for Governor

The 2026 GOP race for Governor continues to grow, this time with conservative former state senator Jake Merrick joining this race this week:

Jake Merrick Announces Campaign for Governor of Oklahoma

Yukon, OK (April 29th) — Jake Merrick, former Oklahoma State Senator, current host of The Jake Merrick Show on Freedom 96.9, local business owner, devoted husband, and father, is letting the state of Oklahoma know that he will officially be entering the race for Governor of Oklahoma in April of 2026. With unwavering resolve to chart a visionary new course and determination to run a race free from any appearance of corruption, Merrick has boldly chosen not to accept campaign donations at this time, and he will not be accepting funds from political action committees (PACs) or organizations at all. This decision reflects his dedication to maintaining his platform as a radio host while also ensuring his campaign remains free from special interest influence.

Bill allowing property owners to reclaim seized land signed into law

Bill Allowing Property Owners to Reclaim Seized Land Signed into Law

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 28th) – Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, today commented on the governor's signing of House Bill 1103, which requires the Oklahoma Transportation Commission to notify a previous property owner if the land they sold to the Commission is going to be offered for sale.

"This was a constituent request bill," Gann said. "This person experienced the taking of his land by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and then found out it was later sold without any notification to him. This would just give people in similar circumstances the ability to repurchase land that was taken from them by eminent domain."

Small: Who’s funding lawsuits in Oklahoma?

Who’s funding lawsuits in Oklahoma?

by Jonathan Small

Everyone pays the cost of abusive tort lawsuits. The average cost of tort litigation to each Oklahoma family is $2,930, according to a report by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform.

One rapidly growing kind of lawsuit is “mass torts,” where plaintiffs’ lawyers claim that thousands of customers have been harmed. The strategy is to file as many cases as possible and flood the zone against the defendant business—and to overwhelm the courts. This provides frivolous cases cover, and it creates abusive pressure on defendants to settle.

Some Oklahoma voters to receive address confirmation notices

Address Confirmation Notices Mailed to Oklahoma Voters

(Oklahoma City, April 28th) – Over the next several weeks, some registered voters in Oklahoma will receive an Address Confirmation Notice from the State Election Board. The notices are required by state law to confirm whether or not the identified voters still reside at their address on file with their county election board.

Voters who receive an Address Confirmation Notice have 60 days to respond. Voters who do not respond and confirm their address within the allotted time period will be designated as “inactive,” and are required by law to be removed from the voter rolls after the 2028 General Election. “Inactive” voters can reverse their status and avoid removal by updating their voter registration or by voting in any election on or before the 2028 General Election.

Bill to prohibit pandemic closure of businesses without scientific justification heads to Governor

Bill to Keep Businesses Open During Pandemics Sent to Governor

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 22nd) – Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, on Monday won passage of legislation that prohibits the governor from closing any business during a pandemic without documented scientific evidence that the nature of the business actually contributes to the spread of the disease.

Senate Bill 672 now moves to the governor's desk for his consideration of signing it into law.  

AFP-OK applauds House vote to end 6% mandatory gas and grocery markup

AFP-OK Cheers House Vote to End Mandatory Gas & Grocery Markup

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (April 22nd) - Americans for Prosperity-Oklahoma (AFP-OK) thanked members of the House Commerce and Economic Development Oversight Committee today for their unanimous vote in favor of legislation to remove a long-hidden price markup on gas, groceries, and other essentials that make everyday life more expensive for Oklahomans. 

Senate committee passes bill to criminalize abortion pill trafficking

Bullard Bill to Criminalize Abortion Pill Trafficking Clears Senate Committee

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 22nd) – Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, on Monday passed legislation through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee that would make it a felony to traffic abortion pills.

House Bill 1168 would create a felony trafficking offense for someone to deliver or possess with the intent to deliver abortion-inducing drugs if that person knows or has reason to believe that the drug will be used by someone to have an illegal abortion as defined in law.

The bill will crack down on those distributing abortion-inducing pills, including delivery services that facilitate home delivery of mifepristone, misoprostol or similar drugs, Bullard said.

Folds of Honor lends support in effort to save USS Batfish

Almost six years later, the USS Batfish submarine at Muskogee's War Memorial Park continues to languish in limbo, with desperately needed repairs and a monumental move needed due to Corps of Engineers efforts to stem future river flooding at the Port of Muskogee. 

Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell and local legislators have been helping lead an effort to secure much-needed funding for the Batfish. Recently, the CEO and founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation lent his support to the campaign. You can sent an email of your own to legislators by going to this link. OklahomaWarMemorial.com has more details and renderings of the proposed new location and museum for the USS Batfish and associated military history artifacts, including a 45-foot section of the mast from the USS Oklahoma (sunk at Pearl Harbor with a loss of life second only to the USS Arizona).

Small: Time to fix court’s mistake on damage cap

Time to fix court’s mistake on damage cap

By Jonathan Small

This month, Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed a new Oklahoma Supreme Court justice, filling a position vacated when Oklahoma voters ousted longtime liberal incumbent Justice Yvonne Kauger last November.

Kauger was the first Oklahoma Supreme Court justice removed by voters in state history. That action came amidst growing voter dissatisfaction with the court’s increasingly liberal bent in recent years.

Among the most notable examples of that trend is a bizarre 2019 ruling striking down the state’s $350,000 cap on vague noneconomic-damages awards in lawsuits. Under that law, Oklahomans could sue for unlimited actual damages, such as lost wages, medical expenses, and lifelong costs from an injury. The bill simply capped the noneconomic-damages portion of lawsuits, an area notorious for “jackpot” justice awards that can far outpace economic reason.

Yet the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down that law, declaring it a “special law” since the cap applied in cases “where the plaintiff survives the injury-causing event, while persons who die from the injury-causing event face no such limitation.” (The Oklahoma Constitution prohibits capping noneconomic damages in cases involving death.)

The plaintiff in that case reportedly received $9.7 million in payment for an on-the-job accident but wanted millions more in “noneconomic” damages as well.

The negative impact of the court’s activist ruling has been significant.

In July 2019, a few months after the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling, the American Tort Reform Foundation ranked Oklahoma among the nation’s 10 worst “judicial hellholes.” The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision on noneconomic caps was one factor cited.

“The Economic and Fiscal Impact of Excessive Tort Costs on Oklahoma,” a study commissioned by the State Chamber Research Foundation and conducted by the Perryman Group, found that excessive tort costs have translated into the loss of $3.7 billion in state gross product each year and almost 32,000 jobs in Oklahoma.

The study estimated the share of state economic losses tied to the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s 2019 decision totaled nearly $2.7 billion in gross product from 2020 to 2023.

However, only one sitting justice remains who was among the majority that struck down the cap in 2019. A new court may look more favorably on the idea. Lawmakers should reinstate the cap, which is sensible and commonly used nationwide.

Eight other states have caps on broad noneconomic damages, while 26 states cap noneconomic damages in medical-malpractice cases. Furthermore, those laws typically exempt cases involving reckless disregard for the rights of others, gross negligence, fraud, or intentional or malicious conduct.

It’s time for Oklahoma to again cap noneconomic damages. Those injured as the result of others’ action would still have access to full financial restoration, but the cap would provide financial certainty for businesses and encourage more investment in Oklahoma.

That’s a win-win for everyone.

Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

Sen. Burns applauds cancelation of planned hydroelectric plant on Kiamichi River

Senator George Burns Applauds Cancelation of Planned Hydroelectric Plant on Kiamichi River

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 16th) - Senator George Burns, R-Pollard, today applauded the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) decision to halt progress on a controversial pumped storage hydroelectric project proposed on the Kiamichi River in Pushmataha County.

The proposed project by the Southeast Oklahoma Power Corporation (SEOPC), was officially halted after FERC determined that the company’s updated Proposed Study Plan (PSP), submitted on March 17, was still insufficient to proceed with planning. The Commission’s ruling follows widespread public opposition and a formal letter of protest from Sen. Burns in October.

Senate committee passes tax credit for Pregnancy Resource Center donations

Senate Committee Approves Tax Credit Bill to Support Pregnancy Resource Centers

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 17th) – The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee this week easily passed legislation to establish an income tax credit for individuals who donate to pregnancy resource centers.

On Monday, the committee advanced House Bill 1201 by Rep. Cody Maynard and Sen. David Bullard, both Republicans from Durant.

The bill provides an income tax credit equal to 70% of what an individual contributes to a nonprofit pregnancy resource center, including entities that provide maternity housing and facilities that offer care for new mothers and their newborn children.

Trump's presidential message for Holy Week

A refreshingly good message from President Trump for Easter this year:

Presidential Message on Holy Week, 2025

The White House (April 13, 2025) – This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity.