STORYTELLING ON NOVA, WEDNESDAY EVENINGS AT EIGHT ON OETA.

AFTER A CONTENTIOUS COMMITTEE HEARING, MARKWAYNE MULLIN BID TO BECOME THE NEXT SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY HEADS TO A FULL VOTE OF THE SENATE.

EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS THAT I'M VERY BLUNT AND DIRECT TO THE POINT, AND IF I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, I'LL SAY IT DIRECTLY TO YOUR FACE.

WHAT IS ALPHA GAL SYNDROME AND WHY ARE MORE CASES OF IT SHOWING UP IN OKLAHOMA?

WE REALLY NEED TO BE AWARE.

CHECK OUR KIDS FOR TICKS.

CHECK OURSELVES FOR TICKS.

HOW RAINES LAW COULD HELP SAVE THE LIVES OF OKLAHOMA SCHOOL CHILDREN.

SHE WAS THE GREATEST LOVE OF MY LIFE.

SHE WAS FUNNY, SMART, KIND, VERY, VERY CREATIVE.

THE CENTURIES OLD CONNECTION BETWEEN OKLAHOMA'S IRISH COMMUNITY AND THE CHOCTAW NATION.

IN 2017, A MONUMENT WAS CREATED IN CORK, IRELAND, HONORING THE CHOCTAW PEOPLE AND OUR GIFT TO THEM.

IN AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ON LEGISLATION TO REIN IN THE GROWTH OF AI DATA CENTERS IN OKLAHOMA.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WE DO SOMETHING PRACTICAL, THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

THOSE STORIES PLUS CURLING.

ANYONE NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT?

HELLO EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M RICH LENZ OKLAHOMA SENATOR MARKWAYNE MULLIN BID TO BECOME THE NEXT SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS ADVANCED OUT OF COMMITTEE DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF A REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUE, AND NOW MOVES ON TO A FULL VOTE OF THE SENATE SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON MULLINS SOMETIMES CONTENTIOUS CONFIRMATION HEARING ON WEDNESDAY.

JASON RICH, SENATOR MARKWAYNE MULLIN HAS ADVERSARIES AND ADVOCATES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND HE DIDN'T HOLD BACK MUCH WHEN PUSHED FOR ANSWERS.

YOU CAN EITHER CONTINUE TO LIE OR YOU CAN CORRECT THE RECORD.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN SENATOR RAND PAUL DID NOT HOLD BACK ON HOW HE FELT ABOUT U.S.

SENATOR MARKWAYNE MULLIN.

FORMER REMARKS CONCERNING A NEIGHBOR NAMED RENE BOUCHER'S ATTACK IN 2017 THAT LEFT THE KENTUCKY REPUBLICAN WITH BROKEN RIBS AND OTHER INJURIES.

TELL THE WORLD WHY YOU BELIEVE I DESERVE TO BE ASSAULTED FROM BEHIND.

HAVE SIX RIBS BROKEN AND A DAMAGED LUNG.

TELL ME TO MY FACE WHY YOU THINK I DESERVED IT.

AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WHY THEY SHOULD TRUST A MAN WITH ANGER ISSUES TO SET THE PROPER EXAMPLE FOR ICE AND BORDER PATROL AGENTS, MULLEN RESPONDED DURING HIS OPENING STATEMENT.

I HAVE TO ADDRESS THE REMARKS THE CHAIRMAN MADE, CALLING ME A LIAR.

SIR, I THINK THERE'S EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS THAT I'M VERY BLUNT AND DIRECT TO THE POINT, AND IF I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, I'LL SAY IT DIRECTLY TO YOUR FACE.

MULLEN ALSO DOUBLED DOWN ON HIS PUSHBACK.

I DID ADDRESS THOSE REMARKS.

I DID EXPLAIN YOUR GIMMICKS BY THE AMENDMENT YOU PUT FORTH.

AND AS FAR AS ME SAYING THAT I INVOKE VIOLENCE, I DON'T I DON'T THINK ANYBODY SHOULD BE HIT BY SURPRISE.

I DON'T LIKE THAT.

BUT IF I DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS I'LL COME STRAIGHT TO YOU.

I'LL SAY IT PUBLICLY AND I'LL SAY IT PRIVATELY, BUT I'LL NEVER SAY IT BEHIND YOUR BACK.

SO FOR YOU TO SAY I'M A LIAR, SIR, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.

THE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN MULLEN AND PAUL CONTINUED DURING THE CHAIRMAN'S QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WITH THE JUNIOR SENATOR FROM OKLAHOMA.

PAUL CONTENDS MULLEN HAS A PATTERN.

IF THIS WERE A ONE OFF, IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF YOU JUST DISLIKED ME SO MUCH THAT YOU APPROVED A VIOLENCE AGAINST ME, PEOPLE COULD JUST WRITE IT OFF.

WELL, MAYBE THEY HATE EACH OTHER, BUT REALLY, THERE'S A PATTERN OF THIS.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND ROLL THE TAPE, SIR, THIS IS A TIME.

THIS IS A PLACE.

IF YOU WANT TO RUN YOUR MOUTH, WE CAN BE TWO CONSENTING ADULTS.

WE CAN FINISH IT HERE.

OKAY.

THAT'S FINE.

PERFECT.

YOU WANT TO DO IT NOW?

I'D LOVE TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.

WELL, STAND YOUR BUTT UP, THEN.

YOU STAND YOUR BUTT UP.

THAT'S WHEN THE COMMITTEE WAS SHOWN FOOTAGE FROM A 2023 HEARING IN WHICH MULLEN CHALLENGED TEAMSTERS UNION PRESIDENT SEAN O'BRIEN TO A FIGHT TO CLEAR UP THEIR DIFFERENCES.

SINCE THEN, O'BRIEN AND MULLEN HAVE BECOME FRIENDS WITH THE UNION PRESIDENT IN THE AUDIENCE, SUPPORTING MULLEN'S NOMINATION.

AS YOU CAN NOTICE OVER MY SHOULDER, HERE IS MY GOOD FRIEND SEAN O'BRIEN.

BOTH OF US HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS.

BOTH OF US HAVE SHAKEN HANDS, AND BOTH OF US AGREED WE COULD HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENT.

SEAN IS SOMEONE THAT HAS BECOME A CLOSE FRIEND.

WE TALK ALL THE TIME.

I'VE BEEN ON HIS PODCAST.

WE'VE TALKED THROUGH THIS.

THAT'S HOW YOU HANDLE YOUR DIFFERENCES.

NOT LIKE THIS.

CHAIRMAN.

OF COURSE, THE HEARING HAD THE TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS, LIKE THE SWEARING IN OF THE NOMINEE AND A FRIENDLY FACE TO INTRODUCE THE NOMINEE.

IN THIS CASE, IT WAS MULLINS OKLAHOMA SENATE DELEGATION COLLEAGUE, SENATOR JAMES LANKFORD.

THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT THINK THEY KNOW YOU.

I ACTUALLY GET TO KNOW YOU, AND I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE BESIDE YOU FOR NOW, OVER A DECADE, AND HAVE SEEN YOUR TENACITY AND YOUR WORK EFFORT.

LANKFORD WOULD RETURN LATER TO PROVIDE POLICY BASED QUESTIONS FOR MULLEN.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW TO BE ABLE TO GET FEMA INTO A BETTER PLACE SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T WAITING FOREVER FOR A RESPONSE?

FEMA WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO BE THE FIRST RESPONDER.

THAT'S THE STATE'S.

FEMA WAS DESIGNED TO BE THE ASSISTANCE TO THE STATES WHEN THE DISASTER REACHES CERTAIN LEVELS.

MULLEN WAS ALSO ASKED HOW HE BECAME CLOSE FRIENDS WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP AND INVOLVED HIS SON, JIM, WHO SUFFERED A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND HAD TO GO THROUGH REHABILITATION IN CALIFORNIA.

TEARING UP DURING THE HEARING, MULLEN SAYS ONCE THE PRESIDENT LEARNED OF HIS SON'S INJURY, HE WANTED TO HELP.

WE GET THERE, AND HE CALLED ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR TWO WEEKS, CHECKING ON JIM, AND THEN HE SAYS, I'M GOING TO COME SEE HIM.

AND AND NOW THIS IS THE MIDDLE OF THE ELECTION.

THIS IS BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.

REALLY NOT AN AREA HE'S GOT TO GO CAMPAIGN.

HE TOOK THE TIME TO COME UP THERE AND, AND SEE AND SEE.

JIM MULLEN TOLD THE COMMITTEE THAT SINCE THAT ACT OF KINDNESS TOWARD HIS SON, HE'S BEEN A GOOD FRIEND WITH THE PRESIDENT.

WHILE THERE WASN'T MUCH SUPPORT FOR MULLEN'S NOMINATION AMONG THE DEMOCRATS ON THE PANEL, SENATOR JOHN FETTERMAN SAID HE WAS KEEPING AN OPEN MIND AND SUGGESTS THAT CHAIRMAN PAUL AND OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD PAST RUN INS WITH MULLEN SHOULD SET THOSE ISSUES TO THE SIDE.

IT'S ABOUT LETTING IT GO AND MOVING ON, AND I'VE DONE THAT, TOO.

WHEN I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND THINGS WERE TOUCH AND GO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE WERE UNKIND THINGS SAID ABOUT ME, BUT I CAN JUST SAY THAT IT'S BETTER TO JUST LET IT ALL GO AND TO FIND A WAY FORWARD.

THAT'S THE TIME THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW IN OUR COUNTRY.

ONE INTERESTING TWIST TO THE HEARING WAS THE DISCOVERY THAT MULLEN WAS ON A SECRET MISSION DURING HIS TIME IN THE HOUSE.

THIS WAS OFFICIAL TRIP, AND IT IS CLASSIFIED.

BUT IN 2015, I WAS ASKED TO TRAIN WITH A VERY SMALL CONTINGENCY AND GO TO A CERTAIN AREA, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR 2016.

THE COMMITTEE'S RANKING MEMBER, SENATOR GARY PETERS, STILL HAD QUESTIONS.

MULLEN WAS HESITANT TO TESTIFY FURTHER UNLESS THEY COULD GO BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND SECURE PERMISSION FOR HIM TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE SENATORS.

PETERS ALSO ASKED MULLEN ABOUT HIS STATEMENTS FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF TWO PROTESTERS IN MINNESOTA AT THE HANDS OF FEDERAL AGENTS.

MULLEN SAYS LOOKING BACK, HE SPOKE TOO SOON.

ARE YOU CALLED ALEX?

QUOTE, A DERANGED INDIVIDUAL THAT CAME IN TO CAUSE MAX DAMAGE?

COULD WE EXPECT THOSE KINDS OF QUICK RESPONSES IF YOU ARE CONFIRMED AS SECRETARY?

THOSE WORDS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN RETRACTED.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT.

AND THE SECRETARY I WOULDN'T.

THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

AND THERE IS LIKE I SAID, THERE'S SOMETIMES GOING TO MAKE A MISTAKE AND I OWN IT.

AFTER ABOUT 3.5 HOURS, THE COMMITTEE ADJOURNED AND WOULD RETURN ON THURSDAY TO VOTE ON WHETHER MULLEN'S NOMINATION MOVES FORWARD.

MR.

CHAIRMAN, ON THE VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT, THE YEAS ARE EIGHT, THE NAYS ARE SEVEN ON THE VOTE BY PROXY, AND FOR THE RECORD, ONLY THE YEAS ARE ZERO.

THE NAYS ARE ZERO.

ON THIS VOTE THE YEAS ARE EIGHT, THE NAYS ARE SEVEN, AND THE MOTION TO REPORT THE NOMINEE IS AGREED TO.

THAT MEANS MULLEN'S NOMINATION IS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR A FULL SENATE VOTE.

THAT WILL LIKELY BE SCHEDULED FOR SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.

RICH.

JASON, THANK YOU.

EDUCATING YOUNG STUDENTS ON THE DANGERS OF FENTANYL AND OTHER DRUGS IS NOW THE LAW OF THE LAND IN OKLAHOMA.

RAINES LAW TOOK EFFECT WITH GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT SIGNATURE LAST MONTH.

NOAH MACK JOINS US NOW FROM OUR OETA CAPITOL STUDIO WITH MORE ON WHAT THE LEGISLATION WILL MANDATE.

NOAH.

RAINES LAW REQUIRES CURRICULUM ON FENTANYL ABUSE PREVENTION FOR SIXTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE.

THE LAW FULFILLS A CLOSELY HELD DREAM OF ITS NAMESAKE, RAYNE REECE, ALTHOUGH NOT IN THE WAY SHE AND HER FAMILY ANTICIPATED, RAINES MARK ON THIS WORLD WILL BEGIN TO CRYSTALLIZE IN THE COMING MONTHS.

SO MY AUNT MADE THIS BIBLE FOR ME, AND IT HAS A RAINBOW.

SHE PUT THIS DEFINITION ABOUT RAIN, AND THEN THAT'S LIKE A RAINDROP BEHIND IT.

SHE WAS THE GREATEST LOVE OF MY LIFE.

SHE WAS.

SMART, KIND, VERY, VERY CREATIVE.

JUST A VERY EMPATHETIC, LOVING PERSON.

SHE WAS A DAUGHTER AND A LOVING BIG SISTER WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, SHE SAID THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE.

THE DAY IV WAS BORN, RAINE REESE TOOK AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE LIVES OF HER YOUNGER SIBLINGS.

SHE.

SHE WAS ALWAYS, ALWAYS THERE FOR ME, AND SHE WANTED TO TRANSLATE THAT ENERGY INTO A CAREER.

AFTER GRADUATION, I PLAN TO TEACH SECOND GRADE, SECOND, OR FIRST GRADE, I. I LOVE LITTLE KIDS AND I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD AND I FEEL LIKE SLOWLY I CAN INTEGRATE MY GOOD, GOOD VIBES INTO THESE CHILDREN'S LIVES.

WITH HER FATHER SERVING IN THE MILITARY, RAINE'S FAMILY MOVED AROUND A LOT, HER MOTHER, CARLA CARLOCK, SAID, READJUSTING EACH TIME WEIGHED ON RAINE, AND SHE HAD PERIODIC STRUGGLES WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

WHEN SHE WENT OFF TO COLLEGE AT CAMERON UNIVERSITY IN LAWTON, HER MOTHER GOT THIS CALL.

SHE CALLED ME, LIKE I SAID, ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AND SAID, MOM, I'M NOT DOING WELL.

I REALLY WANT TO GET BACK INTO COUNSELING AND GET BACK ON MEDICATION.

AND I TOLD HER I WOULD CALL ON MONDAY AND THEN SHE'S LIKE, I LOVE YOU.

I HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT DUE BY MIDNIGHT, SO I'LL TALK TO YOU IN THE MORNING.

A WEEK BEFORE I DEPLOYED, WE DID SOME FAMILY PICTURES.

AND THAT PICTURE RIGHT THERE, THAT'S A THAT'S ONE WEEK BEFORE MY DEPLOYMENT.

AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, THE LAST TIME THAT I SEEN RAINE PRESTON CARLOCK, RAINE'S DAD WAS WORKING IN AN UNDERGROUND BUNKER AND ONE DAY HE LOGGED ONTO THE WI-FI AND WAS MET WITH A DELUGE OF MESSAGES.

MY SON NOAH, WHICH I THINK AT THE TIME HE WAS TEN YEARS OLD, JUST SENT A MESSAGE FROM HIS HIS PHONE AND AND IT JUST SAID DAD RAISED HIS DAD AND.

IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, JUST HAD A SINKING FEELING.

LIKE WHAT?

WHAT IS THAT?

WHAT HAPPENED?

WHY WOULD HE SEND ME A MESSAGE LIKE THAT?

IT WAS A LOT OF DISBELIEF UNTIL I ACTUALLY TALKED TO SOMEONE.

SHE WAS FOUND DEAD IN BED WITH HER SCHOOLWORK STILL OPEN AND HER DOG BESIDE HER.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.

I JUST I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

AND SO WE STARTED GOING THROUGH ALL OUR STUFF.

AND THEN THAT NIGHT, SHE GOOGLED WHAT IS A GENERIC XANAX LOOK LIKE?

RAINE LOST HER LIFE TO A XANAX THAT WAS LACED WITH FENTANYL, AN OPIOID THAT CAN BE FATAL EVEN IN SMALL AMOUNTS.

THE DAY BEFORE RAINE PASSED AWAY, I TOLD HER, YOU KNOW, RAINE, GOD LOVES YOU AND HAS BIG PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE AN AMAZING TEACHER ONE DAY.

I JUST HATED MYSELF BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I LIED TO HER THAT SHE WOULD NEVER TEACH.

WHAT FOLLOWED IN THE COMING YEARS WAS THE GRIEVING PROCESS AND GETTING CONNECTED WITH OTHER FAMILIES WITH SIMILAR STORIES AND WORK HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL TO MAKE SURE RAINE DOES GET TO TEACH.

YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER IN THAT BUILDING AS A SENATOR, YOU NEVER WANT TO MAKE THINGS PERSONAL BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS, BECAUSE YOU GET INVOLVED AND EMOTIONAL ABOUT THINGS AND IT DON'T GO THROUGH.

AND THEN IT'S A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT.

BUT I CAN HONESTLY SAY I PROBABLY GOT ATTACHED TO THIS.

I WANTED IT TO HAPPEN IN FEBRUARY, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED RAINES LAW, WHICH REQUIRES ANNUAL CURRICULUM CENTERED AROUND FENTANYL ABUSE.

THE LAW PROMPTS THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT STANDARDS THAT INCLUDE THE PREVENTION OF ABUSE AND ADDICTION TO FENTANYL, SUICIDE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS OF LOCAL SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

THE LAW EVEN DIRECTS THE GOVERNOR TO SIGNIFY A WEEK AS FENTANYL POISONING AWARENESS WEEK.

SENATOR DARYL WEAVER COAUTHORED THE BILL AND HIGHLIGHTS THAT ROLLING OUT THIS EDUCATION NOW IS IMPERATIVE.

AND OF COURSE, I'VE BEEN AWARE OF FENTANYL EVEN BACK IN MY DAYS AS A JUNIOR NARCOTICS AGENT, AND IT WAS OUT THERE.

BUT IT'S GOTTEN MUCH MORE PREVALENT AND IT'S GOTTEN MUCH MORE DANGEROUS.

ALTHOUGH OVERDOSE DEATHS HAVE BEEN ON THE DECLINE SINCE 2023, ACCORDING TO SAMHSA, THEY REMAIN HIGH IN THE NEARLY TWO YEARS BETWEEN 2019 AND 2021, FENTANYL DEATHS SHOT UP 182% AMONG 10 TO 19 YEAR OLDS, ACCORDING TO DEA.

A SUGAR PACKETS WORTH OF FENTANYL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO KILL 500 PEOPLE.

RAINE WANTED TO BE A TEACHER, AND I THINK IT'S VERY FITTING, AND I TOLD CARLA THIS, SHE'S GOING TO TEACH.

SHE JUST TEACHING IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

RAINES LAW PASSED THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE UNANIMOUSLY, AND WORD IS ALREADY GETTING AROUND MY SEVEN YEAR OLD.

SHE SAID THE OTHER DAY THAT SHE WAS ON THE PLAYGROUND AND SOMEONE, I THINK IT WAS A FIFTH GRADER, CAME UP AND SAID, ARE YOU RAINE SISTER?

AND SHE SAID, YES.

AND SHE WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, MY SISTER.

AND I GUESS THE GIRL SAID, NO, BUT I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE LEARNING ABOUT YOUR SISTER.

IT MAKES ME HAPPY BECAUSE BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT THE WORLD'S GOING TO CHANGE INTO SOMETHING NICE.

MUCH LIKE THE RAIN AFTER A DROUGHT RAIN, REESE'S STORY WILL BE NOURISHING THE MINDS OF STUDENTS ALL OVER OKLAHOMA.

HOW DO YOU THINK SHE WOULD FEEL ABOUT HER IMPACT HERE ABOUT RAINES LAW IN THIS CURRICULUM GOING INTO PLAY?

I THINK I THINK SHE'D BE THANKFUL AND I THINK SHE WOULD BE PROUD THAT I'M STILL HERE BECAUSE SHE KNOWS HOW MUCH I LOVE MY KIDS.

AND I ALWAYS SAID IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED TO THEM, I COULDN'T.

I COULDN'T KEEP GOING ON.

SO I KNOW SHE'D BE PROUD, BUT.

I THINK SHE WOULD BE LIKE, OKAY, MOM, MAYBE YOU WERE RIGHT.

MAYBE I AM MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.

THE LAW TAKES EFFECT IMMEDIATELY, LEAVING THE BALL.

IN THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S COURT, SENATOR WEAVER HOPES THE CURRICULUM WILL BE READY BY THE FALL.

RICH NOAH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT REPORT.

AND COMING UP LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST, IT WAS A SHORT WEEK OF WORK FOR LAWMAKERS THAT TOOK A FEW DAYS OFF FOR SPRING BREAK.

BUT QUORUM CALL PUBLISHER SHAWN ASHLEY DID NOT.

AND HE'LL JOIN US IN A FEW MINUTES TO DISCUSS THE LATEST LEGISLATION UNDER CONSIDERATION.

AT 23RD AND LINCOLN, LAWMAKERS ARE ALSO CONSIDERING BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO CURB THE PROLIFERATION OF AI DATA CENTERS POPPING UP IN DOZENS OF OKLAHOMA COMMUNITIES.

YES, THEY CREATE JOBS, BUT THEY ALSO DRAIN NATIONAL RESOURCES.

THAT'S THE TOPIC OF THIS WEEK'S UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

OKLAHOMA IS PRIME TARGET FOR THESE DATA CENTERS.

BECAUSE OF OUR CHEAP LAND, WE HAVE ACCESS TO HYDROPOWER AND WE HAVE VERY RELAXED LAWS.

WHEN IT COMES TO COMPANIES.

IT'S THE SAME REASON WHY OUT OF STATE INVESTORS LOOK AT OKLAHOMA, BECAUSE OUR LAWS TEND TO FAVOR THE LANDLORD AS OPPOSED TO THE TENANT.

AND SO I THINK IT'S I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

I HOPE THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHO CONTROLS THE HOUSE, SENATE AND GOVERNOR'S OFFICE CAN SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL AND NOT LET OKLAHOMANS BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

OUR OUR MEMBERS BACK IN OUR DISTRICTS WANT US TO DO SOMETHING AS WELL.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING, IS PUTTING SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE.

AS FAR AS MY BILL, HOUSE BILL 2992, WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS BASICALLY ENSURES THAT, NUMBER ONE, THESE COMPANIES COME IN HERE, THEY PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS ON THEIR OWN.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO PASS THAT COST ON TO EVERYONE ELSE IN OKLAHOMA, SMALL BUSINESSES, SMALL FAMILIES THAT THESE UPFRONT.

THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, CASES OF ALPHA GAL SYNDROME ARE INCREASING IN OKLAHOMA.

AND NOW LAWMAKERS ARE STARTING TO TAKE NOTICE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE TICK BORNE DISEASE IS AND WHY THE CDC CONSIDERS OKLAHOMA A HOTSPOT FOR IT.

WE'RE JOINED NOW BY STEVE SHAW.

STEVE.

YEAH.

RICH, 8 OR 9 YEARS AGO, SOME DOCTORS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ALPHA GAL SYNDROME WAS OR HOW TO TREAT IT.

A LOT'S CHANGED VERY RECENTLY.

I, I WAS LOOKING AT HOUSES FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

D NASH AND HER HUSBAND, BILL, MOVED IN TO THIS NEW HOUSE IN LOGAN COUNTY A MONTH AGO.

EVERYONE.

I'M DEAN ASH FROM GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA.

I WANTED TO SHOW YOU ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE GARDEN.

IF BILL WILL PAN THIS WAY, HE'LL SEE.

YOU'LL SEE THAT A LOT OF THIS GARDEN HAS PURPLES AND REDS AND YELLOWS AND ORANGES, AND THAT'S ALSO REFLECTED IN THE SHRUBS.

THE NASH'S OLD HOUSE FEATURED A ONE AND A HALF ACRE GARDEN THAT HAD WON SEVERAL AWARDS.

YOU MISSED THAT GARDEN.

I DO MISS THAT GARDEN.

I MISS IT TERRIBLY.

BUT I HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD TO KEEP GETTING BIT.

TELL ME ABOUT THIS.

WELL, THE MORE TIMES YOU GET BIT, THE SICKER YOU GET.

AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANY SICKER.

THREE YEARS AGO, NASH GOT REALLY SICK, SHE SAYS, AFTER DISCOVERING SHE'D BEEN BITTEN BY FIVE LONE STAR TICKS.

THEY LOOK LIKE THIS.

I CAN IDENTIFY THOSE AT 50 PACES NOW.

SO AT THE TIME I JUST DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

BUT THEN THE BITES DIDN'T HEAL.

IT TOOK A MONTH FOR THEM TO HEAL, AND THEN I JUST STARTED GETTING SICKER AND SICKER AND SICKER, SHE SAYS.

IT ALL CAME TO A HEAD AFTER SHE AND HER HUSBAND WENT OUT FOR A STEAK, AND THEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, I'D WAKE UP AND I'D BE JUST DREADFULLY ILL.

AND THAT MEANT GASTROINTESTINAL AND MY HANDS AND FEET ITCHED.

I MEAN, IT JUST IT JUST KEPT COMPOUNDING AND COMPOUNDING.

AND I WENT TO FIVE DIFFERENT DOCTORS.

AND FINALLY I MET WITH A NURSE PRACTITIONER WHO DIAGNOSED ME, AND SHE SENT IN A BLOOD TEST.

IT'S A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST.

THAT TEST SHOWED D NASH HAD ALPHA GAL SYNDROME.

IT'S BASICALLY A FOOD ALLERGY.

SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE BITTEN BY TICKS BECOME ALLERGIC TO RED MEAT, PORK, ANY SORT OF MAMMAL MEAT.

SOME ALPHA GAL VICTIMS GET SICK FROM DAIRY PRODUCTS TOO.

THOSE ARE BLACK LEGGED TICKS.

SO DOCTOR BRUCE NODEN IS A PROFESSOR OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY AT OKLAHOMA STATE.

ONE OF HIS CURRENT PROJECTS IS ON TICK BORNE PATHOGENS.

SYMPTOMS VARY DEPENDING ON PERSON.

PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO HAVE EVERYWHERE FROM ITCHING ALL OVER THEIR BODIES, HIVES.

A GOOD NUMBER OF CASES START WITH HIVES ALL OVER THE BODY.

DIARRHEA, GASTROINTESTINAL ISSUES.

HEADACHE, FEVER, AND PEOPLE ENDING UP WITH ANAPHYLAXIS WHERE THEY CAN'T BREATHE ANYMORE.

HE SAYS THE MEDICAL PROFESSION HAS LEARNED A LOT ABOUT ALPHA GAL IN RECENT YEARS, INCLUDING THE FACT HE SAYS OTHER TICKS BESIDES LONE STAR TICKS TRANSMIT ALPHA GAL SYNDROME, TOO.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT IT'S UNLIKE MOST ALLERGIC REACTIONS.

THIS IS NOT AN IMMEDIATE ONE.

THIS IS A DELAYED HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTION, AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T REACT TO ANYTHING UNTIL 6 TO 8 HOURS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEF.

AND SO PUTTING THE TWO TOGETHER.

NORMALLY IF WE GET STUNG BY A BEE AND WE CAN'T BREATHE ANYMORE, WE GO.

HEY, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE BEE.

BUT IF WE EAT A HAMBURGER AND THEN WE'RE LAYING IN BED EIGHT HOURS LATER, WE CAN'T BREATHE.

WE DON'T PUT IT TOGETHER WITH THE FACT THAT WE WERE EATING HAMBURGER D NASH SAYS SHE FOUND RELIEF FROM ALPHA GAL THROUGH INJECTABLE MEDICATIONS.

ZOLA IS AN INJECTABLE MEDICATION FOR ASTHMA, WHICH ALSO HELPS REDUCE IGE.

AND SO IT KEEPS YOU FROM GETTING SO SICK.

EXPERTS SAY ALPHA GAL IS ON THE RISE BECAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION OF EASTERN RED CEDAR TREES IN THE SOONER STATE, TREES THAT PROVIDE SHADE AND COVER FOR TICKS, EXPERTS SAY.

ANOTHER REASON IS BECAUSE THE DEER POPULATION IN OKLAHOMA IS WAY UP.

LONE STAR TICKS LOVE TO FEED ON DEER.

THIS PAST MONDAY, STATE SENATOR BRENDA STANLEY INTRODUCED SENATE BILL 1644 TO START WITH 1640 44 IS A MECHANISM WHERE THEY REPORT HEALTH CARE WORKERS REPORT ALPHA GAL TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY STARTING A MECHANISM TO KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY CASES WE HAVE.

WE TRULY DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE HAVE.

THIS IS THE START.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO START TRACKING IT FIRST.

THIS PROBABLY ISN'T GOING TO BE THE END OF MY LEGISLATION FOR ALPHA GAL SYNDROME.

AMERICAN FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

CO-OP PRESS SECRETARY LACEY NEWMAN SAYS A LONE STAR TICK BIT HER IN HER GARDEN IN 2018, AND AS THE MONTHS PROGRESSED, I STARTED HAVING ANAPHYLACTIC REACTIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND AFTER ONE BIG ONE, I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO GO SEE SOMEONE ABOUT IT.

WE REALLY NEED TO BE TICK AWARE, CHECK OUR KIDS FOR TICKS, CHECK OURSELVES FOR TICKS.

IF THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO IN YOUR BACKYARD TO TRY TO REDUCE, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE UP AGAINST A FOREST WHERE YOU HAVE DEER AND THINGS YOU NEED TO LIKE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN YOUR BACKYARD?

MAKE SURE YOUR GRASS IS VERY CUT, VERY LOW.

MAKE SURE YOUR LEAF LITTER, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS WHERE YOU ARE, IS REALLY CLEANED UP.

THE MORE TREES YOU HAVE, THE MORE LIKELIHOOD YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LONE STAR TICKS.

ANY RED CEDARS AROUND HERE.

THERE'S ONE RED CEDAR RIGHT THERE AND IT'S GOING AWAY AS SOON AS I CAN CHOP IT DOWN.

I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO MY NEIGHBOR ABOUT IT.

ALPHA-GAL IS IS A IS A CONDITION THAT COMES FROM BEING FED ON BY A TICK.

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO GETS INFECTED AND WHO DOESN'T GET INFECTED.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, TO BE TICK AWARE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T REALLY FIGURED OUT WHAT, WHAT MAKES PEOPLE PRETTY, WHAT PREDESTINED YOU TO BECOME INFECTED.

AND SO WE DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ONE OF THEM OR IF YOU'RE NOT RUSSIAN ROULETTE IN MANY WAYS.

YEAH.

IF THERE'S ONE POSITIVE IN ALL OF THIS, DOCTOR SNOWDEN TOLD ME 40 TO 50% OF PEOPLE INFECTED WITH ALPHA GAL ARE ABLE TO EVENTUALLY EAT RED MEAT AGAIN.

RICH STEVE, GREAT REPORT.

THANK YOU.

WELL, THE OKLAHOMA HOUSE AND SENATE WRAPPING UP THEIR WORK EARLY THIS WEEK TO ALLOW LAWMAKERS SOME TIME OFF FOR SPRING BREAK.

AND THAT'S WHY QUORUM CALL PUBLISHER SHAWN ASHLEY JOINS US VIA ZOOM THIS WEEK.

AND SHAWN, LET'S START WITH EDUCATION AND A PUSH TO MANDATE A LONGER SCHOOL YEAR BEGINNING IN 2027.

THAT'S RIGHT.

HOUSE BILL 3151 WOULD ADD SEVEN INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CALENDAR, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF DAYS FROM 166 TO 173 BEGINNING IN THE 2027 2028 SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THAT IS, PROVIDED THAT THE LEGISLATURE INCREASES ITS APPROPRIATION TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BY $175 MILLION FOR THAT FISCAL YEAR.

FISCAL YEAR 2028.

THE BILL PASSED THE HOUSE 62 TO 28 WITHOUT DEBATE AND MOVES TO THE SENATE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM LONNIE PAXTON, WHO SUPPORTS MORE IN-PERSON CLASS TIME, SUPPORTS THE BILL AND HAS SIGNED ON AS ITS SENATE'S AUTHOR.

SHAWN, THE SENATE IS CONSIDERING AUTHORIZING THE BUILDING OF ANOTHER BRIDGE OVER THE ARKANSAS RIVER.

WHERE AND WHY PREVIOUS LEGISLATION REQUIRED THE BRIDGE TO BE BUILT AT SOUTH DELAWARE AVENUE AND MEMORIAL DRIVE IN TULSA COUNTY.

THE NEW LANGUAGE PLACES IT OVER THE ARKANSAS RIVER IN THE VICINITY OF BIXBY.

REPRESENTATIVE MARK TEDFORD, THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL, SAID THE PROJECT BETTER REFLECTS THE NEEDS OF THE REGION TODAY.

THE BRIDGE'S PLACEMENT, HE SAID, ENSURES OKLAHOMA'S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE KEEPS PACE WITH POPULATION GROWTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SHAUNA ALSO KNOWS THAT REPRESENTATIVE TEDFORD WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE HIS JOB TITLE.

HE WOULD.

TEDFORD, A REPUBLICAN FROM TULSA, WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION TO THE HOUSE, BUT WILL WILL RUN INSTEAD FOR THE FIRST DISTRICT U.S.

HOUSE SEAT BEING VACATED BY U.S.

REPRESENTATIVE KEVIN HEARN.

HEARN PLANS TO RUN FOR THE U.S.

SENATE SEAT BEING VACATED BY MARKWAYNE MULLIN, WHO WAS APPOINTED PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S NEW SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

TEDFORD IS COMPLETING HIS SECOND TERM IN THE OKLAHOMA HOUSE, THE FIELD TO REPLACE HEARN THAT WOULD INCLUDE TEDFORD COULD QUITE COULD BE QUITE LARGE.

WHEN MULLIN RAN FOR THE SENATE AS A SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN IN 2022 TO FULFILL TO FILL THE SEAT OF RETIRING SENATOR JIM INHOFE, THERE WERE 14 REPUBLICANS IN THAT SECOND DISTRICT FIELD.

ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU, SEAN, AND THIS ONE SEEMS LIKE A NO BRAINER TO ME.

BUT ONE LAWMAKER WANTS TO MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR PEDOPHILES TO ADOPT CHILDREN.

HOUSE BILL 2936 IS AUTHORED BY REPRESENTATIVE JIM OLSON.

OLSON SAID HOUSE BILL 2936 SIMPLY CLARIFIES AND ASSURES THAT PEDOPHILES MAY NOT ADOPT CHILDREN.

NOW, UNDER CURRENT LAW, THERE IS A LIST OF A NUMBER OF CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN THAT DISQUALIFY SOMEONE FROM BEING AN ADOPTIVE PARENT.

BUT CHILD ABUSE OR LEWD MOLESTATION OF A CHILD IS NOT ON THAT LIST.

THIS BILL ADDS THEM.

THE BILL ALSO PROHIBITS A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME AGAINST A CHILD FROM ENTERING INTO A SURROGACY AGREEMENT.

OLSON SAID HE WAS UNAWARE OF THAT OCCURRING IN OKLAHOMA, BUT ADDED IT HAS OCCURRED IN OTHER STATES.

A FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU ONCE SPRING BREAK IS OVER, WHAT'S ON YOUR RADAR WHEN LEGISLATORS RETURN TO THE CAPITOL NEXT WEEK?

THURSDAY, MARCH 26TH IS THE DEADLINE FOR BILLS TO BE HEARD IN THEIR CHAMBER OF ORIGIN HOUSE BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE BILLS IN THE SENATE.

THE SECOND STEP OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

THE HOUSE HAS MORE THAN 300 MEASURES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE.

FOR CONSIDERATION, AND THE SENATE JUST OVER 400.

NOW, NOT ALL THOSE MEASURES WILL BE HEARD, BUT A LOT WILL.

SO IT WILL BE A VERY BUSY WEEK.

SEAN ASHLEY, PUBLISHER OF QUORUM CALL.

THANKS ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY DAWNED COLD AND CRISP ON TUESDAY, BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP FOLKS FROM GETTING OUT TO CELEBRATE HERE IN OKLAHOMA, THE IRISH COMMUNITY AND THE CHOCTAW NATION SHARE A COMMON BOND DATING BACK TO THE 1800S.

TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN ITS ORIGINS.

TAELYR.

THAT'S RIGHT, RICH, THE SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN THE CHOCTAW NATION AND IRELAND STARTED ALL THANKS TO A SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS.

THAT GESTURE IS STILL TREASURED TO THIS DAY.

COOLER TEMPERATURES AND HIGH WINDS COULDN'T STOP SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FESTIVITIES FROM HAPPENING ACROSS THE STATE.

THOUGH THE FOOD AND THE DANCING AND THE MUSIC AND REALLY JUST THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S REALLY LIKE A BIG FAMILY IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

THE CELEBRATION STARTED AT MYRIAD GARDENS FOR LIVE PERFORMANCES.

LATER IN THE NIGHT, PARTYGOERS ATTENDED A BLOCK PARTY IN BRICKTOWN AND KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF AND UP THE TURNPIKE AT THE ORIGINAL MCNALLY'S IN TULSA, FOLKS WERE ENJOYING AN ICE COLD BEER.

THAT'S WHERE WE FOUND A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN IRISH CLUB OF TULSA.

PRESIDENT JOHN DOLAN SAYS KEEPING THE IRISH CULTURE ALIVE IS A VITAL PART OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION.

WE'RE ABOUT THE FRIENDSHIP THAT BEING IRISH BRINGS TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE ENJOYMENT THAT WE GET FROM GETTING TOGETHER AND SHARING OUR STORIES AND SHARING OUR SONGS, CLUB SECRETARY JORDAN TIDWELL SAYS THE GROUP HELPS HER FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO HER IRISH ROOTS.

MY FAMILY CAME TO THE BOSTON AREA IN THE LATE 1800S, EARLY 1900S, AND SO I, I KNOW LIKE WHERE THEY THEY CAME FROM PRIMARILY COUNTY CORK WAS THE AREA IN IRELAND THAT THEY CAME FROM.

AND I WAS ABLE TO ACTUALLY TRAVEL BACK THERE ABOUT A DECADE AGO AND ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, GO TO THE PLACES WHERE MY ANCESTORS LIVED AND RECONNECT WITH LIKE A VERY DISTANT COUSIN.

TRADITIONALLY, SAINT PATRICK'S DAY IS OBSERVED THROUGH RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND FEAST TO HONOR SAINT PATRICK, A PATRON SAINT OF IRELAND.

BUT AS MORE PEOPLE OF IRISH DESCENT CAME TO AMERICA, THE HOLIDAY HAS TRANSFORMED INTO A CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS IRISH.

WE CELEBRATED BEING IRISH EVERY YEAR, IN PARTICULAR AT SAINT PATRICK'S DAY.

MY FATHER WENT OUT AND PAINTED THE STREET GREEN WITH AN ARROW POINTING TO OUR HOUSE.

FOR THE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE PARTY.

THE MAYOR WOULD COME AND TELL HIM HE COULDN'T DO THAT, AND HE PROMISED NOT TO DO IT AGAIN UNTIL NEXT YEAR.

AS THE CELTIC MUSIC FILLED THE AIR, THE PAIR WERE REFLECTING ON THEIR HERITAGE AND SPECIAL CONNECTION TO THE CHOCTAW NATION.

MY FAMILY IS MUSKOGEE AND CHEROKEE, SO THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE CONNECTION TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR IRISH SIDE, THERE'S A LOT OF SIMILARITIES, ESPECIALLY RELATING TO LIKE COMMUNITY AND JUST HELPING EACH OTHER OUT.

IN 1845, A DESTRUCTIVE PLANT DISEASE SPREAD THROUGHOUT IRELAND, INFESTING POTATO CROPS, ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MAIN SOURCES OF FOOD.

THE POTATO FAMINE LED TO MASS STARVATION AND DISEASE IN IRELAND FROM 1845 TO 1852, THE CHOCTAW PEOPLE HEARD ABOUT THE STRUGGLE OF THE IRISH PEOPLE AND DECIDED TO LEND A HELPING HAND.

BEFORE 1847, THE CHOCTAW PEOPLE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR OWN TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS BY BEING REMOVED FROM OUR HOMELANDS IN THE MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA AREA HERE TO OKLAHOMA BEING RELOCATED.

AND THAT WAS JUST, OH, THAT WAS A TREACHEROUS TIME FOR OUR PEOPLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN 1847, THE IRISH PEOPLE WERE GOING THROUGH THEIR POTATO FAMINE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE CHOCTAW PEOPLE HAVING GONE THROUGH AND WERE GOING THROUGH OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, TRIALS, FELT EMPATHY.

TOGETHER, THE CHOCTAW PEOPLE COLLECTED $170 TO AID THE IRISH.

THAT'S ROUGHLY $5,000 IN TODAY'S MONEY.

THIS IS A GIFT THAT THE IRISH PEOPLE NEVER REALLY FORGOTTEN.

YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY THEY DIDN'T REALIZE HOW SIGNIFICANT IT WAS.

BUT NOT LONG AFTER, THEY REALIZED THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR OWN TRIALS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT MEANT EVEN THAT MUCH MORE.

AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN CONNECTED TO THEM FOR EVER SINCE.

CHOCTAW CULTURE CENTER DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT MEMBERSHIP CHIOMA DUGGER SAYS THE CHOCTAW NATION AND IRELAND HAVE STAYED IN TOUCH EVER SINCE 2017.

A MONUMENT WAS CREATED IN CORK, IRELAND, HONORING THE CHOCTAW PEOPLE AND OUR GIFT TO THEM.

AND THEN JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IN OUR OWN CAPITAL, WE CREATED OR HAD A CHOCTAW ARTIST CREATE THE ETERNAL HEART STATUE IN THEIR HONOR.

EVEN HERE AT THE CHOCTAW CULTURAL CENTER, WE HAVE THE GIF STATUE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THAT TOO.

LAST WEEKEND, THE CHOCTAW NATION CELEBRATED THAT RELATIONSHIP AT THE ANNUAL CHOCTAW IRISH FRIENDSHIP FESTIVAL.

NEARLY 1000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE EVENT, SO WE HAD.

ONE OF THE NEW THINGS WE DID THIS YEAR WAS IRISH LANGUAGE LESSONS, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A TWO PARTER, SO IT WAS IRISH LANGUAGE AND CHOCTAW LANGUAGE TAUGHT TOGETHER, SO REALLY SPECIAL.

WE ALSO HAD A LOT OF INFORMATION BOOTHS WITH JUST IRISH AND JUST CELTIC GROUPS COMING IN AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY DO IN THE AREA.

WE HAD ARTISTS, VENDORS SELLING, WE HAD SOME LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF BLACKSMITHING, SILVERSMITHING, REALLY GREAT THINGS.

OF COURSE, ON THE CHOCTAW SIDE WE HAD SOCIAL DANCING AND STICKBALL.

WE DID OUR TRADITIONAL GAMES.

SO THINGS THAT YOU KIND OF COME TO LOVE AND EXPECT ALMOST HERE AT THE CULTURAL CENTER, TIDWELL SAYS SHE'S GRATEFUL FOR THE ACT OF KINDNESS FROM THE CHOCTAW NATION.

MY FAMILY IS FROM COUNTY CORK, AND SO THAT IS THE WHERE THAT GIFT WAS SENT TO.

AND SO I LOVE LEARNING ABOUT THAT, THAT CONNECTION.

TIDWELL AND DOLAN HOPE OTHERS WHO WANT TO CONNECT AND CELEBRATE THEIR IRISH ROOTS WILL REACH OUT TO THE CLUB.

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE CONNECTED TO WHO YOU ARE AND YOUR ANCESTORS AND, YOU KNOW, THESE THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF PEOPLE THAT MAKE US WHO WE ARE.

AND SO THAT IS KIND OF LIKE THE JOURNEY OF HOW WE GOT CONNECTED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE IT IS SUCH A BIG, IMPORTANT PART OF WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE WHERE WE COME FROM.

COME TO A MEETING.

IF YOU DECIDE YOU LIKE IT, JOIN OUR CLUB.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, WE WISH YOU WELL, BUT YOU'RE NEVER A STRANGER.

AFTER WE MET YOU THE FIRST TIME.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE IRISH AMERICAN CLUB OF TULSA, YOU CAN VISIT THEIR WEBSITE.

IRISH AMERICAN CLUB OF TULSA.ORG.

RICH.

REALLY INTERESTING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TAELYR.

USA TODAY HAS RECOGNIZED AN OKLAHOMA COMPANY AS ITS MOST TRUSTED BRAND FOR 2026.

THAT STORY TOPS THIS WEEK'S STATEWIDE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW WITH JASON DOYLE, OKLAHOMA CITY BASED SOFTWARE COMPANY PAYCOM HAS BEEN TAPPED BY USA TODAY AS ITS MOST TRUSTED BRAND FOR 2026.

THE RECOGNITION IS BASED ON A NATIONAL CONSUMER SENTIMENT STUDY OF MORE THAN 23,000 U.S.

CONSUMERS, EVALUATING MORE THAN 4800 BRANDS.

PAYCOM ALSO WON THE ONLY FIVE STAR RATING WITHIN ITS INDUSTRY SEGMENT.

HOME RENTAL PRICES IN OKLAHOMA CITY ARE FOLLOWING A NATIONAL DOWNWARD TREND.

THE FEBRUARY RENT REPORT FROM REALTOR.COM SHOWS THAT THE AVERAGE ASKING PRICE IS $983 A MONTH.

THAT'S DOWN BY 1.2% SINCE FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.

RENTAL PRICES IN OKC HIT AN ALL TIME HIGH IN FEBRUARY OF 2023 AT $1,055, WHICH MEANS PRICES TODAY ARE NEARLY 7% BELOW WHERE THEY WERE TWO YEARS AGO.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED MOC RESOURCES SAYS IT EARNED A NET INCOME OF $143 MILLION IN 2025.

THE COMPANY'S TOTAL REVENUE LAST YEAR WAS $1.2 BILLION.

MOC ALSO INCREASED ITS RESOURCES.

ITS TOTAL PROVEN RESERVES INCREASED BY 109%, WITH MORE THAN 700 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL EQUIVALENT READY TO BE BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE OVER THIS YEAR, MOC OFFICIALS ARE EXPECTING TO INVEST 315 MILLION TO $360 MILLION INTO DEVELOPMENT OF DRILLING SITES.

TULSA AREA BASED GATEWAY FIRST BANK HAS PROMOTED EARL DUNHAM AS ITS NEXT CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER.

HE WAS PREVIOUSLY THE COMPANY'S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BANKING AND MORTGAGE SERVICES.

DUNHAM ALSO HAS BEEN THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CORPORATE INITIATIVES AND PLANNING.

DUNHAM'S NEW DUTIES WILL HAVE HIM OVERSEEING THE DIRECTION, STRATEGY, PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF COMPANY INITIATIVES.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER TURNED TO SOCIAL MEDIA THIS WEEK TO GIVE THE PUBLIC NEW RENDERINGS OF THE SOON TO BE BUILT, $1 BILLION OKLAHOMA CITY ARENA.

THE RENDERINGS, CREATED BY MANICA ARCHITECTURE, WERE RELEASED AHEAD OF NEXT WEEK'S GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR NEW ARENA.

THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY RECENTLY FINISHED THE DEMOLITION OF THE FORMER MARRIOTT.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

CITIZENS IN SEVERAL OKLAHOMA COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN PACKING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO SAY NOT SO FAST.

DO AI DATA CENTERS BEING BUILT IN THEIR BACKYARDS.

THE DRAIN ON ELECTRICITY AND WATER IS SIGNIFICANT.

NOW, LAWMAKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE ARE INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO REGULATE HOW THE CENTERS OPERATE.

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD.

LAWMAKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE ARE WEIGHING HOW TO MANAGE THE RAPID GROWTH OF LARGE DATA CENTERS ACROSS OKLAHOMA.

JOINING US NOW ARE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE BRAD BOLES AND DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE MICKY DOLENZ.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US HERE FOR THIS DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

SO, REPRESENTATIVE BOLES, OKLAHOMA IS SEEING RAPID DATA CENTER GROWTH ACROSS THE STATE.

WHY ARE COMPANIES CHOOSING OUR STATE RIGHT NOW?

IS IT LOW ENERGY COSTS, LAND AVAILABILITY?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS PLAYING IN THERE?

THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM PEOPLE AND EVEN INDUSTRY, IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT OKLAHOMA BECAUSE WE HAVE PRETTY LOW COST OF LIVING, LOW COST OF DOING BUSINESS.

WE HAVE ABUNDANT RESOURCES OF NATURAL GAS IN OKLAHOMA.

VERY, I MEAN, COMPARED TO THE REGION IN THE COUNTRY, PRETTY LOW COST UTILITIES.

AND SO AND REALLY LOW PROPERTY TAX COMPARED TO OTHER STATES.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS OR VARIABLES THEY HAVE IN DOING BUSINESS.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY'RE LOOKING AT OKLAHOMA.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE SEEING ALL OF THAT GROWTH.

REPRESENTATIVE DALTON'S FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT LAWMAKERS ARE TRYING TO SOLVE RIGHT NOW, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THESE BILLS AND A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY ON YOUR BILL?

WELL, IT'S NO SURPRISE TO VIEWERS THAT WE LIVE IN A DIGITAL ECONOMY NOWADAYS.

PEOPLE GO TO THEIR DOCTOR VISITS VIA TELEHEALTH.

WE STORE THINGS IN THE CLOUD, OUR BANKING IS ONLINE.

AND OF COURSE, AI IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE POPULAR.

AND AS MORE PEOPLE USE THESE ONLINE SERVICES, WE HAVE TO EXPAND INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THAT'S WHY DATA CENTERS HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SUBJECTS IN THE OKLAHOMA STATE LEGISLATURE FOR 2026.

AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IS IT'S A VERY BIPARTISAN ISSUE.

WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR RATEPAYERS ARE PROTECTED FROM THESE HUGE DATA COMPANIES THAT ARE COMING IN AND BUILDING OUT INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND ALSO, WE NEED TO, I BELIEVE, SLOW THE TRAIN DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND TAKE A STEP BACK.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT WOULD ADDRESS THIS SPECIFICALLY.

MINE WOULD ENSURE THAT RATEPAYERS AREN'T BEING BURDENED WITH THAT ADDITIONAL COST OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT LARGE LOAD DATA CENTERS COVER THEIR COSTS AND PUT THAT INTO A FUND THAT WOULD GO INTO GRID MODERNIZATION, WHICH IF WE'RE CONTINUING DOWN THE TRAJECTORY, WHICH WE'RE HEADED DOWN, IT'S JUST GOING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE MORE AND MORE STORAGE.

ULTIMATELY, IT'S GOING TO.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY ROUGH RIDE.

SO THE BILLS THAT ARE GOING INTO THIS NOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE HERE IS COST AND MAKING SURE THE OKLAHOMA TAXPAYERS ARE NOT PAYING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND NOT PAYING FOR THE EFFECT ON THE POWER GRID.

REPRESENTATIVE BOLES, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOUR BILL IS ENSURING THAT THESE UPFRONT COSTS, OR EVEN LATER COSTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE PUT ON OKLAHOMANS?

I THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YEAH.

SO, I MEAN, WHAT WHAT HOUSE BILL 2992, IT'S CALLED THE DATA CENTER RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT.

AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS PUTTING SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE.

AND IN STATE LAW, THE CORPORATION COMMISSION, AS WE KNOW, REGULATES THE UTILITY INDUSTRY.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE HAVING DISCUSSIONS OVER THERE ABOUT THIS AS WELL WITH THEIR UTILITY COMPANIES.

THEY OVERSEE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS STATE REPRESENTATIVES, OUR OUR MEMBERS BACK IN OUR DISTRICTS WANT US TO DO SOMETHING AS WELL.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS PUTTING SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE.

AS FAR AS MY BILL, HOUSE BILL 2992, WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS BASICALLY ENSURES THAT, NUMBER ONE, THESE COMPANIES COME IN HERE, THEY PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS ON THEIR OWN.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO PASS THAT COST ON TO EVERYONE ELSE IN OKLAHOMA, SMALL BUSINESSES, SMALL FAMILIES.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH A POWER AGREEMENT.

WE'RE REQUIRING A MINIMUM OF TEN YEAR POWER AGREEMENT.

IT COULD BE LONGER THAN THAT, BUT AT LEAST TEN YEARS THEY HAVE TO PUT UP SOME SORT OF DOWN PAYMENT, COLLATERAL, SECURITY DEPOSIT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND REALLY WE HAVE A RISK OF STRANDED ASSETS.

SO IF THESE COMPANIES WERE TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS IN 4 OR 5 YEARS AND THEY HAVEN'T FINISHED THEIR LONG TERM POWER AGREEMENT, WE DON'T WANT THAT STRANDED COST TO BE STUCK TO TO THE REST OF THE RATEPAYERS.

AND SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THEY PUT UP SOME SORT OF BONDING, SOME SORT OF COLLATERAL.

AND AS I MENTIONED, THE CORPORATION COMMISSION, THEIR JOB IS TO OVERSEE THIS AND IMPLEMENT THIS.

SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET INTO THE DETAILS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF DOING RATE CASES IN THE LEGISLATURE, BECAUSE EVERY CASE IS UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT.

BUT WE DO WANT TO PUT SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE THAT THE CORPORATION COMMISSION HAS TO ENFORCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING OKLAHOMA RATEPAYERS.

BUT THE COLLATERAL WOULD BE THE SAFEGUARD TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD BE PASSED ON TO OKLAHOMANS LATER.

RIGHT.

I THINK THERE'S A I THINK THERE'S A COMBINATION OF PUTTING MONEY UP FRONT, SIGNING A LONG TERM POWER AGREEMENT WHERE THOSE COSTS ARE PAID FOR OVER TIME, AND THEN HAVE ENOUGH COLLATERAL ON THE HOOK SO THAT IF THEY WERE TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS BEFORE THAT'S PAID OFF, THAT WE GET THAT COLLATERAL SO THAT WE CAN PAY FOR THE STRANDED COST.

AND REPRESENTATIVE, DO YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING?

I THINK THAT'S A VERY SMART APPROACH, BECAUSE EVEN IF THEY DON'T GO OUT OF BUSINESS, AS TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES, THE DATA CENTERS CAN GET SMALLER AND SMALLER.

SO WHILE YOU HAVE THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE BUILDING THESE MASSIVE WAREHOUSES ALL OVER OKLAHOMA, I THINK THERE ARE 12 PROPOSALS IN THE WORKS.

IN FIVE YEARS, I COULD LOOK VASTLY DIFFERENT.

WE COULD HAVE DATA CENTERS AND OUTER SPACE.

AND SO, AS REPRESENTATIVE BOLES HAS OUTLINED IN HIS BILL, THE RATEPAYERS WOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE EMPTY BUILDINGS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.

AND HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD SUBSIDIZE ANY OF THE BUILDING.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY STRICT ON THE WATER USAGE.

WE SHOULD ACTUALLY TAKE.

SENATOR SASHA'S APPROACH WITH SENATE BILL 1488, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A THREE YEAR MORATORIUM, AND IT WOULD REQUIRE THE OKLAHOMA CORPORATION COMMISSION TO DO A DETAILED STUDY ON RATES, LAND USE, DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE STATE THAT HAVE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF WATER.

THAT WAY, WE'RE NOT JUST RUSHING INTO THIS, AND WE CAN HOPEFULLY HAVE THE BEST OUTCOME POSSIBLE AND AND DEFINITELY NOT INTRUDE ON OUR CONSTITUENTS RIGHTS.

IF THE MORATORIUM WAS THE BEST WAY, WHY DIDN'T EITHER OF YOU DO THAT?

WHY PUT A PAUSE INSTEAD OF AN ACTUAL MORATORIUM?

JUST UP FOR GRABS?

I DID COAUTHOR THAT BILL, BUT I ALSO SEE THAT IT'S LIKELY GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND IF IT DOES, I WOULD WANT IT TO ESTABLISH SAFEGUARDS FOR NOT ONLY MY CONSTITUENTS, BUT FOR OKLAHOMANS ACROSS THE STATE.

REPRESENTATIVE.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IN THE LEGISLATURE, YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT.

YOU GOT TO TAKE PIECES AT A TIME.

AND SO THE PEOPLE I TALK TO GOING ACROSS OKLAHOMA, THEIR NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS UTILITY RATES.

THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR RATES AREN'T GOING UP BECAUSE OF THESE DATA CENTERS.

AND I WANTED TO GET SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT WAY.

IF THEY DO COME HERE, THAT WE AT LEAST CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, WHICH IS MAKING SURE THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR COSTS AND THAT YOUR RATES AREN'T GOING UP BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THEM.

AND THAT'S A GREAT WAY.

AND YOU BOTH KIND OF EXPLAINED THAT AS WELL.

SO IF ARE OTHER STATES DOING THIS AND OUR OTHER STATES CONSIDERING TEMPORARY BANS, AND IF THEY ARE, DOES THAT KIND OF SUGGEST THAT THIS IS A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN JUST AN OKLAHOMA REPRESENTATIVE?

BOLES YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN OTHER STATES.

THERE ARE A LOT OF STATES ARE KIND OF LIKE US THAT THIS IS COMING AT FULL, FULL PACE.

A LOT OF NOT MUCH PLANNING THAT'S HAPPENED BETWEEN NOW AND JUST IN A YEAR AGO.

I MEAN, THIS WASN'T THAT BIG OF A TOPIC AND IT'S REALLY EXPEDITED.

AND SO I THINK A LOT OF STATES ARE TRYING TO REACT QUICKLY.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WE DO SOMETHING PRACTICAL, THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

IF WE IF WE DO SOMETHING THAT WON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT FROM THE LEGISLATURE, WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THIS YEAR WITH NOTHING DONE, AND THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE BACK HOME THAT WE DID ANYTHING TO PROTECT THEM.

AND REPRESENTATIVE DALTON'S MOVING BACK TO THE POWER GRID AND LIKE MAKING SURE THOSE COSTS ARE NOT ON OKLAHOMANS AS WELL, LIKE WHEN ELECTRICITY IS AT ITS HIGHEST.

ON OUR HOT DAYS IN OKLAHOMA, WE'RE IN DROUGHT SEASON, WHICH WE REGULARLY ARE.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALL.

IT'S ALWAYS HOT.

HOW WOULD.

YOUR BILL WOULD REQUIRE LARGE DATA CENTERS TO BE PAYING FOR THE PRICE OF THEIR ELECTRICITY RATES, AND WOULD THAT BE AFFECTED TO OKLAHOMANS?

YEAH.

THAT'S CORRECT.

IT PUTS A SURCHARGE ON THE DATA CENTERS TO COVER THOSE COSTS.

IT WOULD GO INTO GRID MODERNIZATION.

SO WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BETTER TRANSMISSIONS, UPGRADES, AND THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY ALLEVIATE THE GRID AND NOT MAKE IT TO WHERE WE HAVE OUR OWN CITIZENS WITHOUT ELECTRIC DURING THE HOTTEST PARTS OF THE OF THE SUMMER.

BUT BACK TO THE EARLIER QUESTION.

OKLAHOMA IS A PRIME TARGET FOR THESE DATA CENTERS.

BECAUSE OF OUR CHEAP LAND, WE HAVE ACCESS TO HYDROPOWER AND WE HAVE VERY RELAXED LAWS WHEN IT COMES TO COMPANIES.

IT'S THE SAME REASON WHY OUT OF STATE INVESTORS LOOK AT OKLAHOMA, BECAUSE OUR LAWS TEND TO FAVOR THE LANDLORD AS OPPOSED TO THE TENANT.

AND SO I THINK IT'S I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

I HOPE THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHO CONTROLS THE HOUSE, SENATE AND GOVERNOR'S OFFICE CAN SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL AND NOT LET OKLAHOMANS BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THESE MEGA BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES.

AND RIGHT IN THAT SAME VEIN, REPRESENTATIVE DOLAN'S, I'M SURE WE'VE ALL OF US HAVE SEEN THE LARGE PROTESTS ACROSS OKLAHOMA DATA CENTERS.

A LOT OF OKLAHOMANS ARE NOT FOR IT.

THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING THEM IN THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS ON WATER, BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS ON POWER, BECAUSE OF PRICING, EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT HERE.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO DO NOT WANT THESE FACILITIES?

AND DO YOU THINK THAT THOSE CITIES SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE PUT THERE?

ABSOLUTELY.

CITY SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE.

FOR THE PROTESTERS WHO ARE SHOWING UP TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, HAVING THEIR VOICE HEARD, CONTINUE USING YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT IN A PEACEFUL MANNER, OF COURSE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU USE YOUR VOICE.

THERE'S A PROPOSAL IN STILLWATER FOR A DATA CENTER THAT WOULD USE 2.1 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY.

THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING.

WHEREAS ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE SOME DATA CENTERS THAT ARE INVESTING IN AIR COOLED TECHNOLOGY THAT USE MINIMAL AMOUNTS OF WATER.

SO THEY'RE NOT ALL THE SAME ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE'RE RUNNING LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS IN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE WAY POSSIBLE.

REPRESENTATIVE BOWLES WELL, I WOULD SAY AS A FORMER MAYOR, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE LOCAL CONTROL.

AND I THINK EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT.

STILLWATER MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.

SO I THINK THOSE PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES KNOW THEIR COMMUNITY BETTER THAN WE DO AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

AND I THINK IT'S BEST FOR THEM TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT FITS THEIR COMMUNITY, THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT ABILITY.

BUT I THINK AS CITIZENS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, YOU PASS ON YOUR YOUR FEEDBACK TO YOUR CITY COUNCIL OR YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

AND I KNOW AS A FORMER MAYOR, I LISTEN TO MY PEOPLE AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE I DID WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT WANTED ME TO DO.

AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS ONE VOICE?

WHAT IS ONE PHONE CALL?

WHAT IS ONE EMAIL?

BUT THEY ADD UP AND THEY DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

HOW DO WE BALANCE HERE THE DESIRE MAYBE.

AND IS THERE A DESIRE TO HAVE DATA CENTERS HERE OVERALL WITH THESE LOCAL CONCERNS?

REPRESENTATIVE DOLAN'S YEAH, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN TODAY'S DIGITAL ECONOMY, PEOPLE ARE USING TECHNOLOGY AT A HUGE RATE.

WE ARE SAVING THINGS ON THE CLOUD.

PEOPLE ARE USING DIGITAL BANKING.

AI HAS BECOME VERY COMMON.

IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE AI OR HAVING BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, BUT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE REALITY OF THE MATTER.

AND THAT'S THAT.

ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED EVERY DAY ARE STORED IN DATA CENTERS, AND THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS REQUIRED IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING AS WE ARE IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY.

AND SO THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME IS THAT WE WORK TOGETHER IN A BIPARTISAN MANNER AND COME UP WITH REAL GUARDRAILS THAT WILL PROTECT NOT ONLY THE RATEPAYERS, BUT THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.

AND WE HAVE TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF THESE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY AI, BECAUSE WE'RE ALMOST TO A POINT WHERE IT'S BEYOND REGULATING WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THESE MORE ADVANCED MODELS.

WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION TOO.

IT'S WHAT IF THE DEMAND FOR ENERGY KEEPS GROWING?

DO WE SEE A POINT WHERE EVEN PROTECTIONS LIKE YOURS AND REPRESENTATIVE BOLES CAN BE ENOUGH TO PREVENT EVEN JUST HIGHER BILLS?

REPRESENTATIVE BOLES I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THAT'S WHAT THE CORPORATION COMMISSION DOES, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY STAY ON TOP OF THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS OUR GRID EXPANDS, I MEAN WE'RE LOOKING AT HISTORIC DEMAND FOR GENERATION OF POWER.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE I THINK OKLAHOMA USES ABOUT NINE GIGAWATTS OF POWER ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.

AND WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR CAPACITY TO MAYBE 18GW OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

SO IN A TIME WHERE WE'VE AVERAGED MAYBE 1 OR 2% GROWTH PER YEAR IN DEMAND, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOUBLING OUR CAPACITY OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A HUGE DEMAND, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF AI, BUT BECAUSE OF ONSHORING AND MANUFACTURING.

ALL OF US IN OUR HOUSES, OUR BUSINESSES USE TECHNOLOGY MORE THAN WE EVER HAVE AND JUST MORE PEOPLE MOVING HERE TO OKLAHOMA.

AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE AN INCREASE IN DEMAND WITHOUT DATA CENTERS, BUT ESPECIALLY WITH THE DATA CENTERS ARE A BIG PART OF THE DEMAND.

SO YOUR BILL IS HEADING TO THE FULL APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGET COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK.

SO MY BILL IS PASSED THE FIRST COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE UTILITY COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S ELIGIBLE TO BE HEARD IN THE ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH SHOULD BE HEARD NEXT WEEK.

AND THEN ONCE IT PASSES THERE, HOPEFULLY WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE MEMBERS, IF IT PASSES THAT, THEN IT GOES TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR CONSIDERATION.

AND REPRESENTATIVE JONES, YOU ACTUALLY SIGNED ON TO THAT RIGHT BEFORE YOU JOINED US HERE.

I DID, WHICH IS VERY AGAIN, IT'S JUST A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.

WE ALL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING THESE THINGS OUT.

SO REPRESENTATIVE DOLAN'S FINAL QUESTION TO YOU.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR YOUR BILL AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OKLAHOMANS SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR NEXT?

GREAT QUESTION.

SO HOUSE BILL 3917 PASSED COMMITTEE 9 TO 0 WITH UNANIMOUS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, AND NOW IT'S HEADED TO FULL APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGET COMMITTEE.

AND HOPEFULLY WE GET A FAVORABLE OUTCOME THERE.

AND FROM THERE, IT WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR AS FAR AS THE, YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF OKLAHOMANS OUT THERE WHO ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DATA CENTERS.

THAT'S A VALID CONCERN, I WOULD SAY, TO CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR, HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD, AND DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO MAKE WHAT YOU WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY KNOWN TO YOUR TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL.

REPRESENTATIVE BOWLES, FINAL THOUGHTS?

I WOULD AGREE.

AND YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS TO EACH COMMUNITY, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THESE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.

YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO IF DATA CENTERS CAN REACH COMMUNITY, LOOK AT WHAT POWER THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE, HOW MUCH ARE THEY GOING TO NEED?

WHAT KIND OF WATER SUPPLY DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE?

ARE THEY GOING TO USE A CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM, OR ARE THEY GOING TO USE FRESH WATER EVERY DAY?

DO WE HAVE THAT CAPACITY?

I THINK THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED TO THESE COMPANIES.

AND AND IF THEY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WORKS FOR THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S ONE THING.

BUT AS US AS REPRESENTATIVES, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE PUT SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE SO THAT IF THEY DO COME HERE, THAT WE HAVE PROPER SAFEGUARDS AND ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR UTILITY BILLS DON'T GO UP BECAUSE OF THESE DATA CENTERS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH SO VERY MUCH IN WORKING ON THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU, CASSIDY.

WELL, IF YOU WATCH THE WINTER OLYMPICS THIS YEAR, THERE'S NO DOUBT YOU SAW AT SOME POINT CURLING IN PRIME TIME.

THE SPORT, WHICH DATES BACK TO THE 1600S, HAS BECOME AS COOL AS THE ICE IT'S PLAYED ON.

AND IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE HEAD SOUTH OF THE RED RIVER TO AUSTIN, TEXAS, WHERE THE LONE STAR CURLING CLUB IS CELEBRATING ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY.

LAURA LOUGHHEAD REPORTS FOR AUSTIN PBS, SHOWCASING THE TWO MOST TALKED ABOUT PROSPECTS IN THE WORLD CANADA.

SHANE HOLLANDER.

JANE HOLLANDER.

I WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.

IT'S NOT HOCKEY, OKAY?

AND IT'S NOT FIGURE SKATING COMPETITION OF MY LIFE THIS YEAR, AN UNEXPECTED WINTER SPORT MAY FINALLY BE BRUSHING ASIDE THE COMPETITION.

THE US FOR THE FIRST TIME HAVE DEFEATED CANADA WITHOUT AN ICE SKATE IN SIGHT, SLIDE BACK AND THEN SLIDE OUT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CURLING.

PIECE OF CAKE.

OH, HEY, MORGAN, IF I FALL, I'M GOING TO NEED YOU TO EDIT THIS OUT.

I WATCHED THE MEN'S USA MEN'S 2018 GOLD MEDAL RUN.

AND SO OUT OF CURIOSITY, I GOOGLED.

I WONDER IF THERE'S CURLING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AND IN FACT THERE WAS.

ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

IN A TOWN WHERE SNOW IS A NEWS STORY, AUSTIN'S LONE STAR CURLING CLUB IS CELEBRATING 20 YEARS.

THEY'RE HOPING THIS YEAR'S OLYMPICS WILL SWEEP UP A NEW SET OF FANS.

THE LAST WINTER OLYMPICS, WE WENT FROM ABOUT 80 FULL TIME MEMBERS TO 160 IN THAT YEAR.

IT MIGHT SEEM EASY, BUT IT'S MUCH HARDER THAN YOU THINK.

CURLING IS MOST OFTEN KIND OF DESCRIBED AS CHESS ON ICE.

THE TWO TEAMS OF FOUR TAKE TURNS SLIDING 42 POUND GRANITE STONES FROM ONE END TO THE TARGET OR THE HOUSE.

THE ICE IS TEXTURED SO IT'S LESS SLIPPERY, AND YOU WEAR A GRIPPER OR SLIDER ON YOUR SHOE TO CONTROL YOUR MOVEMENT.

THEY SWEEP TO SLIGHTLY MELT THE ICE TO MAKE THE STONE TRAVEL FARTHER.

SIMILAR.

IF YOU'VE EVER PLAYED SHUFFLEBOARD AND YOU PUT THE SAND ON THE BOARD WITHOUT THE SAND, THE PUCK JUST KIND OF GLIDES.

SPEAKING OF GETTING SWEPT OFF YOUR FEET, THIS CURLING COUPLE FOUND LOVE ON THE ICE.

WE JUST GOT MARRIED NOVEMBER 21ST.

THREE OF THE GIRLS I CURL WITH WERE BRIDESMAIDS IN OUR WEDDING.

THERE ARE A COUPLE TERMS WE USE AND YOU HEAR PEOPLE YELLING AS THE GAMES ARE PLAYED, BECAUSE THERE'S ABOUT 150FT BETWEEN US AND LOTS OF GAMES GOING ON.

AND I HAD TO REFLECT A MOMENT.

THE FIRST TIME I SHOUTED CLEAN OR SWEEP TO MY NEW FUTURE BRIDE.

MY OWN CURLING CURIOSITY, NOW PIQUED.

REALLY GOOD.

I GOT THE CRASH COURSE.

OH MY GOD.

EMPHASIS ON THE CRASH.

NO ONE SAW THAT.

WOW, YOU'RE LIKE A GAZELLE.

I FEEL LIKE I'M MORE LIKE A WALRUS.

BUT WITH SOME PRACTICE.

LET GO OF THE ROCK.

THERE YOU GO.

PROGRESS.

OH, MY GOSH, I'M SO NERVOUS.

IT'S REALLY GOOD.

SHE'S GOING.

LOOK AT HER.

SHE'S GOING WITHOUT A SCORE.

STEP OFF WOOD.

I'VE SCORED WITH THAT ONE.

MAYBE.

OKAY, MAYBE WE'LL TAKE IT.

WE'LL TAKE IT.

SO I PROBABLY WON'T BE GOING TO THE OLYMPICS.

BUT IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

JUST ASK THESE FOLKS.

ALSO TRYING CURLING AS PART OF AN OFFICE ACTIVITY.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SPORTS WHERE YOU'RE ALWAYS LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU WATCH IT ON TV EVERY FOUR YEARS AND YOU'RE LIKE, BOY, THAT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF FUN.

I BET I COULD BE GOOD AT IT, WHICH I'M VERY QUICKLY REALIZING THAT I'M NOT.

I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS THIS MUCH STRATEGY.

LIKE MY KNEES ALREADY HURT MY HIPS.

I'M LIKE, OH MY GOSH.

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW HEAVY THE STONE WAS AND ALL OF THE RULES.

THE CLUB SAYS ANYONE FROM 7 TO 70 CAN CURL.

EVEN IF YOU USE A WALKER OR A WHEELCHAIR.

ALL YOU NEED IS SOME TENNIS SHOES AND SOME CURLING CAMARADERIE.

FOR ME, CURLING IS COMMUNITY.

THERE'S A TRADITION IN CURLING CALLED BROOM STACKING, WHERE THE WINNING TEAM WILL SIT DOWN WITH THE LOSING TEAM AND BY THE FIRST ROUND.

SO IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN EXPERIENCE, WHERE YOU ARE AT ATHLETIC LEVEL, THE GAME IS REALLY, REALLY ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE.

IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO GLIDE OUT LIKE A SWAN LIKE YOU SEE IN THE OLYMPICS, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER WAYS TO MAKE THIS GAME SOMETHING YOU CAN YOU CAN TAKE PART OF.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, PROFESSORS REACT TO GOVERNOR STITT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING LIFETIME TENURE.

FOR SOME EDUCATORS, WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE ON HIGHER EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA NEXT FRIDAY AT SEVEN?

OKAY, WE'LL LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AT A NEW EXHIBIT AT THE OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY CALLED ANDREW MCCALL SOLID LIGHT, PUT TOGETHER FOR US THIS WEEK BY OETA JASON STEWART.

NOW, KEEP IN MIND, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH ANY OF THE REPORTS IN THIS NEWSCAST AGAIN, THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE BY MONDAY NIGHT ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, AND YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS MORE OF OUR CONTENT BY VISITING THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT FACEBOOK PAGE.

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN THIS NEWSCAST ON THE AIR EACH WEEK, I'M RICH LENZ.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

DON'T MISS THE SPECTACULAR FRANCO ZEFFIRELLI PRODUCTION OF PUCCINI'S BELOVED LA BOHEME.

STARRING GIULIANA GRIGORIAN AND