A year will fly by before we know it!

In just twelve months, Oklahoma will have a new Governor, Lt. Governor, and several other statewide leaders. Every statewide office will be on the ballot, and all are “in play.”

When it comes to the Legislature, we don’t expect a major party shift, but there could be a shift in power. The House, solidly Republican, will likely stay under the leadership of Kyle Hilbert of Depew. The Senate, however, is less certain. Senator Paxton currently leads, but there’s some talk within the Republican caucus about a possible change.

No matter what occurs, we must be prepared to work with whoever is in charge. Our issues should remain nonpartisan. The issues that impact our membership are agnostic to party affiliation. They are common-sense, pro-business, less-government issues that affect our ability to produce energy for our state. Regardless of who is in charge, we will continue to work to spread our message.

One statewide race we are watching closely, and that impacts us daily, is the race to replace term-limited Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett. We have a clear favorite in that race: Brad Boles. Brad currently serves as Chairman of the House Energy Committee. He played a key role last year in helping us draft the best bill possible regarding the plugging mandate. Brad will be an excellent Corporation Commissioner. He has committed to helping us build a stronger relationship with the OCC and its staff. Brad is known for building coalitions and bringing people together. Exactly what we desire with the Commission.

The next year is shaping up to be interesting, and we’ll keep you updated every step of the way.

Thank you for allowing me to continue sharing the OEPA message at the Capitol!

Bobby Stem

OEPA Director of Governmental Affairs