Latest Oklahoma Headlines
All the headlines from our Oklahoma Topic Page, ordered by recency.
‘All Kids Buckled Up’ Legislation Passes Oklahoma House
Mar 12 2020 // A bill that would strengthen seat belt laws for youth ages 8 to 17 has passed the Oklahoma House with a vote of 78-18. House Bill 2791, by State Rep. Ross Ford (R-Broken Arrow), would require every person under the age of...
Oklahoma House Passes Bill Changing Commercial Driver’s License Renewal Process
Mar 11 2020 // A bill shifting renewal of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) from offices of the Dept. of Motor Vehicles to local tag agencies passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives this afternoon. House Bill 1966 was...
Arizona Court Rules Workers’ Comp OK for Cops’ High-Stress Situations
Mar 9 2020 // An Arizona court ruling stemming from a sheriff’s deputy’s encounter with a shotgun-wielding man says law enforcement officers can claim workers’ compensation benefits if diagnosed with PTSD or other...
Bill to Make Healthcare Facilities Safer Places to Work Passes Oklahoma Senate
Mar 5 2020 // The Oklahoma Senate has passed legislation that strengthens laws related to workplace safety in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Senate Bill 1290, the Medical Care Provider Protection Act, by Sen. Darrell Weaver,...
Hazard Mitigation Legislation Moves Forward in Oklahoma House
Mar 2 2020 // Legislation that would create the Oklahoma Hazard Mitigation Assessment District Act has passed out of committee and moved to the full House for consideration. The House County and Municipal Government Committee passed...
Arizona Court Rules Workers’ Comp OK for Cops’ High-Stress Situations
Feb 28 2020 // An Arizona court ruling stemming from a sheriff’s deputy’s encounter with a shotgun-wielding man says law enforcement officers can claim workers’ compensation benefits if diagnosed with PTSD or other...
Oklahoma Senate Passes Bill Requiring All Children to Wear Seat Belts
Feb 27 2020 // The Oklahoma Senate has passed legislation that would require any child under the age of 17 to wear a seat belt while riding in the back seat of a vehicle. Current Oklahoma law only requires children under the age of eight...
Oklahoma AG to Refile Suits Against Opioid Distributors in State Court
Feb 26 2020 // Oklahoma is dismissing its federal lawsuit against three of the nation’s largest opioid distributors and will refile new lawsuits in state court against each company individual, state Attorney General Mike Hunter...
Oklahoma Work Comp Commission: Feb. 27 Is Last Chance to Comment on Fee Schedule
Feb 26 2020 // The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission will hold a special meeting on Feb. 27 at 9:00 a.m. in the commission chambers on the 2nd floor of the Denver Davison Building in Oklahoma City to receive the final...
Distinguished Programs Adds Schmitt as Sales Executive for Oklahoma, Texas
Feb 26 2020 // Distinguished Programs, a national insurance program manager, has hired Erick Schmitt as regional sales executive for Texas and Oklahoma. He is based in Dallas. Schmitt brings nearly 16 years of industry experience to his...
Oklahoma Senate OKs Bill to Allow More Armed Teachers
Feb 14 2020 // School teachers in Oklahoma with a gun license would be able to carry firearms into their classrooms with district approval under a bill approved in the state Senate. The bill, approved on a 37-7 vote mostly along party...
BOK Financial Insurance Expanding in Oklahoma, Texas
Feb 13 2020 // Employee benefits and risk management firm, BOK Financial Insurance (BOKFI), a division of Tulsa, Okla.-based BOK Financial Corp., is focusing on growth in Oklahoma and Texas as an expansion of its operations that have...
AM Best Assigns A- Financial Strength Rating to Oklahoma’s Trisura Insurance
Feb 7 2020 // AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” to Trisura Insurance Co. (TIC), based in Oklahoma City. The outlook assigned to these ratings is...
South & Western to Service AmTrust Farm/Ranch Business in Oklahoma, Texas
Feb 4 2020 // South & Western General Agency Inc., with offices in Addison, Texas, and Memphis, Tennessee, has reached an agreement with AmTrust to underwrite and service AmTrust’s Farm and Ranch business in Oklahoma and...
Oklahoma Insurance Department Moving to New Location in Oklahoma City
Feb 4 2020 // The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID)’s Oklahoma City office is relocating to a new facility, effective Feb. 10. The new location is 400 NE 50th St. in Oklahoma City. As part of the moving process, email and...
Downs Named Chief of Staff at Oklahoma Insurance Department
Jan 30 2020 // Brian Downs has been tapped to serve as chief of staff for the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID). Downs currently serves as the State Health Information Exchange director and special assistant to the Governor’s...
Oklahoma Bill Would Eliminate Third-Party Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Jan 29 2020 // If passed, proposed legislation would have Oklahoma joining the growing number of states backing away from using Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to administer prescription-drug programs. Sen. Paul Scott, R-Duncan, has...
Oklahoma State Representative’s Bill Would Regulate Peer-to-Peer Car Rentals
Jan 27 2020 // A state representative in Oklahoma has filed a bill that would set regulatory standards for the nascent peer-to-peer rental car industry. Rep. Lonnie Sims (R-Jenks) says House Bill 3655 supports both the growth and the...
Oklahoma AG Settles with Opiate Maker Endo
Jan 27 2020 // for $8.75M; Sues 3 More Distributors By Ken Miller Oklahoma will receive $8.75 million from two pharmaceutical companies in a deal announced on Jan. 10 that will end legal action the state was considering against the...
Oklahoma Oil Rig Explosion Wrongful Death Trial Underway
Jan 27 2020 // The wrongful death trial against an oilfield equipment contractor in connection with an explosion and fire last year that killed five men in southeastern Oklahoma began in mid-January. Attorneys for the families of Parker...
