OTA Board Selects New Executive Director
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has a new executive director.
The board promoted the agency’s deputy director Joe Echelle to the top role. Echelle has served as OTA deputy director since 2021.
The move comes in response to the abrupt departure of Tim Gatz.
Gatz resigned last week after the state attorney general issued an opinion that prohibited Gatz from holding multiple transportation leadership roles simultaneously.
Gov. Kevin Stitt reappointed Gatz to the position of Oklahoma Department of Transportation executive director.
Oklahoma Lawmakers Move to Protect Stitt's Cabinet Members Amid AG's Opinion
A bill to protect members of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s cabinet is moving forward. The measure comes in the wake of an attorney general’s opinion.
Oklahoma lawmakers have a message for Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur: Rest easy.
The State House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1196 to specifically allow the person who serves as Commissioner of Agriculture to also serve in the governor’s cabinet as the Secretary of Agriculture.
They did the same for anyone who is a member of a governing board of a college or university and may also hold the Secretary of Education position.
The move is a response to a recent legal opinion by the state’s attorney general that prompted two members of Stitt’s cabinet to resign from their positions because they also led other government agencies.
The bill passed with a 94-1 vote and now can be heard in the Senate.
Proposed Legislation To Ensure Accurate Water Usage Data
A bill that aims to encourage irrigators to accurately report their water use is making its way through the Oklahoma legislature.
Some Oklahoma irrigators have a permit to use surface water on their crops.
The Oklahoma Water Resources Board divvies up water rights to those permit holders and sets limits.
Irrigators are required to report how much they use each year, but just on an honor system. Existing state law incentivizes them to use all the water they’re allotted - or at least to say they did. Because otherwise, the OWRB can lower their permitted limit.
Rep. Dick Lowe, a Republican from Amber, says this law prompts many irrigators to fudge their usage reports and leaves the OWRB without accurate data on Oklahoma’s surface water needs.
His House Bill 2197 would allow irrigators to explain a decrease in water use and keep their full allotment.
The bill can now be heard by the Senate after passing the full House.
OU Women’s Softball Begins Next Chapter
The OU women’s softball team looks to start a new winning streak this week after Sunday’s loss to Louisiana.
During Tuesday’s media availability, Sooners Head Coach Patty Gasso said she told her team to be proud of their accomplishment, and not dwell on the loss.
“What we did is history making so don’t think one loss is defining us that’s ridiculous. What we’ve done has never been done before. So, I almost feel like it’s a new beginning and a new start for us this week,” Gasso said.
The Sooners play Texas A&M Commerce tonight in a home game at 6 p.m.
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