Oklahoma
How Oklahoma's New Law Offers Helps First Responders Dealing With Trauma
What is Senate Bill 1457?
SB 1457 expands the physical injury limitation exemption as it applies to worker compensation to include law enforcement officers, paid and volunteer firefighters, and emergency medical technicians suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) received while responding to an emergency.
“This is a huge win for first responders and a huge win for Oklahoma,” said James Biscone, a personal injury attorney in Oklahoma City.
The measure also provides that employers shall be required to pay up to $10,000.00 for the treatment of a responder certified to have PTSD according to the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission.
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What was the protocol before the law went into effect?
Senate Bill 1457 went into effect in Oklahoma on January 1, 2025. Before that date, first responders could only get workers’ compensation if their mental injury was coupled with a physical injury on the job.
“If you think of a fatality car accident, if you think of a murder scene, these first responders rush to help but if they’re not physically injured, there’s no recovery for the mental anguish that they’ve suffered,” said Biscone. “Imagine what a first responder sees over the course of a week or a month or a year or a career, well the stigma is gone, you can talk about those things and it’s okay to claim a mental injury now and it’s okay to talk to somebody and get the help that you need.”
“It allows our first responders to be recognized for the mental anguish that they suffer sometimes on the job,” said Biscone.
How does this work?
It will operate just like any other workers’ compensation claim and must have a doctor’s approval.
“If you have a first responder who is claiming to have PTSD, it has to be diagnosed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist but if they have that, they can go through the process of getting the help that they need,” said Biscone.
What does this mean for first responders in Oklahoma?
“There’s been a huge stigma around PTSD over the years but that is slowly being removed, we’re seeing that across the country,” said Biscone.
Biscone says this new law will help with the recruitment and retention of first responders.
“Because they know Oklahoma now has their back,” said Biscone.
He says getting first responders the help they need mentally and physically can help ensure they are going back to work when they are truly prepared.
“To allow them an avenue to get some help to get some treatment, it gets them back to work faster and it also creates a better person, a better law enforcement officer out there,” said Biscone.
To read more about this bill, click here: http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1457&Session=2400
OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) — Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to honor country music artist and Oklahoma native Toby Keith.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 recognizes Keith’s lasting impact on music and proposes renaming a planned turnpike in his memory.
The concurrent resolution was authored by Rep. Jason Blair, R-Morgan, and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman.
The planned route will extend from Interstate 44 east to Interstate 35, then continue east and north to I-40 at the Kickapoo Turnpike.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
Governor Kevin Stitt has said he wants the State Superintendent of Education to be a governor-elected position instead of an elected one. Political analyst Scott Mitchell examines what this would mean for the state.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging lawmakers to send a state question to voters that would make the state superintendent an appointed position, as he named Lindel Fields of Tulsa to the role and announced a turnaround team to help implement his education agenda.
Is the State Superintendent an elected role?
Yes, the State Superintendent of Education is still an elected role. Elections are scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Cons of making the superintendent an appointed position
Mitchell said making this position appointed could cause distrust among some Oklahomans
“Over the years, we’ve seen that capture of regulatory sort of is easy to do when you have term limits, then lobbies become more powerful, and they have all the history. It’s very complicated.
He also said if the position were to be elected, they would likely have the same agenda as the governor.
“Yes, and I think the governor would be absolutely saying, ‘Yes, they’re going to do what I want them to do.’”
Changing how the superintendent is chosen changes what the founding fathers set.
“Voters are going to have to say yay or nay if it gets to them, is whether or not we want to change the way that the founding fathers set up the way that we make sure that power is not concentrated in Oklahoma,” he said.
Is Ryan Walters’ term the reason Stitt wants to make this position appointed?
Mitchell said he believes the former State Superintendent played a role in the government wanting to appoint this position.
During his time as superintendent, Walters was known to have multiple controversies. He resigned in 2025, allowing Stitt to appoint Lindel Fields.
“His impact on this, even though he’s gone, is certainly evident,” said Mitchell. “Walters left midstream, right? And so the governor had a chance to appoint someone. Well, it wasn’t just an appointment; it was chaos before and relative calm and competency after. And that has given the governor an opening for people to see with their own eyes. Yeah, you can put somebody in, we’re talking about Lindel Fields, that appears to get up every day, not trying to find some, get a click on social media, but rather to do his job. And across the board, for the most part, this guy’s getting thumbs up.
Stitt said electing Fields has already given him some leverage since he has been well perceived so far.
“That allows a governor to say, Look, I’ve got some standing, some leverage to go to the voters and say, let’s put expertise as the main reason that a person’s there, not because they were able to win an election because they had some sort of populist or dramatic ideas.”
Who is running for Oklahoma State Superintendent?
Republican Ballot
- Sen. Adam Pugh
- John Cox
- Rep. Toni Hasenbeck
- Ana Landsaw
Democrat Ballot
- Craig Mcvay
- Jennettie Marshall
Independent
To learn more about each candidate, click here.
A full breakdown of candidates in the 2026 Oklahoma State Superintendent race, including party affiliation, background and key education priorities.
An Oklahoma highway could soon be named after the late country superstar, Toby Keith, pending new legislation.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 would rename a proposed turnpike project the “Toby Keith Expressway.” This roadway is set to be built from Interstate 44 East to Interstate-35, continuing East and North to Interstate 40. This road is a part of the ACCESS Oklahoma Long-Range Plan, which is meant to update and expand the state’s turnpike system.
This resolution was adopted by the House on Wednesday.
“Toby Keith was more than a country music star. He was a proud Oklahoman who never forgot where he came from,” said Rep. Jason Blair, R-Moore. “Naming this turnpike in his honor is a fitting way to recognize a man who represented our state with ultimate patriotism and generosity.”
Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, raised in Moore and resided in Norman. He died on February 5, 2024, in a battle with cancer.
“Over the course of his legendary career, Toby Keith never forgot where he came from or what he stood for,” said Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman. “His Oklahoma roots shaped him, and his love of America defined him. He was a country music superstar and a true patriot. I can think of no better way to honor his memory than by naming this future stretch of Norman turnpike in his honor, creating a lasting tribute to the legacy he leaves behind.”
During his career, Keith sold over 40 million records and more than 20 number-one singles
Legislation authors believe this would commemorate the life and legacy of Toby Keith.
The bill will now head to the Senate.
To read the full House Resolution, click here.
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