Oklahoma

Two Oklahoma bills aim to reduce state’s 6% markup on groceries, gas

Published

8 months ago

March 27, 2025

Two Oklahoma bills aim to reduce state’s 6% markup on groceries, gas

As Oklahoma has some of the highest average grocery bills in the country in 2024, two bills working their way through the Oklahoma Legislature aim to reduce a 6% markup on groceries that’s been in place since the 1950s.

Senate Bill 638, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Julie Daniels (R-Bartlesville), and House Bill 1024, introduced by Rep. Steve Bashore (R-Miami), both target Oklahoma’s “Unfair Sales Act” of 1949. The law mandates a markup of up to 6% on most grocery store goods – including baby food, some medicines and gasoline – to cover a “proportionate part of the cost of doing business.”

At the time, proponents of the act said that the markups protected small businesses from big box stores like Sam’s Club, Walmart and Target, who could afford to undercut local sellers.

But today, Daniels and Bashore argue this cost is now prohibitive to business in the state and unnecessary for Oklahoma shoppers to shoulder.

“Oklahoma is one of only seven states with this mandatory markup on retail goods still in place, and it creates an uneven playing field for our consumers and store owners,” Bashore said in a press release. “This legislation should give Oklahomans some inflation relief, and it will give retailers greater discretion over setting their own prices.”

The business landscape has changed drastically since 1949, Daniels said, and telling businesses how to price their goods is not productive in the modern business landscape.

“To tell a larger retailer, who has been forced to mark up their goods over the years to protect a smaller retailer, that they are now hamstrung in being able to compete [in this global landscape], that’s just not something our government should be doing,” Daniels said.

For Daniels, she feels the bill will act almost as a “tax decrease” for consumers without adjusting the tax line.

“It still protects businesses from predatory pricing and low-cost pricing because we still have that statute on the books,” Daniels said. “It may have been well-intentioned back in 1949, but that’s a long time for us to artificially determine what things should cost in the marketplace.”

Sam’s Club, Walmart show support for bills in OKC

Since the bill was introduced, Sam’s Club and its owner Walmart have both made an effort to show support for SB 638 by placing stickers with information about the bill in stores and on gas pumps at their locations around Oklahoma City.

When asked to comment on why they support the bill, a Walmart spokesperson said, “Walmart is committed to helping our customers save money and live better. Senate Bill 638 is an approach aimed at providing cost savings to Oklahomans by repealing an outdated 6% markup law. This bill will allow customers the opportunity to save money on essential goods and fuel.”

At Sam’s Club on W Memorial Road, text on the sticker suggests Oklahomans “could pay less for gas” and that it was time to “lower prices and repeal mandatory markups in Oklahoma.”

The stickers include Sam’s Club logos, a QR code to scan for more information, and a statement saying “paid for by Sam’s Club in support of Consumer Action Network.”

According to data provided by ProPublica, the Consumer Action Network, Inc. is registered as a 501(c)(4) corporation, which is a tax-exempt entity focused on social welfare with more flexibility in political lobbying compared to 501(c)(3) charities. According to the organization’s 2023 tax forms, the latest available, officers and directors of CAN include two people who run an East Coast corporate public relations company, one person who worked in public affairs and government relations for Walmart, and a lobbyist.

A political action committee associated with Walmart has reported giving $3,000 to Bashore’s campaign and $4,000 to Daniels’ campaign over the last three years, according to state and federal campaign filings.

What happens next with SB 628, HB 1024?

Daniels and Bashore are co-authors of the others’ bill. Their respective House and Senate measures are similar, but Bashore’s HB 1024 would not eliminate the markup on gasoline.

The legislators haven’t discussed which they’d prefer to get signed over the other if they advance to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk for approval. Both bills aim to take effect on Nov. 1 if approved.

If SB638 is passed, businesses will decide whether to keep the markup at 6%, lower it or even eliminate it.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean it will be eliminated, but at least the State of Oklahoma will not be putting this artificial floor on what somebody can charge,” Daniels said.

Daniels said she plans to present the bill before the Senate this week as that is the final time to showcase a bill before it can be passed to the opposite chamber.

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Oklahoma

First Native woman drives Oklahoma’s iconic Sooner Schooner, a covered wagon mascot

Published

9 hours ago

November 22, 2025

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First Native woman drives Oklahoma’s iconic Sooner Schooner, a covered wagon mascot

For the first time in its 60-year history, the Sooner Schooner, the University of Oklahoma’s iconic covered wagon mascot, is being driven by a Native American woman.

Brianna Howard, a junior at OU and a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, first drove the Schooner onto the field during the football team’s season opener against Illinois State.

“I only had a minute to get on the Schooner, get the reins and go,” Howard said Saturday before the Sooners’ game against Missouri in Norman. “I didn’t have enough time to get too nervous. When I went out there, it was amazing. I could not even hear the audience I was so zoned into driving.”

Members of the RUF/NEKS and the all-female spirit group Lil’ Sis take care of the Schooner and its ponies, and they take turns driving it during the game.

Members of the Oklahoma spirit groups drive the Sooner Schooner after a touchdown against Missouri during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Norman, Okla.

Alonzo Adams / AP

First introduced in 1964, the Sooner Schooner is pulled across the field before the game and after Oklahoma scores by matching white ponies named “Boomer” and “Sooner.”

Because the scaled-down Conestoga wagon is reminiscent of those pioneers used while settling Oklahoma Territory in the late 1800s, Howard acknowledged that some see the Schooner mascot as a symbol of oppression against Native people. But she said to her, driving the wagon represents taking ownership of that symbol.

“I know that for me, it’s a representation of taking back something that was used to oppress my people and my culture, and now that I’m in charge, it’s giving us the power,” she said. “Not everyone’s going to see it that way, and that’s OK.”

Jack Roehm, a senior at OU and president of the RUF/NEKS, drove the Schooner during Saturday’s game against Missouri and described the Sooner Schooner tradition as one of college football’s most unusual.

“It’s a historic tradition after every score having the ponies run across the field,” Roehm said. “There’s nothing like it in college football.”

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Likely to Face Full Strength Missouri per Friday Availability Report

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2025

Press Room

Oklahoma Likely to Face Full Strength Missouri per Friday Availability Report

It appears Oklahoma will get Missouri’s best shot.

The Tigers’ starting quarterback, Beau Pribula, was upgraded to available for Saturday’s showdown by not appearing on Friday’s SEC Availability Report.

Pribula suffered a lower leg injury in Missouri’s loss to Vanderbilt, and he hasn’t appeared since.

Pribula has completed 69.6 percent of his passes this year for 1,685 yards and 11 touchdowns, though he has thrown seven interceptions.

But the No. 22-ranked Tigers will likely have him back as they try to upend No. 8 Oklahoma’s season.

For the Sooners’ part, they’ll be working without a few pieces.

Defensive end R Mason Thomas and defensive back Gentry Williams were both downgraded from questionable to doubtful on the report.

Thomas injured his quad early in Oklahoma’s win over Tennessee in the process of returning Joey Aguilar’s fumble all the way back to the end zone for a touchdown.

Williams hasn’t featured since he exited on the first drive of OU’s win over South Carolina.

Running back Jovantae Barnes and offensive guard Heath Ozaeta were both ruled out for the contest, as was defensive back Kendel Dolby. This marked the first time all week that Dolby appeared on the availability report.

OU was already going to be without offensive linemen Troy Everett, Jacob Sexton and Jake Taylor, who have been ruled out of every SEC contest this year.

Running backs Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock did not appear on the availability report, though it’s unclear if either back will be 100 percent on Saturday.

Robinson had to go to the injury tent in the second half against Alabama, and while he did return to the game, he was not as effective late.

As a result, OU coach Brent Venables said the Sooners will have to lean on the depth of the offense to keep the rushing game going against Missouri.

“It’s going to be tested, no question,” Venables said. “So hopeful we can stay healthy and we’re probably going to spread it out a little more to kind of manage the next few weeks.”

The Sooners and the Tigers will meet at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Owen Field, and the contest will be broadcast on ABC.

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Oklahoma

Kish Eager To See ‘Strongest Version Of Oklahoma Wrestling’ – FloWrestling

Published

2 days ago

November 21, 2025

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Kish Eager To See ‘Strongest Version Of Oklahoma Wrestling’ – FloWrestling

The tests immediately started for Roger Kish’s Oklahoma squad.

The Sooners saw what no other team did for its opening dual — four-time defending national champion Penn State.

Then the injuries. Several starters out.

Eight freshmen or sophomores thrown into a hostile Bryce Jordan Center resulted in a 45-0 Nittany Lions win last Friday. Only for the then-#20 Sooners to scoot over to Bucknell less than 24 hours later and beat the Bison, 18-12.

“I would say the most disappointing piece of that was not being able to get the matchups we were really hoping to see and allow some other guys the opportunity to go in an arena like that and compete,” Kish said. “However, the guys that did go out and compete, I thought they competed hard, and we just got outwrestled in a lot of areas. I think it was a great learning moment for them.”

The third-year Oklahoma coach hopes early-season hurdles will soon dissolve as the Sooners seek a second consecutive winning season and their next batch of All-Americans since 2024.

The Sooners host Indiana at 2 p.m. CT Sunday.

“I would suggest that once all of these guys are back and going, you can see the strongest version of Oklahoma wrestling,” Kish said. “I believe there will be a lot of excitement.”

A lineup with just three returning starters but packed with impact transfers and multiple Big Board recruits fill out the lineup for the Sooners.

“I was really happy with the group to be able to bounce back off a hard night and then go back 24 hours later with Bucknell,” Kish said. “It was kinda nice to see the growth between Friday night and Saturday night then being able to come back here on Monday and sit down with the team and discuss some of the highlights and lowlights and things we did well.”

Holdovers

Kish didn’t arrive in Norman alone when the Sooners plucked him from North Dakota State in May 2023.

He brought several Bison, with seniors Juan Mora (heavyweight), DJ Parker (197) and Mannix Morgan (174) as the remaining bunch.

Their final season brings the biggest goals.

Mora seeks his first NCAA Championships qualification after he finished sixth at the 2025 Big 12 Championships. He tallied four ranked wins across a 12-9 mark a season ago.

Parker and Anthony started their senior campaigns with titles at the Tiger Style Invite.

Mora, ranked #24, then dropped a 5-2 decision against Penn State’s #10 Cole Mirasola on Friday then stopped Bucknell’s #27 Lucas Lawler via the same score.

“(Mora and Parker) are two guys that are just part of our family,” Kish said. “That relationship piece is very, very nice. I am really proud of those two guys. What they do well is I think they bring a lot of leadership abilities. They have a great way of helping guys come together as a team and keeping guys built up and holding guys accountable.”

Parker, a two-time NCAA qualifier at 184, reached the blood round in Philadelphia in 2025, thanks to two consecutive bonus-point wins on the backside.

Parker, ranked 14th, took a 13-3 loss to Connor Mirasola on Friday, then beat Bucknell’s #13 Dillon Bechtold, 6-5.

“I think when they made the transition to Oklahoma, they had the ability to kinda navigate and learn their way around this program and here they are a couple years in and really developed into some great young men,” Kish said. “Really, really proud of them.”

Big Brand

OU’s history and tradition speaks for itself.

Seven team national championships, 67 individual national champions and 278 All-Americans.

That pedigree and status in a wrestling-rich state consistently attracts top talent.

“The thought of what their future looks like here at Oklahoma, they understand that they are going to be taken care of and treated very well as athletes but also in doing so, building a strong network and preparing these guys for life after college sports,” Kish said. “Making sure that they have access to success following.”

Kish’s roster features 11 transfers, including 149-pounder Jack Gioffre (an NCAA qualifier at Virginia), heavyweight Bradley Hill (an NCAA qualifier at Iowa), 165-pounder Peyten Kellar (a 157-pound All-American with Ohio in 2024), 184-pounder Brian Soldano (a two-time NCAA qualifier at Rutgers), 141-pounder Tyler Wells (a two-time NCAA qualifier at Minnesota) and 157-pounder Rafael Hipolito Jr. (an ACC champion and NCAA qualifier at Virginia Tech).

The Sooners also boast three consecutive ranked recruiting classes (#8 in 2024, #17 in 2025 and 2026).

“Really excited about where we are headed and the direction of this program, it has been a lot of fun to see,” Kish said. “I think that has been a really impactful idea for us as coaches. And as we get into year three, you are able to build a core of young guys here that are motivated and excited to be here.

Steady Building

One of Kish’s splashy additions wasn’t a recruit.

Kish hired 2017 Penn State national champion Mark Hall as OU’s director of operations in May of 2024.

Hall enters his second season in Norman, and offers more than travel planning, budgeting and team organizational skills.

“I say this about all the coaches, I just think the level of care that, not only Mark, but all the coaches have for the athletes is tremendous,” Kish said. “The knowledge of the sport is through the roof and the ability to get out and work through the positions with all these guys and being on the mats every day with them.”

The Sooners finished 8-4 overall a season ago, including a 4-4 mark in Big 12.

Hall’s hire became the freshest after former NDSU assistants Cam Sykora and Austin Marsden followed Kish from Fargo.

“Having these guys on the mats every day, wrestling drilling and sparring with these guys and allowing them to just be mentors and pick their brains consistently has been really a great advantage,” Kish said.

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