First Things First

As I begin my journey representing House District 59 at the state Capitol, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding and tireless efforts of Representative Mike Sanders for the last 12 years. He has set a very high standard of service that I intend to maintain in the months and years to come.

As we joked on the campaign trail, “if you’d liked your Mike, you can keep your Mike.” His endorsement and ongoing support is much appreciated.

Although the current financial crisis facing our country due to COVID-19 is unprecedented, I feel Oklahoma is poised not only to recover quickly but help lead our country back to prosperity. We are more diversified in multiple energy sectors, and expanding wind and solar, while oil and natural gas slowly rebound.

There are several obstacles to overcome quickly, with Medicaid expansion first in line. Since State Question 802 placed this firmly in our state Constitution, the governor has taken early steps to move our state toward managed care. While this may be our ultimate path, it will take our legislative efforts along with the executive branch to move our state forward on the best course. I appreciate the feedback I have already received and would encourage everyone to educate yourselves and make your voices heard to do what is best to maintain and improve care among our RURAL providers.

As you have heard for the last several months, our national census was very important, as the data will be used to establish state and congressional districts for the next decade. HD 59 is one of the larger districts in our state and will likely expand even more when our final numbers come in early in 2021. There is a public meeting scheduled in Woodward on Jan. 13 to share information and gather public input as we begin this process. Please stay tuned.

Another priority this session will be rural broadband expansion, something that has been important to me for several years. As the pandemic has forced many to work from home, including our kids and schools, this exploding demand has strained broadband network capacity and illustrated how vast the areas are that appear currently unserved or underserved. While major national carriers do not see our rural markets as opportunities, our local companies such as Pioneer Telephone have rolled out numerous expansion plans totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The FCC has offered assistance under both the Trump and Obama administrations that have allowed numerous companies in our area to address these pressing rural needs. There are several construction projects underway in HD 59, and I expect more promising announcements very soon.

As our 82-member Republican House Caucus begins to formulate our agenda for the 58th Legislature, I hope many of you are willing to share your ideas and suggestions so we can plan our future together.

Please reach out to me at either 405-557-7407 or Mike.Dobrinski@okhouse.go v.

I hope and pray that Christmas brings hope, peace, joy and love to your family and the promise of a new year means a safe and healthy 2021.