Senate Review

I’d like to applaud several businesses across the district that were recently recognized by the Potts Family Foundation as a “Family Positive Workplace.” These are businesses and organizations that institute policies and practices that promote and foster work/life balance for their employees. As many of you know, this can contribute to the overall health and well-being of the family unit. Congratulations to the following businesses that have gone above and beyond for their employees and families: Cimarron Council, Boy Scouts of America; CDSA, Inc .; Rural Health Projects, Inc .; Youth and Family Services of North Central Oklahoma; Harmon’s Electric; TPI Staffing Service, Inc .; Triangle Insurance Company; Loaves and Fishes NWOK; and Enid Public Schools.

I hand-delivered legislative citations for these businesses and organizations this past week, and it was a true honor to congratulate them for their service to families in our area.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat and other state senate staff recently joined me in visiting one of the largest growers of cannabis in the nation. Johnston Seed Company, located right here in District 19, has expanded their business to include Primal Cannabis, which focuses on the medicinal applications of marijuana. We toured the farm in Enid to see the crop before it was harvested. It was a very educational and informative trip – we discussed not only how the overall operation runs, but also how the business works with the current marijuana regulations and laws on the books.

My wife, Terry, and I had the pleasure of attending the Alfalfa County and Grant County Fairs this fall. Although these fairs – and others across the state – have been held on a limited basis, we really enjoyed talking with the livestock exhibitors, crafters, bakers and fair-goers that are still working hard to create a sense of normalcy in 2020.

Finally, if you have not completed the 2020 census, time is quickly running out. Census data collection ends on Sept. 30, and Oklahoma is still ranked in the bottom 10 for census response rate. Population counts collected by the census determine how federal funding for crucial core services like education, health care, social services and transportation are distributed to states. The higher our population, the more federal funds we receive.

It’s been estimated that for every person not counted in the census this year, Oklahoma will lose out on nearly $17,000 in federal funding for the next decade. An undercount of just two percent could cost the state nearly $1.8 billion in funding for schools, hospitals and roads. Being in the bottom 10 for census response is not okay – let’s all do our part to make sure our family, friends and neighbors are counted. Please visit http://www.2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020 to complete the questionnaire.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you at the State Capitol. Please feel free to reach out if there is anything we can help you with. You can contact me at 405-521-5630 or via email at Roland.Pederson@oksenate.gov.