Rep. Rick West and Sen. George Burns with members and the coach of the Hodgen boys basketball team.
By Rep. Rick West
I presented citations to the Hodgen boys basketball team in the House of Representatives last week. This team was named the Oklahoma Rural Elementary Schools Division 3 State Champions for 2026, after finishing the season with a record of 20-5.
Despite losing one of their main players at the beginning of the year, this team persevered and overcame adversity by playing together and focusing on being excellent in the fundamentals. They delighted their fans who know the Bulldogs as a talented homegrown team that plays with intensity and pours their heart into their sport.
I recognized each team member and Coach Dustin Hall as well as school faculty and staff who each helped play a part in the success of this team in both academics and athletics. It was also great to see how many parents and grandparents came with the team to the Capitol to help celebrate their accomplishment.
If the world ran the way this team does, we might be in a better spot.
In the House, we heard dozens of bills each day of session. I passed my House Bill 2964, which would remove the requirement that exists in current state statute that fees be assessed to people accessing their medical records. The bill would allow fees to be assessed, but the amount charged could only be up to the amount already listed in state statute – $20 – not more. I got a unanimous vote to pass this bill. It now moves to the Senate for consideration.
A few other bills I supported include:
House Bill 2950, which would prohibit state colleges and CareerTechs from requiring differentiated admission standards from students based on their educational background. The measure also would remove the requirement for homeschooled students and students from unaccredited schools to have achieved a minimum of 22 on the ACT to be eligible for the Oklahoma’s Promise Scholarship. We shouldn’t discriminate against homeschool students.
House Bill 3700 would require college students to be graded only on academic content and not their opinions or beliefs. This bill came from a recommendation by the Oklahoma Free Speech Committee. Only one of the state’s 25 colleges and universities have a policy that clearly states this. This would ensure students are not graded negatively when they disagree with a professor or get a better grade if they happen to agree with the opinions or beliefs of those grading their assignments.
Remember to listen to my Capitol update on the radio at 7:35 a.m. every Thursday on KPRV.
As always, if I can help you with anything, please call my Capitol office at (405) 557-7413 or email me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.
Rick West serves District 3 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes part of LeFlore County.
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