Cox’s Corner – July 4th and the Privilege to Vote
Life is hectic. This is the first “weekly” article I have written in well over a month. My wife had an episode of pneumonia, and then my dad passed away. After all of that we took a couple of weeks off. Now I’m back working shifts in the ER and writing my legislative article, for better or worse.
One of the bills I carried in the legislative session that affects our area was House Bill 2711, known as the “Quality Events Act (QEA).” My bill enhanced the efficiency of the QEA and extended the program for three years. I anticipate that cities and their local Chamber of Commerce will be able to use the QEA to retain existing high-economic impact events and recruit additional events. Examples of such events are the big Bass Master and FLW fishing tournaments held in our area, and the National Arabian Horse Show in Tulsa. This act will let us recruit even more high-profile tournaments to the Grove and Grand Lake areas, and I foresee even more of these televised fishing events coming to the Salina and Lake Hudson areas in the future.
A disappointment in the legislative session was that I was unable to negotiate compromise language between the Legislature, the Governor’s Office and the physician groups on a bill to help address the prescription drug abuse problem in our state. The problem is such that more Oklahomans die from prescription drug overdoses than car wrecks. I am going to continue to work on this through the fall and, hopefully, we can have a bill acceptable to all parties when we go back into session.
I am fortunate not to have an opponent in the current election cycle. I am thankful for your trust in me and will work to continue representing you well at our state Capitol. Please remember that our ability to have a true choice of candidates and cast our vote is one of the things that separates America from many countries and makes us a great nation. It is important that we impress upon the youngest generation of voters their patriotic duty to register to vote, evaluate the candidates and then go to the polls and cast their ballot. Too many of us complain about our government but then don’t bother to vote for people to change it. Every single vote counts and makes a difference! Let our Independence Day celebrations this week serve as a reminder of our voting privileges.
Feel free to call me with suggestions or ideas that you think can our great state even better. My office number is 405-557-7415 and the email isdougcox@okhouse.gov .
Everyone have a happy and safe Fourth of July!!!!
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