Thrill of Victory, Agony of Defeat by District 5 State Rep Dr. Doug Cox, Grove
Sometimes serving in the Legislature is a roller-coaster ride. It’s the thrill of having your ideas pass into legislation one minute and the disappointment of seeing some of your ideas defeated the next. I have had both experiences of late. Let’s look at the thrill of victory first.
Much has been made of concussions in athletes the last few years. While the long term effects of multiple concussions can be devastating with debility, they are 
not fatal. Surprisingly, little has been said about sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the most common cause of death in young athletes. On average, one student athlete dies of SCA every three days. We recently passed a bill to raise awareness of parents and coaches about this issue and make them aware that there are screening tests that can be performed to see if an athlete has any of the conditions that might make him susceptible for sudden cardiac arrest. With modern advances, most of these conditions are treatable or correctable and the person can continue to participate in athletics. The bill will make sure parents are given printed material that makes them aware of websites that discuss sudden cardiac arrest in athletes, and requires that coaches watch a seven minute video to raise their awareness as well. The Chase Morris Act, named after a Grove athlete who died of SCA, passed out of the House unanimously and is awaiting Senate approval of minor amendments before going to the governor for her signature.
We also passed a bill that directs physicians to check a computer program maintained by the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs the first time they prescribe certain medications that are sometimes addictive, abused or diverted, and then every six months if the patient continues this medication. The goal is to decrease Oklahoma’s prescription drug-abuse problem while still delivering compassionate care to patients.
I felt the agony of defeat when my bill was defeated that would have allowed formation of Tourism Improvement Districts (TID). A TID would allow like-minded businesses, such as restaurants, motels, marinas, etc., to join together, asses themselves a fee and use the money to market their area to increase tourism. If a majority of the businesses are in agreement, all of the businesses would contribute. With our state Department of Tourism having their budget cut 30 percent during the last few years, I felt this would give local communities a way to pool their resources to promote tourism and increase business. The bill was the brainchild of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, but I felt that rural areas could benefit as well. The concern for the businesses that did not want to participate, even though the majority did, was sufficient to defeat the bill soundly.
Thanks for allowing me to serve as your state Representative. Feel free to contact me with issues, concerns or suggestions at dougcox@okhouse.gov or 405-557-7415.
Thrill of Victory, Agony of Defeat by District 5 State Rep Dr. Doug Cox, Grove
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