Oklahoma leaders weigh in on beef labeling, Putin summit, OSSAA rules, and campaign security

Oklahoma lawmakers are weighing in on a wide range of issues this week, from support for local cattle producers to concerns about global diplomacy and state-level policy decisions.

Beef labeling dispute

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond joined a brief with 10 other states challenging the labeling of imported beef as “Made in the USA.” Rep. Jason Dunnington said the move is a step toward protecting consumers and producers.

“I don’t know if our beef producers are jumping with joy per se because it’s really tough right now in order to be a beef producer, especially a small cattle rancher,” Dunnington said. “But I think it’s great that our Attorney General is pushing back against this mislabeling of beef.”

Sen. Paul Rosino agreed, noting the importance of supporting Oklahoma ranchers. “If it’s being mislabeled and you think you’re getting beef from the United States and it’s not, that’s a problem,” Rosino said. “We need to know where our beef and our food is coming from, and I would encourage everyone to buy beef from local sources.”

Concerns over Putin summit

Both lawmakers also voiced concern ahead of President Trump’s planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

“I don’t want the president to give anything to Putin. I think Putin’s a bad actor,” Rosino said. “I think his aggression won't stop just in Ukraine. If we let him take over Ukraine or we give him an inch of that territory, he will try for something else.”

Dunnington added that the summit’s structure raised red flags.

“And why not have all of the parties in the room? We know they're going to talk about Ukraine, but Ukraine hasn't even been invited to the summit,” Dunnington said. “My fear is that our president goes to give away something that's not his. And this whole thing could turn into a fiasco.”

Criticism of OSSAA

The OSSAA, a private nonprofit that oversees high school athletics, has come under fire from state leaders, including the governor, attorney general, and members of the legislature.

Lawmakers argue that its transfer rules unfairly block some students from playing sports after moving to a new district, even though Oklahoma law allows open transfers.

Rep. Jason Dunnington added that the current situation is especially troubling.

"It is asinine that we don't let kids play sports in the school districts they're going to," Dunnington said. "It's a head shaker, I'll tell you that.

State Senator Paul Rosino agrees that the OSSAA has overstepped.

"I think that the board is very, very, very overreaching," Rosino said. "We have got to fix this problem with them. And hopefully that's going to happen through the lawsuit."

The lawsuit challenging the OSSAA's rules is now moving forward, while state officials continue pressing for reforms.

Ethics commission ruling on security

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission also made headlines last week when it ruled that campaign funds may be used for certain home security measures. The decision follows violent incidents against lawmakers in Minnesota and Virginia and comes as officials report a nationwide increase in threats.

This ruling allows candidates and elected officials to use campaign money for security cameras and other safety upgrades at their homes, but prohibits spending on weapons or personal security guards.

Dunnington said the decision was the right move.

"We've talked about this on the show about security issues for elected officials, and we've talked about how it's hard to get people to even run for office these days because of so much of the vitriol that's out there online, and now people are taking that to someone's home," Dunnington said.