State Representative Scott Fetgatter (R-Okmulgee) says a bill he filed in the young legislative session dealing with storm chasers has gotten a lot of push back - largely because people have misconstrued its meaning.

Oklahoma House Bill 2426 would create the Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025.

Some media account made it appear that the state was mandating a licensing system for all storm chasers, and moreover, one that was rather complex and somewhat expensive.

Fetgatter says the licensing system, if adopted, would be completely voluntary.

It was actually storm chasers who brought the idea to him, he told KRMG Thursday.

The bill would give licensed chasers the ability to get through roadblocks, safely pass through controlled intersections on a red light, and generally expedite the process of chasing tornadoes as they form.

“News media outlets need a way to make sure that if there’s a major weather event, they have the ability to - somewhat unimpeded - be able to chase these storms as they cross our state,” he said.

The license would cost $500, would require training, written authorization from an organization’s chief meteorologist, and the licensing information would have to printed on the side of any vehicle used by the licensee for chasing storms.

Fetgatter emphasized that the bill is a work in progess, that he’s still meeting with Department of Public Safety officials, media outlets, and educational leaders to hammer out the fine points of the proposed measure.