Oklahoma State Senator Grant Green, representing District 28, recently reflected on both his long connection to youth livestock shows and key issues facing Oklahoma during a conversation at the Oklahoma Youth Expo with senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays. With a background rooted in agriculture, Green emphasized the lasting impact of programs like the Oklahoma Youth Expo on young people across the state.
Green highlighted his personal connection to the event, saying, “It’s been exciting for me for years… all my kids have showed up here. I’ve been around it, I’m gonna say 20 plus years.” He added, “It’s amazing what this show does for kids. I mean, it’s all about the kids, it just rewards the kids for all their hard work,” while also noting the “tremendous” economic impact the event has on Oklahoma City.
Hays and Senator Green shifted their conversation to several key issues he is working on at the state capitol- starting with education. Green pointed to early learning—especially reading—as a top priority. “We do need to move the needle in this state,” he said, emphasizing that progress starts with literacy. “You move that needle by focusing on reading… make sure those kids have reading specialists… and one-on-one and make education better for these kids.” He added that the state must support these efforts with funding and mandates to ensure resources are available.
On property taxes, Green stressed the importance of balance, particularly for vulnerable populations. “We’ve got to slow the growth, make sure that we’re not putting a hardship on our fixed-income senior folks,” he said. He also cautioned against shifting the tax burden onto farmers and businesses, noting, “If we like services and we like public schools, we’re going to have to have property tax,” while advocating to keep control at the local level.
Green also discussed property rights and legislation he is carrying, including SB1930. This bill modifies the existing Oklahoma Brine Development Act to include “produced water”—saltwater and liquid waste from oil and gas operations—under its scope. It aims to encourage the recycling and reclamation of this water to extract valuable constituent elements like lithium and iodine for commercial sale. “We have a lot of different things that are always pushing on us on property rights,” he said. Explaining the measure, he noted, “That just codifies that the water and the surface stay together,” adding that there is potential for surface owners to benefit.
As for the legislative session overall, Green described it as tense, saying, “It’s been a different year… election years create stress,” but added, “I’m going to go do my job, and I’m going to keep on moving.”
