Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency for eastern Oklahoma after storms ravaged parts of the state over the weekend, leaving some still without power.
The pro tem was notified he was acting governor by the Governor’s Office around 1 p.m. today.
He began reviewing the documents the governor’s office prepared at 1:40 p.m. and signed it before 2 p.m. – prior to the governor’s press release calling on the pro tem to sign the state of emergency.
Pro Tem Treat has yet to hear directly from Governor Kevin Stitt regarding the emergency declaration, but has been in communication with Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum.
The pro tem became acting governor today as both Governor Kevin Stitt and Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell are both currently out of state. He signed the executive order within the hour of finding out he was acting governor.
According to the Oklahoma Constitution, when both the governor and lieutenant governor are out of state, the power then falls to the Senate President Pro Tempore.
The state of emergency is for Choctaw, Creek, Delaware, Harper, Mayes, Pawnee, Payne, Rogers, Tulsa and Wagoner counties.
Pro Tem Treat said he acted immediately upon being informed he was acting governor.
“I personally witnessed the damage and devastation of the storms as I drove back to Oklahoma City from Catoosa yesterday,” Pro Tem Treat said. “It was clear that people in eastern Oklahoma are struggling and need all the support the state can give them during this time. Impacted Oklahomans are still without power and heat indexes are exceeding triple digits. This action will relax laws and regulations on the shipping of goods for emergency use, allow agencies to have more purchasing powers, among other measures in order to bring much needed relief. It also automatically triggers the state’s price gouging statute that way Oklahomans aren’t being taken advantage of by individuals who are trying to charge more than necessary for goods and services. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with our neighbors as they continue to recover after this storm.”
The executive order will remain in effect for 30 days and can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
