OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – A bill that allows professional storm chasers to obtain licensing through the state of Oklahoma passed a key legislative committee.
The Oklahoma House of Representatives Business Committee unanimously passed House Bill 2426 with a 9-0 vote on Thursday.
The bill, written by Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, states that licensing through the state will enable professional storm chasers to receive special accommodations while they are tracking severe weather.
“Tornadoes do a tremendous amount of damage in our state to families, homes, businesses and other structures,” Fetgatter said. “Storm chasers provide an invaluable service in keeping the public informed about the track of a storm, often providing the first warning for people to take cover. This undoubtedly saves lives.”
HB 2426 creates an optional severe weather tracker license for individuals who are professionally employed by a media outlet or affiliated research program at specified universities, according to House officials.
The license enables storm trackers to be treated as emergency responders during severe weather events and authorizes them to activate flashing emergency lights on their vehicles so they can move through red traffic lights and travel on closed roads and highways.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department would issue the license with a fee not to exceed $500 and a renewal fee of $250, House officials said.
Fetgatter’s bill is a work in progress. He is pursuing further input from stakeholders and it could be amended before its next committee hearing or before it comes to the House floor for a vote.
The legislator said the bill would not change how storm chasers, including amateurs, are able to operate today.
He credited a local storm tracker for alerting Okmulgee and Morris residents to take shelter during a dangerous storm. He said tornado sirens sounded but weather radar picked up the storm too late, and residents in his House district were already were in danger.
Fetgatter, who chases storms in his pickup, sees value in offering the professional license to storm chasers with verified experience.
“We love storm chasing in Oklahoma. We’ve made movies about storm chasing in this state. Nothing in this bill will stop this most American of rights,” he said. “But we have to be able to give professional severe weather trackers the ability to chase storms without being impeded.”
