Bill targets storm chasers with licensure requirements
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Severe weather trackers in Oklahoma appear to be the target of a new state bill.
SB 158 authored by Sen. Mark Mann (D- District 46), called the Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025, seeks to establish a framework for professional severe weather trackers in Oklahoma.
The requirements proposed in the bill are as follows:
- Passing a criminal background check
- Maintaining valid insurance for vehicles used in tracking
- And having a letter of endorsement from a chief meteorologist or designated official
The bill would require a $500 license and $250 annual renewals.
Violations of the act can lead up to a $500.00 fine or revocation of the tracker’s license.
If the bill becomes law, it would take effect July 1, 2025.
Sen. Mann says safety is the focal point of this bill, aiming to get amateurs off the roads and allow professional storm chasers to act as emergency responders.
"There's no mechanism for storm chasers to act as a first responder," Sen. Mann said. "A storm chaser would either have to be employed or a part of a college or university that has a meteorological program with a meteorologist or a FCC licensed station that has a meteorology state on staff."
From there, they would need a recommendation from a meteorologist, have to submit a letter, and pay a $500 fee.
"At that point, they would be able to operate as long as there was a qualified event within 150 miles of that radius, they would be able to move almost like an emergency vehicle," Sen. Mann said.
He says this would allow storm chasers to act and operate like a first responder during a significant weather event.
"It really makes sense to be able to license storm chasers so that they can move from one area of the state to the next in a quick fashion with emergency lights, so that they can begin providing feedback on that next storm," Sen. Mann said.
For decades, News 4 and The 4 Warn Storm Team have brought you life-saving storm coverage. Our storm trackers are a big component to that.
"How would you enforce this type of bill if it were to become law," Mike Morgan, Chief Meteorologist asked.
"That would obviously be up to local law enforcement, and however they see fit to enforce that," Sen. Mann said.
Which Morgan says would likely be difficult to do in the middle of a tornado or other weather event.
There are also questions over whether this bill aims to get amateur chasers off the road.
"I think certainly in terms of higher institutions of education, especially right here in Oklahoma, these folks already know exactly what they're doing and they have for 50-plus years," Morgan said.
The bill comes less than a year after the release of the movie "Twisters, " which put a glorified spotlight on storm chasing and may help draw even more chasers to Oklahoma.
News 4 asked Sen. Mann if there was any correlation.
"No, I mean that had nothing to do with it," Sen Mann said.
He adds the bill looks to empower storm chasers.
"Media storm chasing has been around every bit of it since the late 1970s, early 1980s," Morgan said. "So, it's certainly not a new topic. I think everything in this bill is subject to a lot of debate and a lot of fine-tuning."
The 60th legislature will convene on Monday, February 3, for the first regular session.