The Oklahoma Legislature returned to the state capitol on Monday, Feb. 3 for the 60th Oklahoma legislator, and one of the bills to be read on Monday is Senate Bill 158, which aims to require a special license for storm chasers in Oklahoma. The bill is called the Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025.

SB 158 is authored by Sen. Mark Mann of Oklahoma City and seeks to establish a structure for storm chasing in Oklahoma. The bill would limit storm chasers in the state to those who are contracted to storm chase by a professional media outlet and for those who are storm chasing for educational purposes through an accredited university.

The bill would require professional storm chasers to apply for a license by passing a background check, submitting their vehicles insurance information and a letter of endorsement from a chief meteorologist or designated official. Students applying for the storm chaser licenses would have to also pass a criminal background check, submit their vehicles insurance and provide a letter from the dean of their school or other designated official.

The storm chaser license would cost $500 for the calendar year and then a $250 renewal. The license would be issued and maintained by Service Oklahoma. If a storm chaser is found to be in violation of the bill if signed into law, would be required to pay a $500 fine or a revocation of their license by Service Oklahoma. If passed and signed into law, SB 158 would go into effect July 1 of this year.

Bill author says safety is the main concern of SB 158.

In an interview with KFOR, Sen. Mann stated that safety is the focal point of this bill and to get armatures of the road and give professional storm chasers the ability to act as first responders. At present, there is no law in Oklahoma that allows storm chasers to operate as first responders.

“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 to KFOR.

KFOR Chief Meteorologist Mike Morgan asked Sen. Mann how the law would be enforced and he stated that would be up to law enforcement and how they would want to proceed. Morgan countered and stated that it would be difficult for law enforcement to do during a severe weather event, especially if there was a tornado on the ground.

Professional storm chasers are divided on SB 158.

Over the weekend, professional storm chasers, meteorologists and local emergency management professionals expressed their thoughts on the bill. Some of them are against the bill while others do not believe it will have a hinderance on the storm chasing community.

Reed Timmer Extreme Meteorologist, who heads Team Dominator, storm chases throughout the United States and took to his official Facebook page to express his opposition to the bill and stated that he "will fight this for the sake of [the] storm chaser community."

Val Castor, who has served as a News 9 Storm Tracker for over 30 years, posted to his official Facebook page his personal thoughts on SB 158. He stated that the bill does not restrict anyone from chasing storms and does not require anyone to get a license to chase storms. He believes the bill will allow qualified storm chasers and students the option to obtain a special license granting them a certain level of an emergency vehicle status.

SB 158 has its first reading on Monday. Feb. 3.

SB 158 will have its first reading in the Oklahoma Senate on Monday, Feb. 3. A second reading is set to take place on Tuesday, Feb. 4 to the Retirement and Government Resources Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee. Oklahomans can track SB 158 on the Oklahoma Legislature's official website.

Oklahoma's Top 10 Deadliest Tornadoes

From the National Weather Service in Norman, these are the 10 most deadly tornadoes that happened in Oklahoma from 1882 to present.

Gallery Credit: Kaley Patterson

The Ten Most Tornado-Prone Counties in America

When it comes to the topic of tornadoes, Oklahoma is universally known around the world for producing some of the biggest, including the last F6 ever measured... but it'd probably surprise most Okies that the Sooner State doesn't even crack the top five of the most tornado-prone counties in America.

Gallery Credit: Kelso

More From KZCD-FM