State Rep. Pat Ownbey received approval Friday to conduct an interim study to find ways to prevent tornado deaths after this year’s disaster in Lone Grove.
The interim study will be focused on the feasibility of installing tornado shelters in all mobile home parks or parks with a minimum number of occupants. One idea would be to create tax incentives or credits for mobile home park owners to install the shelters, Ownbey said.
“The deadly tornado that touched down in Lone Grove took the lives of several people — lives that might have been saved with access to a shelter,” Ownbey, R-Ardmore, said. “I was troubled by this and immediately wanted to find some way to address tornado safety and prevent similar deaths in the future. This interim study will hopefully help me and other lawmakers come up with a plan we can advance in next year’s legislative session.”
Ownbey said both state Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield and state Rep. Sam Buck would take part in the study.
House Speaker Chris Benge announced the approval of 120 interim studies that will be conducted over the summer and fall prior to the next legislative session. The studies cover a breadth of issues, including government modernization, health care, public safety, education and economic development.
