Mother’s advocacy leads to new nitrous oxide law
By Jason Burger
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SHAWNEE, Oklahoma (KOCO) — A Shawnee mother’s determination to honor her son, who died in a crash involving nitrous oxide intoxication, has led to the passage of the Maddix Bias Act, a new law aimed at restricting the substance’s misuse.
“I was starting to get really down about it, just trying to get it be heard on the senate floor, because that’s all we needed this year,” said Candi Morris, Maddix Bias’s mother.
Mother’s Day was a difficult time for Morris, but the day after, she received a call that lifted her spirits.
“It was a really hard day for me, and the very next day, I got the call that the Governor had signed it,” she said.
The Maddix Bias Act, named after her son, restricts nitrous oxide to medical and dental purposes, as well as automotive and restaurant industries, where it can only be obtained from suppliers. The law makes it a misdemeanor to possess, buy, sell, or transfer nitrous oxide for intoxication purposes. Violators could face up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
When asked how Maddix’s story was received by lawmakers, Morris said, “They understood my goal of not wanting it to happen to another child, and another mother having to bury their child, so they very much understood that.”
Maddix graduated from Tecumseh High School in 2023, where he played baseball and wore the No. 7 jersey. Morris noticed a meaningful coincidence when the bill named after her son was listed as number seven on the Senate agenda.
“It was listed as number 7 on the agenda for the Senate that next day, and that was Maddix’s baseball number his whole life,” she said.
After two years of advocacy, Morris said she feels her son has been guiding her throughout the process.
“It was like a gift from him — and so it seems like I keep getting little crumbles whenever I need lifting up just to keep going,” she said.
The Maddix Bias Act will go into effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session.
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