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State Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson said Thursday he hopes the second session of the 49th Oklahoma Legislature will be remembered in the future as the session when lawmakers made the health of Oklahomans their top priority.
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Tulsa / Oklahoma City – At press conferences in Tulsa and Oklahoma City today, legislative Republicans unveiled the details of legislation to reform Oklahoma’s workers compensation system, renowned as one of the most expensive in the nation.

The bill, authored by Sen. Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, and Rep. Ron Peterson, R-Broken Arrow, will result in a minimum savings of $100 million for state employers according to the National Council on Compensation Insurance. The bill does not decrease benefits to employees, but instead seeks to eliminate unnecessary litigation.

Parents, educators, administrators and other concerned citizens are invited to attend a public hearing on dyslexia at the State Capitol on Wednesday, January 21. Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson, who organized the event, said she will unveil legislation to identify and provide instructional intervention for dyslexic students.
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Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee said today that Senate Republicans are generally supportive of the higher education bond proposal, but are concerned whether the new state lottery will provide sufficient funds to pay the annual debt service.

“Senate Republicans have long been very supportive of higher education, and I am certain there will be widespread support within our caucus for the concept of a higher education bond issue,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

Members of the public could soon have the opportunity to fly into space and back from the Oklahoma Spaceport in Burns Flat. Rocketplane Limited Inc. will soon begin work on development and operation of a reusable launch vehicle, Senate Aerospace and Technology Committee Chairman Gilmer Capps and company officials announced at the Oklahoma State Capitol Friday.
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Oklahoma City – Senate and House Republican leaders and Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin held a joint news conference today at the state Capitol to announce plans to introduce lawsuit reform legislation during the legislative session which begins February 2nd. The legislation will be modeled after significant lawsuit reforms passed and signed into law in Texas in 2003. Following are quotes from participants in today’s news conference: