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The Senate Rules Committee passed a measure Wednesday declaring animal waste as nonhazardous. Sen. Ron Justice, author of Senate Bill 709, said the measure was necessary because not doing so would be detrimental to the agriculture industry.

The Oklahoma State Senate honored the life, accomplishments and musical talent of Oklahoma native B.J. Thomas Wednesday.
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The Oklahoma State Senate honored the life, accomplishments and musical talent of Oklahoma native B.J. Thomas Wednesday.
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The Oklahoma State Senate honored the life, accomplishments and musical talent of Oklahoma native B.J. Thomas Wednesday.
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The State Senate adopted a resolution on Wednesday honoring the public career of former State Senator Bryce Baggett, who passed away on February 15. Baggett served in the State House of Representatives from 1958 through 1964, and in the State Senate from 1964 through 1972. State Sen. Clark Jolley is principal author of the resolution. Jolley represents District 41, the same district Baggett once represented.

The State Senate on Wednesday paused for a moment of silence in honor of a Poteau, Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen who was killed in Afghanistan on Monday.

Sgt. Buddy Hughie, 25, was killed while attempting to deliver medical supplies to fallen soldiers. Hughie and his unit were working in a joint mission with the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division and the Afghan National Army.

Sen. Kenneth Corn of Poteau praised Hughie for his heroism and devotion to his duty.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has given approval to a measure that would clarify how Oklahoma law defines child neglect. Senate Bill 790, by Senator Debbe Leftwich, was approved on Tuesday. Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, said the legislation is supported by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth and is designed to close a loophole in the statutes that can prevent neglect charges from being filed against parents, even when their lack of supervision is the cause of a child’s death.
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State Sen. Debbe Leftwich on Tuesday withdrew a measure that was before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate Bill 662 would have restored the right of employees to choose their own physician after being injured on the job.

“This is something that was taken away as a part of the worker’s compensation reform bill passed in the 2005 special session,” Leftwich said. “My constituents still are frustrated and upset about this change. The problem is, if we’d taken it to a vote in committee and lost, under the new Senate rules it would have been dead for two full years.”

State Senator Tom Ivester is no stranger to the sort of sacrifice and dedication required of Oklahoma’s military personnel serving in wartime. Ivester is a combat veteran of the Global War on Terror in Afghanistan, who proudly served in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 3rd Special Forces Group.

It is estimated that 1,880 Oklahomans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year. Of those, 720 will die. That’s according to the American Cancer Society, which also reports that regular colorectal cancer screening could reduce deaths from that disease by as much as 80 percent. That’s why Sen. Debbe Leftwich has authored SB 14, which would require insurance companies to cover colorectal cancer screening. The bill was approved by the Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee on Thursday.
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