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State Sen. Kenneth Corn is blasting an amendment that was narrowly approved by the full Senate on Thursday as devastating to public education, particularly in the state’s largest cities. The amendment would give tax credits for those donating money for scholarships to be used by families who want to remove their children from public school and enroll them in private institutions.
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Major components of the Senate Republicans’ education reform agenda received bipartisan support in the Oklahoma Senate on Thursday.

The Senate voted in favor of a tax credit for private school scholarship programs, an expansion of charter school sponsors to include federally-recognized Native American tribes, and a pilot program that would deregulate 10 public school districts.

The State Senate unanimously passed Senate Joint Resolution 38 by Co-President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee that acknowledges the inherent right of Oklahoma citizens to hunt and fish.

The resolution will add a new section to the State Constitution that gives all Oklahomans the right to hunt, trap, fish, and take game and fish. The legislation would not allow state laws to prohibit anyone from engaging in such activities.

The full Senate has given its approval to a bill that could privatize the state’s education lottery. Sen. John Ford said the lottery has not made as much money for education as supporters had claimed. He said privatization might create a more efficient operation.

A bill to reduce the amount of mercury allowed in childhood vaccinations was approved by the Oklahoma Senate today on a bipartisan 27-17 vote.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm, author of Senate Bill 1407, said the purpose of the bill was to remove a substance that causes some parents to have concern about childhood vaccinations.

Sen. Jonathan Nichols has won overwhelming approval for a measure to protect the right of victims to discuss their religious beliefs or reference the bible when giving impact statements in court. The measure, Senate Bill 2004, was approved Wednesday 43 to 2.

The state Senate on Wednesday approved legislation that would establish a misdemeanor for the public playing of obscene music in vehicles.

Authored by Sen. Jeff Rabon, Senate Bill 2021 would make the playing of any loud, obscene music or continuous noise from a vehicle illegal, provided that the noise can be heard at a distance of 50 feet or further from the vehicle.

The Senate on Monday unanimously approved a measure intended to make Oklahoma schools some of the nations safest.

SB 1941, the Oklahoma School Security Act, includes numerous provisions to secure school facilities, reduce school violence and bullying and involve school administrators in making their schools safer places for students and staff. Sen. Todd Lamb, author of the bill, said he was pleased the Senate approved a measure that could help combat the growing problem of school violence.

An unlicensed driver who causes an injury or fatality accident would face stiffer penalties under legislation approved by the full Senate. State Sen. Debbe Leftwich is author of Senate bill 1599, which was approved unanimously on Tuesday.

“Last summer, there were two accidents in my district, each involving a person driving with a suspended license. In each accident a child died,” Leftwich said. “I was shocked to learn the most those drivers could be charged with was a misdemeanor. That’s barely a slap on the wrist.”