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The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday sent the constitutional carry bill to the governor’s desk. House Bill 2597, authored in the Senate by Majority Floor Leader Kim David, was approved with a bipartisan vote of 40-6.

The bill:
Permits Oklahomans age 21 and older to carry a firearm without a permit.
Permits veterans, active duty, and reserve military age 18 and over to carry without a permit.
Prohibits felons and those with domestic violence convictions or who have been adjudicated as having a mental illness from carrying a firearm.
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Individuals in Oklahoma serve, on average, nearly 70 percent longer for property crimes and 80 percent longer for drug crimes than the national average. This is mainly due to the state’s “habitual offender” statute that can double and triple sentence lengths, and often increases the maximum term to life. Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, wants to address this issue by modifying convictions for second felony offenses of nonviolent offenders.
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The Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved with an 11-4 vote a bill from President Pro Tempore Greg Treat that would prohibit abortion in Oklahoma when the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade or if the U.S. Constitution is amended.
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State Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, issued the following statement regarding the lack of support by Senate leadership for Senate Bill 13, also known as the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act. Silk is the author of SB 13.

Senate Dem Leader Kay Floyd discusses week three of the session with reporters.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Kim David, Senate Health and Human Services Vice Chair
Greg McCortney, Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, Senate Appropriations Chairman
Roger Thompson and Senate Majority Caucus Chairman Jason Smalley discuss prolife bill,
budget and criminal justice reform.

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