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Sen. Julie Daniels and Rep. Mark Lepak will attend a White House event on Thursday to hear President Trump speak about protecting First Amendment rights on college campuses. He is expected to sign an executive order tying the receipt of federal research funding to universities’ actions to ensure freedom of expression on campus. The two legislators received the invitation because of their work on a bill to protect freedom of expression on Oklahoma campuses.

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The full Senate has given approval to a bill aimed at ensuring more state contracts are awarded to Oklahoma businesses. Sen. Rob Standridge is the principal author of Senate Bill 376, the Oklahoma First Act.

Standridge said the exact mechanisms are still being honed as the bill moves through the legislative process, but noted the concept is a simple one.
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Bill would let people vote to restrict Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ability to construe right to an abortion in state constitution

The Oklahoma Senate on Thursday in a bipartisan vote approved a bill from President Pro Tempore Greg Treat that would put a legislative referendum on the 2020 ballot to let voters decide whether to restrict the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ability to construe a right to an abortion in the state constitution.
Senate Bill 195 passed on a 40-8 vote and now heads to the House for consideration.
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