Press Releases

A bill to make sure Oklahoma kids aren’t filling up on junk food while at school has been signed into law. Senate Bill 265, signed by Gov. Brad Henry on Thursday, will prohibit elementary schools, junior high or middle schools from allowing “low-nutritional” foods except for special occasions such as class parties.
High schools would be required to provide healthy food options. The measure also directs school districts to provide incentives to encourage healthy food choices for high school students such as reduced prices. read more.

A measure to ensure that the state’s Federally Qualified Health Centers adhere to the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act was signed into law by Governor Brad Henry Tuesday.

Senate Bill 708, authored by Senator Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah, was written as a safeguard against Federally Qualified Health Centers acting outside the bylaws that govern them as well as state and federal laws.

Oklahoma currently has seven Federally Qualified Health Centers. Four new centers were authorized earlier this week and that number is expected to increase to thirty in the future.
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A bill to require an alphanumeric sequence rather than computer-generated numbers for Oklahoma driver licenses or identification cards has been signed by Gov. Brad Henry. Sen. Clark Jolley is principal author of the measure.

“We’ve approved legislation in recent years to help deal with the problem of criminal identity theft. This measure addresses the accidental problems that may occur when a person or business confuses a driver’s license number and social security number,” explained Jolley, R-Edmond
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A joint House/Senate committee is the next stop for a bill to make sure the law against threatening, harassing or obscene phone calls is extended to include cell phones, text messaging, email and other forms of telecommunications. Sen. Ted Fisher, D-Sapulpa, is Senate author of House Bill 1804 which was approved unanimously Tuesday afternoon. The measure had previously won unanimous approval by the House as well.
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The State Senate approved a resolution Monday honoring President Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States and one of America's favorite sons.

House Joint Resolution 1001 was authored by Rep. Thad Balkman (R-Norman) and Senator Owen Laughlin (R-Woodward), and then coauthored by all the Republican members from both the House of Representatives and Senate. It designates February 6th of each year as "President Ronald Reagan Day" in Oklahoma to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of the 40th President of the United States of America.
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President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan and Senate Democratic leaders are moving forward with a progressive "education" budget – after weeks of stone-walling by state House Republican leaders.
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Charles R. Ford announced the unveiling of a painting of the historic Santa Fe Trail, as part of a series of paintings commissioned by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc. The painting is by nationally- renowned artist Wayne Cooper of Depew, Oklahoma, and was unveiled during a ceremony in the Senate Chamber this afternoon.

Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they would try to force an agreement on funding for public schools by blocking efforts by Senate Democrats to move other budget bills through the Senate until an agreement is reached on education funding.

“Senate Republicans are opposed to moving other budget bills through the Senate until there is a bipartisan agreement on a budget for public schools,” stated Senate GOP Leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma State Senate will begin considering single agency appropriations measures by hearing bills to fund 42 state agencies Tuesday, Senate Appropriations Chairman Johnnie Crutchfield said.

Senator Kenneth Corn told a group of concerned citizens today that Senate Democrats understand the importance of The Heartland Flyer, Oklahoma’s only passenger rail service, and told these concerned citizens that Senate Democrats have a plan to save the Heartland Flyer through its 2020 Plan for Bridges and Roads.

State Sen. Jeff Rabon said he was disappointed that the House won’t hear his legislation to reduce underage drinking. Senate Bill 666 had been assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee but Sen. Rabon received word on Monday that the committee would not give the bill a hearing. Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman, is Rabon’s co-author for SB 666. Balkman was principal author of a similar House bill that was killed earlier this session.
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Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City has found a way to further enhance their already renowned Arts and Sciences department by utilizing the Senate’s newly implemented webcast technology.

President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, said Republican Leadership in the House has been too busy cranking out politically motivated news releases to act on a Democratic General Appropriations (GA) Bill that truly places value on working families.

He said the newly elected Republican majority in the House has a duty to provide critical services upon which all Oklahomans depend. They are instead, he said, trying to govern through press releases, which falls short of the responsibility that all Oklahomans deserve and expect from the legislature.
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Following the 80th anniversary of Oklahoma's unique flag design on April 2, the family of the banner's designer, Louise Funk Fluke, donated the original flag to the state today at the Capitol.
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Senator Daisy Lawler said today she is pleased pro-life legislation cleared the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Lawler said House Bill 1686 passed the panel with bi-partisan support. Lawler, one of the co-founders of Democrats for Life, is particularly pleased that women who are facing the decision to end their pregnancy will now be armed with information that will hopefully help them choose life.

The Oklahoma State Senate unanimously approved a resolution today honoring the life of Pope John Paul II and mourning his death. State Sen. Mike Mazzei was principal author of the measure, with all members signing on as co-authors.

“Although I am not Roman Catholic, I felt it was very appropriate for our chamber to pay tribute to Pope John Paul II—undeniably one of the greatest individuals of our time. His spirituality transcended denominational divisions,” said Mazzei, R-Tulsa.
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Three former educators who are now members of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Education said Thursday that if the House doesn’t act to pass an education appropriation on Monday school boards across Oklahoma will be forced to make crucial staffing decisions without knowing how much state funding will be allocated to their districts.

The result could be a new exodus of teachers to Texas, according to the trio of lawmakers who have 96 years of experience in public education among them.
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Committee Hearings Not Scheduled for Laci and Conner’s Bill, Covenant Marriage, Informed Consent, Marriage Penalty

Oklahoma families are getting the short end of the stick in the Oklahoma State Senate this year. Several pro-family bills will die this week in the Senate for lack of a committee hearing.

Among the bills not scheduled for a hearing in Thursday’s meeting of the Senate’s Health and Human Resources Committee is House Bill 1257, the “Laci and Conner Peterson” law.

A bill to help bring computer child pornographers to justice is now part of Oklahoma law. Sen. Cliff Branan, R-OKC, is principal author of SB 513, which was signed by Gov. Brad Henry yesterday. The House author of the measure is Rep. Ken Miller, R-Edmond.

“I believe this is an important step in helping stop the sexual exploitation of children through the Internet. These shocking images are evidence of a terrible crime. This bill gives law enforcement an important tool in their efforts to go after these criminals,” Branan said.
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Senator Daisy Lawler said today she is pleased a bill aimed at strengthening families in Oklahoma cleared another legislative hurdle as it passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee with bi-partisan support. She said however, she is puzzled that four Republican members of the Senate, who so often talk about the importance of ‘family values’, voted against a bill aimed at protecting those family values in Oklahoma through character education curriculum for Oklahoma school children.