Press Releases

Senator Tom Adelson, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Social Services, called on GOP Speaker Todd Hiett and his Republican leadership team to allow an up-or-down vote on House Bill 1617.

“As lawmakers, we have a duty to help those that need it the most,” Adelson, (D-Tulsa) said. “It is quite evident House leaders are simply turning their backs on the thousands of uninsured in Oklahoma who depend on us to be their voice in the legislature.”

Rural Republican state senators Wednesday pledged their support for a proposed $150,000 state appropriation to provide vital assistance to increase the delivery of water to southwest Oklahoma’s Lugert-Altus Irrigation District.

Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward, the chairman of the Senate Republican Rural Caucus, said the appropriation to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board would be earmarked for vitally important projects to stretch water supplies in the region.

What started as a rally for support for the thousands of Oklahoma grandparents raising their grandchildren back in September of 2004, has turned into a law strengthening the rights of those grandparents. Senate Bill 733, authored by Senator Daisy Lawler, was signed into law today by Governor Brad Henry as a host of grandparents and bill supporters stood in the Governor’s Blue Room to witness the ceremonial bill signing.
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State Republican and Democrat leaders today announced a bipartisan health care reform plan, including a new system for prescription drugs assistance and model legislation to make health care more affordable using health savings accounts.

Sen. Randy Brogdon said a handful of lawmakers speaking out against $58 million in tax relief on Monday were simply using scare tactics when they said the cuts would harm education, roads and other state-funded entities.

“What we want to do is make sure Oklahomans keep more of their own money to reinvest in businesses and services across our state. That’s the kind of investment that will really help our economy grow as opposed to overtaxing our citizens to fund bigger government,” said Brogdon, R-Owasso.

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction will begin receiving the state Sex Offender Registry this summer for distribution to school districts thanks to a bill signed into law Monday.

Senate Bill 440, by Sen. David Myers, R-Ponca City, will help improve Oklahoma school districts' ability to check potential employees, as well as current ones, by giving them direct access to the state registry.
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Governor Brad Henry, House Speaker Todd Hiett and Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan Tuesday announced an agreement on the funding level for public schools.

The agreement provides an increase of $145 million in funding for common education.

A bill to require high-tech monitoring for convicted sex offenders has been signed into law. Sen. Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland, principal author of the measure, said Gov. Brad Henry signed SB 631, “Jessica Lunsford’s Law” on Tuesday at the State Capitol.
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Senator Jim Wilson, Representative Debbie Blackburn and Representative Joe Eddins stated today that the current round of Oklahoma tax cuts being considered by both house of the legislature will only prove to be devastating to future programs and needs of Oklahomans.

The legislators stated that the tax cuts, which are phased in over a period of four years, seem like a good plan, but in the end will only end up costing Oklahomans more grief and problems.

The full Senate has given final approval to a measure creating the Youthful Offender Task Force of 2005. Senator Nancy Riley, R-Tulsa and Rep. Lucky Lamons, D-Tulsa, are co-authors of the measure. Riley said Senate Bill 458 would help lawmakers scrutinize how Oklahoma deals with juveniles in state custody.

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 16, 2005) – State leaders today unveiled a bipartisan agreement to provide significant new investment in Oklahoma’s roads and bridges without raising taxes.

The plan would gradually increase annual road and bridge spending to a sustained level of $170 million – using surplus revenue in state coffers without raising taxes. The plan will phase in at $34 million each year until the $170 million figure is reached in Fiscal Year 2011.

The Senate author of historic pro-life legislation on its way to the desk of Governor Brad Henry said Thursday’s belated approval of the measure in the House of Representatives was a “victory for all Oklahomans.”

House Bill 1686, by Senator Daisy Lawler and Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, passed the Senate on a 44-4 vote on April 27 and passed the House 95-3 Thursday.
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For the second straight year, the Oklahoma State Senate has proven why it is, in every way, the “upper chamber” by rallying to defeat the House in a 13-7 win at the SBC Bricktown Ballpark. The Senate was able to overcome a House lineup that somehow managed to send its best hitters to the plate every inning.
An early lead by the Senate was fueled by Republican Leader Glenn “Coffee Can” Coffee’s triple into the left-field corner.
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Democratic Senator Daisy Lawler said she is pleased that House Republican leaders finally understand they should no longer delay a floor vote on HB 1686, the historic pro-life legislation that passed out of the Senate two weeks ago.

“I really didn’t understand what the delay was on their part,” Lawler said. “It makes no sense to me why a party that claims to be so committed to life would let a bill that has received so much praise from groups such as Oklahomans for Life to just sit over there for two weeks and do nothing about it.”
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Legislation to help keep better tabs on registered sex offenders has won final Senate approval and is now headed to Gov. Brad Henry. Sen. Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland, is the author of Senate Bill 631, named “Jessica Lunsford’s Law,” after a Florida girl who was molested and murdered. The suspect in that case is a convicted sex offender. Wyrick said the bill, which was approved unanimously, would require registered sex offenders to wear Global Positioning System (GPS) monitors so that law enforcement can better track their locations.
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Senator Jeff Rabon stated today that Oklahoma’s retired educators need legislative support to ensure the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System and the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) do not have their funds depleted.

Senator Tom Adelson and Representative Thad Balkman announced Tuesday that work has been completed on the budgets for the state’s health and social service agencies by the respective sub-committees in the House and Senate.

Appropriations and budget limit bills for the six agencies could be ready for consideration by the General Conference Committee on Appropriations and votes by the full Senate and House next week. read more.

Members of the Senate and the House will represent their respective chambers as the two sides go head to head for the second annual House vs. Senate baseball game. About half the members of each chamber have signed up to play in the Tuesday afternoon event. State Sen. Scott Pruitt, Managing General Partner of the Oklahoma RedHawks, said all are welcome to cheer on the team of their choice.
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A bill that would bring an end to so called “drown nights” is on its way to Gov. Brad Henry. Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-OKC, is principal author of the measure, which won final Senate approval on Monday. The House author of Senate Bill 518 is Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman.

Drown nights are special events that allow customers to purchase unlimited amounts of 3.2 beer for a flat rate or for a sharply discounted price. SB 518 would bring an end to those promotions.
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House Republicans who claim to be fiscally responsible have killed a bill that would require county jails to show they are financially sound before entering into a contract with the state. Senate Bill 687, authored by Senator Kenneth Corn and Representative Joe Dorman, passed the Senate with bi-partisan support but failed to receive a committee hearing in the House, rendering the measure dead for this legislative session.
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