Press Releases

SB 2047 Will Allow Small Businesses in Rural Oklahoma to Upgrade Employee Skills

The full Senate Appropriations Committee has given its approval to a bill that could land meth importers behind bars for life. Sen. Charles Wyrick is principal author of Senate Bill 1713. Wyrick, D-Fairland, said his legislation will help the state enter a new phase in the war against methamphetamine.
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Sen. Debbe Leftwich and members of the Oklahoma Silver Haired Legislature are calling for a hearing on a bill to create a stand-alone Department of Aging before the clock runs out and the bill is dead for the session.
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Legislation that would ensure that Oklahoma taxpayers are getting their money’s worth from state agencies won approval of the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday.

Senate Bill 1341 by Senator Kenneth Corn would require independent performance review audits of state agencies to determine if the agencies are adequately carrying out the mission they have been assigned by the Legislature.

The Oklahoma State Senate Wednesday called on President Bush to delay the transfer of shipping terminals at six U.S. ports to a company controlled by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Senate Resolution 65 by Senator Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee, passed by a 38-7 vote.

Despite accusations to the contrary, Garrison closed Wednesday afternoon’s debate by saying the measure wasn’t intended to be partisan.
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State Sen. Mike Mazzei wants the state to strengthen its retirement systems, particularly the Teachers Retirement System of Oklahoma (OTRS), before it is too late. Mazzei, R-Tulsa, said he began laying the groundwork to lower the unfunded liability of that system during the 2005 session. On Wednesday, the full Senate Appropriations Committee approved a comprehensive bill to continue that effort. Mazzei said it is critical to decrease unfunded liabilities as soon as possible.
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Statement by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan

“Chancellor Brisch was always an enthusiastic supporter not only of higher education but of Oklahoma. He provided forward thinking leadership for our colleges and universities during a difficult period and he will be remembered as a true giant of higher education in our state. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today.”

Senate Bill 1030 aimed at building an 800 MHZ Statewide Emergency Communication System

Tuesday the Senate Finance Committee passed a Republican-authored bill to eliminate Oklahoma’s estate tax, commonly referred to as the death tax. In past years, the Democrat-controlled State Senate has blocked GOP efforts to eliminate the death tax.

Senate Bill 334, authored by Republican State Senators Mike Mazzei and Glenn Coffee, provides immediate estate tax relief to non-linear heirs, like nephews and nieces, and completely eliminates the death tax on everyone over a three-year period.

Calling it a victory for Oklahoma taxpayers, State Sen. Scott Pruitt said he was very pleased by the Senate Finance Committee vote on Tuesday approving his legislation to reduce the state income tax rate from 6.25 percent to 4.9 percent. The measure passed with bipartisan support.

Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, said the bill would enable citizens to keep more of their hard-earned dollars. When fully implemented in 2007, it would represent a tax cut of approximately $480 million a year.
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As the Senate Finance Committee completed its work on Senate bills assigned to it this morning, the panel’s chair, Senator Jay Paul Gumm said the work completed by the committee is responsible and shows a deep respect for Oklahoma’s middle class.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm said the committee considered and approved upwards of $523 million in tax cuts, many of which are targeted to middle class families or to grow Oklahoma’s economy.
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- Senate Democrat Leaders Deny Hearing for GOP Lawsuit Reform Bill

Trial lawyers have won an early victory in the lawsuit reform battle at the State Capitol, thanks to some help from their Democrat allies in the Oklahoma State Senate.

Sen. Charles Laster, the Democrat chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, did not hear the Republicans’ meaningful lawsuit reform bill, Senate Bill 1857, at Tuesday’s Judiciary Committee meeting, effectively killing the measure.

“The Lawsuit Responsibility Act of 2006, which passed out of the Judiciary Committee last week, contains reforms that will save money for small businesses in Oklahoma by eliminating more frivolous lawsuits on the front end of the system.

“Senate Bill 1874 will make lawsuits move through the system in a timely manner. It includes added protections for doctors and prohibits those outrageous lawsuits against fast food chains by someone claiming that cheeseburgers made them fat.
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A bill that has garnered the attention of national media outlets that will gives juries in Oklahoma the option of sentencing repeat child molesters to life without parole or the death penalty received approval of a Senate panel today.

The bill’s author, Senator Jay Paul Gumm, a Democrat from Durant, said he believes the measure will help create a safer Oklahoma, which he says is the government’s greatest obligation to its citizens.
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Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan said hes pleased with the progress Senate Democrats have made in moving their 200 Agenda of Personal Responsibility and Accountability through the legislative process in the first two weeks of the Second Session of the 0th Oklahoma Legislature.
Six of the Senate Democrats major proposals have been passed out of committee and will begin being heard on the floor next week when the full Senate takes up a measure to expand the income eligibility for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. read more.

-“This healthy increase (in state tax revenues) comes even though income tax rates were reduced from 6.65 percent to 6.25 percent on January 1.” – State Treasurer Scott Meacham, Journal Record, February 15, 2006

Senator Debbe Leftwich, chair of the Senate Business and Labor Committee wants to give Oklahoma voters the option of deciding what type of local government they want to have.

Leftwich (D-Oklahoma City) filed Senate Bill 1407 which would give any county in Oklahoma which contains a metropolitan area with a population of 250,000 or more the option to adopt or amend a county home rule charter for county government.

Oklahoma is poised to create the nation’s top research and treatment center for diabetes. That’s according to OU President David Boren who addressed the Senate Appropriations Committee in support of Senate Bill 1056. The measure, co-authored by Sen. Cal Hobson and Sen. Glenn Coffee would help fund the start up cost for creating two facilities based on the OU campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The committee gave its unanimous support to the measure.
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State Senator Debbe Leftwich, chair of the Senate Business and Labor Committee, wants more county officials to be part of the budget making process for county budgets.

Leftwich (D-Oklahoma City) filed Senate Bill 1576 known as the “The County Budget Act” which modifies the way a county determines or chooses to be part of the county budget board process.

This bill would expand the number of budget board members to include both county commissioners and other elected county officers.

A bill to ensure school-age victims of violence have a greater say in limiting contact with their attacker is headed to the full Senate for consideration. Sen. Charlie Laster is author of SB 1597 which was approved this week by the Senate Education Committee.
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