Press Releases

There is no place in our society for domestic abuse and violence against women. Our party needs to send the right message to women, and take a strong stand on this issue. These are serious crimes that affect thousands of Oklahomans every year. This body has worked hard to establish penalties fitting for such crimes, and we want the actions of our party to be reflective of our attitude regarding the serious nature of domestic abuse as a problem in Oklahoma. Crimes such as this cannot be trivialized or explained away. Domestic abuse tears apart families and leaves lasting emotional scars. read more.

The status of our public retirement systems matters greatly to me, since they exist to provide lasting financial security to men and women who have served the state, educated our children, and paid into the system with the expectation that they would receive benefits in their retirement years.  Fortunately, the Oklahoma Teacher Retirement System (TRS) is on a trajectory to be fully funded due to reforms undertaken by the Legislature in recent years.

Oklahoma’s first African American State Senator and civil rights leader, E. Melvin Porter, was recognized on Wednesday afternoon in the Senate chamber with a resolution authored by Sens. Anastasia Pittman, David Holt and Kevin Matthews. Senate Resolution 36 was presented on the Senate floor to Porter, who was accompanied by his family.
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Less than a week after Sen. Kyle Loveless, R-Oklahoma City, filed Senate Bill 838, the Personal Asset Protection Act, it has garnered support from a wide range of organizations. The bill is aimed at reforming a practice known as civil asset forfeiture which the government uses to seize assets like cash and vehicles alleged to be part of a larger crime.
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Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman has introduced legislation that would provide funding for construction of the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture, better known as OKPOP. Senate Bill 839 would provide a $25 million bond issue for construction of the facility, which will be self-sustaining under a comprehensive business plan.

Bingman said with historically low interest rates, the state has a rare opportunity to build a Smithsonian-quality museum under a business plan that will require no new ongoing funding from the state.

Calling it a victory for Oklahoma children in rural communities, State Sen. AJ Griffin said she was pleased that Gov. Mary Fallin had signed legislation into law to better protect kids throughout the state from sexual predators.

Griffin, R-Guthrie, is the principal author of Senate Bill 167, co-authored by Rep. Dennis Casey, R-Morrison, in the House. Griffin said the legislation closes a legal loophole regarding “zones of safety” limiting how close registered sex offenders can live or even pass by areas where children tend to be, such as parks, daycare centers and schools. read more.

A bill that would create more than 300 new jobs in the Hinton was signed by the Governor this week, according to State Sen. Darcy Jech.

Senate Bill 116 authorizes private corrections companies to contract with federal agencies for the housing of federal prisoners in facilities owned and operated by the private corrections companies. The legislation allows existing facilities that are currently sitting vacant, like the Great Plains Correctional facility in Hinton, to re-open.
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Senator to attend Wednesday’s One Tulsa Rally-Justice

Sen. Kevin Matthews (D-Tulsa) will be joining his constituents from north Tulsa tonight for a peaceful rally calling for the resignation of Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz and major department changes to address the culture that has caused continual distrust of law enforcement within the black community.  The One Tulsa Rally-Justice will be held at 7pm in the Blue Dome Area in the 2nd and Elgin parking lot.

Sen. Kyle Loveless (R-Oklahoma City) today filed the Personal Asset Protection Act, SB 838, a bill aimed at restricting a practice known as civil asset forfeiture. This is a process which allows the government to seize cash, vehicles and other property used or gained from the commission of a crime without any charges being filed.

Sen. Kevin Matthews (D-Tulsa) will be joining his constituents from north Tulsa tonight for a peaceful rally calling for the resignation of Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz and major department changes to address the culture that has caused continual distrust of law enforcement within the black community. The One Tulsa Rally-Justice will be held at 7pm in the Blue Dome Area in the 2nd and Elgin parking lot.
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Sen. Ervin Yen was among several lawmakers who filed legislation this session to ban texting while driving. Yen, a cardiac anesthesiologist, was successful in amending the final bill approved by both chambers to make the ban of hand-held electronic devices while driving enforceable as a primary offense. Yen, R-Oklahoma City, issued the following statement after Gov. Mary Fallin signed House Bill 1965 into law.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Surrounded by over 450 friends and supporters of Seminole State College and the SSC Educational Foundation, State Sen. Darcy Jech was inducted into the Seminole State College Alumni Hall of Fame last week.  The award was presented during the SSC Educational Foundation’s annual recognition banquet held in the Enoch Kelly Haney Center and included recognition of college alumni, students, staff and supporters.