Press Releases

Sen. Mark Allen, chair of the Senate Energy Committee, announced Thursday there would be a second meeting of the 2018 Energy Summit to examine the economic impact of alternative energies in Oklahoma, including wind, solar, hydropower and electric. The second meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 31, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 535 of the state Capitol. The meeting will be live-streamed.

Oklahoma is considered one of the premiere states for STEM education and Sen. Ron Sharp wants to expand it further. He has filed Senate Bill 880 to further advance STEM education by moving oversight of the STEM Region/Community application subcommittee from the Coalition for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Education in Oklahoma (CASMEO) to the Department of Career and Technology Education.
read more.

The Senate has completed filing bills for the Second Session of the 56th Legislature. A total of 706 Senate bills were filed along with 23 Senate Joint Resolutions. In 2017, a total of 831 Senate bills and 46 Senate Joint Resolutions were filed.

The energy industry is one of the key pillars of Oklahoma’s economy and Senator Mark Allen has planned an energy summit at the Oklahoma Capitol to hear directly from the industry on the positive impact it has on the state’s economy.
read more.

OKLAHOMA CITY –   State Senator Micheal Bergstrom filed two bills this week aimed at helping to recruit and retain teachers in Oklahoma schools. 

Senate Bill 1188 would allow a certified classroom teacher to earn a tuition waiver worth 12 credit hours of resident tuition each year the teacher is employed by an Oklahoma public school district to be used for the postsecondary education of the teacher’s child or children. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Democratic Leader Designate Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, announced committee assignments today for members of the Senate Democratic Caucus for the 57th Legislature.

Oklahoma City - Freshman Senators Greg McCortney and Adam Pugh, along with House author Representative Mark McBride have filed a bill that will reform the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust. 

Gov. Mary Fallin called nine special elections last year following legislators leaving office mid-term. In an effort to protect taxpayer dollars, Sen. Ron Sharp has filed legislation to use the remaining campaign funds of departing members to pay for their districts’ special elections.
read more.

In an effort to stop inappropriate relationships between school employees and students, Sen. Ron Sharp has filed legislation to require professional development training on the issue. Under Senate Bill 899, the training would begin with the 2018-2019 school year and would need to be completed at least once per semester.
read more.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz, R-Altus, on Thursday announced the full membership of Senate committees. The committee assignments are effective through the end of the 56th Legislature.

The committee assignments are as follows:
Agriculture and Wildlife Committee
Senator Larry Boggs, Chair
Senator Josh Brecheen, Vice Chair
Senator Eddie Fields
Senator Darcy Jech
Senator Chris Kidd
Senator Roland Pederson
Senator Dewayne Pemberton
Senator Paul Scott
Senator Wayne Shaw read more.

Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks on Thursday said committee assignments for members of his caucus had been finalized. Each member will serve on multiple committees as well as serving on the Senate Appropriations Committee during the 2018 legislative session.

Oklahoma's Charter Schools Act of 1999 was amended in 2015, allowing charter school districts to expand beyond the OKC and Tulsa school districts into rural areas. However, embedded within the 2015 amendment was a loophole which allows an appeal to the unelected State Board of Education (SBE) to approve a charter
school district after it had been twice rejected by the locally elected school board.