Senate Leaders Respond to State of the State Address

Senate Majority Floor Leader Ted Fisher
“We heard today, for the third straight year, from a governor who believes in Oklahoma. We agree with him. Oklahoma is a great place to live, work and raise a family and we are proud to join Governor Henry as we build on the great strides we have made in the last two years.
“Supporting our teachers, our students, our men and women in the military, small business and working families remain at the center of the governor’s agenda and our agenda because we believe it is truly an agenda for Oklahoma.”

Senate Appropriations Chairman Mike Morgan
“I, personally, am very appreciative of the governor’s comments about the higher education bond issue. We need to keep politics out of it and pass Senate Bill 745 quickly. We will pass it in the first month of the session and we challenge the House to follow our lead. We see it as part of funding education first.
“Governor Henry has also put forward an innovative education proposal called Achieving Classroom Excellence. It does what it says. It helps ensure the retention of the best teachers in the nation by raising teacher pay in Oklahoma to the regional average and sets new standards for achievement and accountability for students and educators alike.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson
“The governor laid out another ambitious agenda today.
“I agree that we should build on the momentum we have established in the last two years – momentum reinforced by the voters last fall when they said loud and clear that they want further investment in education and healthcare.
“Those priorities endorsed by the people of our state are that center of the governor’s agenda and we will relentlessly pursue them.
“His bold education initiatives together with our shared belief that we can lower taxes on working families and provide incentives to small business are vital to making tomorrow better for our children.”