The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday passed a historic revenue package to fund a $6,100, or 16 percent, pay raise on average for Oklahoma teachers. That increase moves Oklahoma from seventh to second highest in the region in average teacher pay and is the largest teacher pay raise in the history of the state.

The annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day will be held at the state Capitol on Tuesday, April 3. The educational event is free to the public and provides information on prevention, treatment, support groups and other pertinent topics.

“Senate Republicans agree that teachers deserve a significant pay raise, which is why 85 percent of Senate Republicans voted last week in favor of a 12.7 percent teacher pay raise. A 12.7 percent raise is two-and-a-half times more than what West Virginia teachers received, and would rank Oklahoma No. 2 in the region for average teacher pay. Many of the revenue ideas Senate Republicans support are within the OEA revenue plan announced today.

State Senator A J Griffin announced this week she will not seek re-election after the completion of the 2018 legislative session. The Guthrie Republican has served in the Senate since 2012.

Oklahoma leads 25 other states in the percentage of citizen’s personal income spent on welfare but is only higher than eight other states in the percentage spent on education funding. Sen. Josh Brecheen wants the state to shift its funding priorities.

The full Senate gave unanimous approval Tuesday to a bill aimed at stemming Oklahoma’s opioid crisis. Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, is the principal author of Senate Bill 1446, which addresses the core problem in this epidemic—the over-prescription of opioids.

“Senate Bill 1446 addresses the opioid crisis by limiting the initial prescriptions,” Sykes said. “Furthermore, the prescribing physician and the patient must have a plan for subsequent opioid prescriptions.”

Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks released the following statement on behalf of the Senate Democratic Caucus:

“It is an observed custom of the Senate that a guest chaplain be invited to deliver a brief five minute sermon to the Senate on the last day of session for the week. This morning, Pastor Bill Ledbetter of Fairview Baptist Church in Durant, who has served as guest chaplain for the week at the invitation of Senator Josh Brecheen, delivered a sermon which was hateful and promoted his personal political agenda.

In the wake of the tragic school shooting in Florida, Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz and Lt. Governor Todd Lamb met this week to further the conversation on school security and safety.

In 2012, Lt. Governor Lamb chaired the Oklahoma Commission on School Security (OCSS), which issued a detailed report of findings and recommendations on school security and safety issues. Lamb said he plans to meet again with those who served on the 2012 commission, and whose work has served as a national model for other states studying school security issues.

Sen. Casey Murdock was officially sworn into office Monday to represent Senate District 27. The Felt Republican was sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Douglas Combs.

“I want to thank the citizens of northwest Oklahoma for entrusting me to continue my public service in the State Senate,” said Murdock. “I’m ready to bring my legislative experience to this hallowed body to continue working to protect our natural resources, strengthen our schools and grow our economy.”

Senator John Sparks on behalf of the Senate Democratic Caucus released the following statement on the budget cuts passed by the Senate on Wednesday: