Sen. Kenneth Corn on Monday issued the following statement regarding funding for Oklahoma’s senior nutrition centers.

“The failure of Republican legislative leadership to provide less than $2.5 million needed to restore full funding to senior citizen meal programs statewide for the rest of the fiscal year is the main reason I voted against emergency clause legislation today that was designed to solve the state’s budget crisis.

The members and staff of the Oklahoma State Senate are mourning the passing of long-time Senate webmaster, Charles Israel. Israel, 48, had battled Muscular Dystrophy for years, yet diligently carried out his responsibilities managing the Senate website even as the illness progressed. He also was the point-man for Executive Nominations heard by the Senate, ensuring proper protocol was followed at all stages of the process. Israel passed away early Wednesday morning after suffering a massive stroke late Tuesday afternoon while at work.

Three resolutions, SJR 58, SJR 59 and SJR 64, expressing opposition to the health care legislation currently moving through Congress, including a resolution offering Oklahomans an opportunity to opt-out of the mandates imposed by Obamacare, passed the Senate today. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee (R-OKC) offered two resolutions, and Senator Dan Newberry (R-Tulsa) sponsored the opt-out resolution.

“This is an important debate to have in Oklahoma today,” said Coffee. “Washington has turned a deaf ear to the people this monstrosity would most directly effect.

The Senate gave overwhelming bipartisan support today to Senate Bill 2330, authored by Senator John Ford, which gives local empowerment to education professionals, bringing them together to improve Oklahoma’s education system.

Senate Bill 2330 is a voluntary measure that gives an individual school or a group of schools the opportunity to opt out of programs or state unfunded mandates within their given districts. By opting out, this allows them to save money or maximize the education experience.

The Senate welcomed Miss Oklahoma 2009 Taylor Treat to the Oklahoma State Senate Tuesday. Sen. Susan Paddack presented the University of Oklahoma senior with Senate Resolution 84 recognizing her many talents and accomplishments.

"This is a special day. The Treat family have been life-long friends. I’ve known the family since before there was a Taylor Treat,” said Paddack, D-Ada. “There are a lot of people who are beauty queens but Taylor Treat is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. She is an amazing young woman who has made us so proud in Ada.”

The full Senate has given approval to a bill designed to help more Oklahoma students complete high school. Senate Bill 2139 was approved unanimously on Tuesday. Sen. John Ford, author of the measure, said that currently of 100 students beginning as freshmen in Oklahoma, on average only 75 complete high school.

With as many as 17,000 victims of human trafficking brought into the United States each year, those captives wind up in every state in the nation, including Oklahoma. That’s according to Sen. Clark Jolley who won approval by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday for a measure directed at human trafficking. A second measure, by Sen. Todd Lamb was approved by both chambers last session and is awaiting final consideration in the 2010 session.

A measure supporters say will reduce recidivism and help more Oklahomans pursue better employment opportunities is awaiting consideration by the full Senate. The legislation, Senate Bill 2070, is authored by Business and Labor Chairman Harry Coates. The Seminole Republican said the bill was suggested by an Oklahoma City-based nonprofit organization, The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM), which works to help former inmates reenter society. SB 2070 won committee approval on Monday.

The pieces of the puzzle are all there, but in order to create a more successful economic picture, Oklahoma needs to do a better job of putting those pieces together, according to Sen. Jay Paul Gumm.

The senator from Durant has won unanimous Senate Appropriations Committee approval for Senate Bill 1723. The measure, approved Wednesday, would create the Oklahoma Entrepreneurship Network and grant qualifying towns the title of Entrepreneur Ready Community.

The state Senate on Wednesday approved a resolution congratulating Rumble the Bison on his first birthday with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and declaring February 17, 2010, “Rumble the Bison Day”.