The Oklahoma Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget Thursday approved three additional measures aimed at helping close the budget gap for the 2017 fiscal year budget. The measures approved by the committee reform various tax credits and incentive programs, generating new revenues for the state.

The Oklahoma Senate Thursday approved a measure to eliminate a tax rebate for economically at-risk oil and gas wells, which has ballooned in cost as a result of low commodity prices.

Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman issued the following statement Thursday, after his office and others in the Senate received questions from constituents about plans to raid the teacher retirement pension system to help balance the Fiscal Year 2017 budget:

“There is absolutely no way the Oklahoma Senate would ever consider any plan to raid the teacher retirement system to balance next year’s budget. We’ve worked too hard to strengthen TRS and reduce the unfunded liability that had threatened it in the past.

Gov. Mary Fallin signed legislation Monday to modernize how schools, hospitals and other entities apply for money for high speed internet services through the Oklahoma Universal Service Fund (OUSF). Sen. Eddie Fields is the principal Senate author of House Bill 2616, which modifies the Oklahoma Telecommunications Act to reflect advances in technology.

The Oklahoma Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget Thursday approved reforms that would generate approximately $190 million to help address the $1.3 billion budget shortfall. The measures approved by the committee reform various tax credits and incentive programs, generating new revenues for the state.

Gov. Mary Fallin has signed Senate Bill 1113, which would allow the recovery of attorney fees by those who have unjustly had their assets seized through the civil asset forfeiture process. The measure was authored by Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Randy Grau, R-Edmond.

"This is a positive step in reforming civil asset forfeiture, as it will encourage those who have had their assets unjustly taken to fight back," Holt said.

The full Senate has approved Sen. David Holt’s legislation to make “revenge porn” a crime in Oklahoma. The bill now advances to the Governor’s desk for her consideration. Senate Bill 1257 passed the Senate 39-0. The measure criminalizes the unauthorized dissemination of intimate photos or video—usually after a relationship has ended—an act commonly referred to as “revenge porn.”

Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks issued the following statement regarding the election of Senator Mike Schulz as President Pro Tempore Designate.

“I want to extend my congratulations to Senator Mike Schulz for his election by his caucus as President Pro Tempore Designate of the State Senate.

Republican senators on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to designate Senator Mike Schulz, R-Altus, as the next President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate. The President Pro Tem is the upper chamber’s top leadership position. In addition to leading the Majority Caucus and setting its agenda, the Pro Tem oversees the operations of the Oklahoma Senate.

The Oklahoma Legislature passed the Oklahoma Telecommunications Act in 1997, which created the Oklahoma Universal Service Fund (OUSF). The Act provides funding from the OUSF to public schools, public libraries and non-for-profit healthcare providers so that those entities may have access to high speed internet connectivity without charge.

On Thursday, the Senate approved House Bill 2616, authored by Sen. Eddie Fields and Rep. Todd Thomsen, to update the OUSF funding process to keep up with changing technology.