Sen. James A. Williamson and Rep. Pam Peterson have unveiled language to close a loophole in Oklahoma criminal statutes. The Tulsa Republicans crafted the measure after a Tulsa County judge was forced to reduce charges against an accused rapist from first-degree rape to second-degree rape.

A pre-school child left unable to walk or talk after a day care center accidentally left him in a hot van has resulted in the Senate passage of a bill to help families who could face a similar tragedy in the future. State Sen. Debbe Leftwich is author of House Bill 2863, known as Demarion’s Law, which would require day care facilities to carry liability insurance.

The Oklahoma State Senate today approved a proposal to establish an office within the Governor’s cabinet to addresses Native American issues and state-tribal relations. Authored by State Senator Charlie Laster (D-Shawnee) the measure calls for the creation of the Secretary of Native American Affairs in the Governor’s office.

Laster said the newly created position would oversee agency consultation and collaboration with the state’s 39 tribal governments and to be in charge of relations between the executive branch and tribal nations.

The State Senate took steps today that will send several insurance proposals to conference committee for further consideration. The move allows for more time to study the cost and effects of the proposed measures.

These various measures addressed reforming the State Medicaid program, requiring insurance companies to provide coverage for autism and requiring insurance companies to cover any procedure deemed to be medically necessary.

The Oklahoma Division of Student Assistance (ODSA) has honored Sen. Kenneth Corn with the 2008 TRiO Achiever Award. The annual award is designed to recognize and honor former Oklahoma TRiO participants who have demonstrated exemplary accomplishments in their professional pursuits and for whom TRiO played a fundamental role in their educational achievements.

The TRiO Programs were established by Congress under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to help low-income Americans enter college, graduate and move on to participate more fully in our country’s economic and social life.

Legislation to tweak the Quality Jobs Act to encourage the National Basketball Association to move a professional basketball team to Oklahoma passed the State Senate today. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for final consideration before going to Gov. Brad Henry.

Senate Bill 1819, by Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee and House Speaker Chris Benge, allows an NBA franchise to participate in the state’s Quality Jobs Program, which rebates a portion of employees’ income taxes to the state to qualified employers.

On the same day some Democrat senators held a news conference to complain that a few of their bills are not being heard in the House of Representatives, Democrat Lt. Gov. Jari Askins broke a tie to help Senate Democrats block consideration of a workers compensation reform amendment in the State Senate.

The amendment, authored by Senate Judiciary Committee Co-Chairman James A. Williamson, would have required Senate confirmation of gubernatorial appointments of judges to the Workers Compensation Court.

The full Senate approved a measure to review current adoption law and practices in the state of Oklahoma. House Bill 2749, by Sen. Mike Mazzei and Rep. Susan Winchester was approved unanimously on Monday, bringing it one step closer to consideration by Gov. Brad Henry.

Oklahoma has not had an in-depth examination of our adoption laws since 1994, said Mazzei, R-Tulsa. HB 2749 creates a task force that will examine those laws and ensure were doing the best job we can to encourage the adoption of infants and children into loving homes.

State Sen. Kenneth Corn said he was embarrassed that the Senate Education Committee had failed to approve the nomination of a former Speaker of the House. Monday morning, the nomination of Larry Adair to the State Board of Education died in a tie vote of 7-7 that fell along party lines.

Senate Education Co-Chair Kathleen Wilcoxson said she did not support the nomination of former House Speaker Larry Adair to the State Board of Education because that nomination was in violation of state law. The nomination failed on a tie vote of 7-7 to win the full support of the Senate Education Committee. Wilcoxson said the committee’s decision not to confirm the nomination was not about personality or politics, but was about public policy and the rule of law.