A bill that would establish the Oklahoma Health Care Workers and Educators Assistance program passed out of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education this week.

Senator Susan Paddack (D-Ada), author of Senate Bill 1687, said the proposed law is designed to encourage Oklahomans to enter the nursing and healthcare profession and help those prospective students through financial assistance. Paddack said the bill would give more Oklahomans an opportunity to follow a career path in the healthcare industry as well as represent a smart investment for the future.

A House bill protecting insurance companies from legislative mandates is a “sellout” to a special interest and a “stake in the heart” of Oklahomans who are often victims to arbitrary insurance policy rules that deny them access to quality health care, Oklahoma State Senator Andrew Rice, D-OKC, said today.

The Senate Health and Human Resources Committee unanimously approved legislation Thursday that would create a 13-member task force to examine the HIV/AIDS problem in Oklahoma’s minority communities and make recommendations for action.

Senate Bill 1829, was authored by State Senator Judy Eason-McIntyre, D-Tulsa, and will now go to the full Senate for consideration.

With the Oklahoma Restaurant Association and the American Cancer Society supporting a proposal to lift exemptions on public smoking bans, State Sen. David Myers is hopeful Senate Bill 1875 will receive a favorable hearing when it is considered by the Business and Labor Committee on Monday.

“The facts are simple. Tobacco is Oklahoma’s leading cause of preventable death,” said Myers, R-Ponca City. “Every year, 5,800 Oklahomans die because of tobacco, and secondhand smoke exposure kills another 700 of our citizens. Too many people are dying because of smoke and secondhand smoke.”

With Monday’s announcement that Legislators will actually have $195 million less to spend for the coming budget, employees with the State Department of Corrections worry their officers will be placed in even greater danger as a result. Sen. Jim Wilson said Tuesday the problem has been ignored far too long.

State Senator Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher and co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said fully funding the Department of Corrections will remain a top budget priority in the 2008 legislative session despite a new Tax Commission estimate that revenues will be lower than originally estimated.

“The MGT performance audit was very clear that the Legislature must end the budget practice created by former Democrat Senator Cal Hobson that deliberately under-funded prisons every year and made DOC come begging for supplemental funding,” Johnson said.

Motivated by potential energy cost savings and reduced hydrocarbon emissions, State Senator Andrew Rice (D-Oklahoma City) today urged the Oklahoma legislature to adopt his bipartisan bills to encourage public institutions in the state to adopt energy saving policies.

In a meeting with the media on Wednesday, Rice unveiled two bills: the first to convert large state-owned vehicle fleets to compressed natural gas (CNG) or any other alternative fuel, and a second bill requiring Oklahoma public schools to establish annual energy savings goals beginning next year.

The Senate Finance Committee has given unanimous support to legislation creating special license plates for Oklahomans who have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. State Sen. Todd Lamb, R-Edmond, is author of Senate Bill 1138.

“Approximately 70 Oklahoma soldiers have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom. 5,500 Oklahoma Air and Army Guard have served two to three tours of duty…and approximately 21,182 active duty or reserve soldiers have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom,” Lamb said.

Oklahomans would have the option to purchase a license plate displaying the national motto of “In God We Trust” if a bill approved by the Senate Finance committee becomes law.

Senate Bill 1146, written by Senator Jay Paul Gumm of Durant, was okayed by the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday; the measure now moves to the full Senate.

Under the proposal, Oklahomans could purchase license tags for their vehicles that include a patriotic display and the national motto of “In God We Trust.”

Accompanied by members of the Thorpe family, 2007 Jim Thorpe Award winner Antoine Cason was honored on the floor of the state Senate on Tuesday. The Senate unanimously approved Senate Resolution 53, recognizing and commending the standout cornerback from the University of Arizona.

As a senior, Cason was named first-team All American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the Football Writers Association of America and was selected first-team all PAC-10 Conference. Cason finished his Arizona career with 15 interceptions.