“Several bills dealing with school district mergers, annexations, and consolidations have been introduced this session in the Senate. These measures take a thoughtful and pragmatic approach to streamline administrative costs to save money and improve the quality of education offered to students. At the heart of it, the members who have worked on these bills share the goal of ensuring we’re doing the best we can to focus resources in the classroom, where they most directly benefit Oklahoma children.

A portrait of Oklahoma-native Lt. Col. Ernest Childers, the only Native American Guardsman to earn the nation’s highest award for valor, was dedicated Wednesday by the Senate. The piece, by artist Mike Wimmer, is sponsored by Sen. Bill and Linda Brown along with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

During the first week of the legislative session, civil asset forfeiture reform efforts continued to gain steam. The Oklahoma members of the National Federation of Independent Business released their annual legislative priorities Monday. Of all the topics, civil asset forfeiture reform garnered the most support.

“Civil asset forfeiture is not just a private property or liberty issue—it’s a business issue,” said Loveless, R-Oklahoma City. “I am pleased 93 percent of small-business owners polled support legislation to reform civil asset forfeiture.”

“The budget situation we face this year gives us the opportunity to prove our commitment to the fiscally sound management of taxpayer dollars. I am pleased the governor today expressed a willingness to work together on bold reforms to address our current challenge and reduce the likelihood of future shortfalls.

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman has announced the appointment of University of Oklahoma economist Cynthia Rogers to the Incentive Evaluation Commission. Rogers has been appointed to a term that will expire in June, 2020.

Bingman said he was confident Rogers would provide exceptional leadership as a member of the Commission. Rogers has had a long and distinguished career in academia, with extensive work on economic development, and state and local tax policy research.

With the 2016 legislative session quickly approaching, the Senate has completed its bill filing period. Thursday, January 21 was the deadline, resulting in the filing of 704 Senate bills and 42 Senate Joint Resolutions. A total of 636 Senate Bills and 31 Senate Joint Resolutions carried over from the 2015 session.

Friends, family, and supporters looked on Thursday as Senator-elect J.J. Dossett was officially sworn in to represent District 34 in the Oklahoma State Senate. Dossett, D-Owasso, won the seat in a special election held January 12, becoming the first Democrat chosen to represent that district since 1990.

“I am extremely grateful for the support I received and for the faith the citizens of District 34 have placed in me,” Dossett said. “I don’t take it for granted, and I will always endeavor to be the strongest voice possible for all those I represent here in the Senate.”

The chair of the Senate Education Committee has filed legislation designed to help more Oklahoma schools attract high quality teachers and enhance course offerings. Senate Bill 1384 would help schools attain these goals by giving local districts autonomy over mergers enabling the combination of administrative and support services without requiring any schools to close.

Sen. David Holt is proposing a $10,000 teacher pay raise, and he has introduced a package of six pieces of legislation to implement the pay raise without a tax increase, using a multi-year, multi-faceted approach that can be considered this legislative session. Oklahoma teachers have not received a pay raise since 2008 and salaries now lag behind the national average by more than $10,000.

Sen. Kyle D. Loveless (R-Oklahoma City) Thursday unveiled the details of his legislative efforts to reform Oklahoma’s civil asset forfeiture laws.
In May, Loveless introduced Senate Bill 838, the Personal Asset Protection Act. The bill has been the subject of intense debate during the interim.