The much anticipated 3-day back-to-school sales tax holiday takes place this weekend, August 3-5.

Senator Don Barrington of Lawton authored this legislation that will benefit families preparing their children for school. Purchases of clothes and shoes under $100 can be made free of sales tax this weekend. Local stores are expected to see an increase in business since shoppers will no longer need to cross state lines to take advantage of the Texas sales tax holiday.

Senator Barrington is encouraged by the benefits this holiday will bring to Oklahoma.

The author of the legislation creating Oklahoma’s back-to-school sales tax holiday said the annual tax break will help Oklahoma families and retailers. The Oklahoma Legislature passed Senate Bill 861, by Lawton State Senator Don Barrington, during the 2007 legislative session.

The bill created a three-day sales tax holiday on the first weekend of August each year, beginning August 3rd this year, allowing purchases of clothing and shoes up to $100 to be made free of sales tax.

*Note to Editors: Senator Jay Paul Gumm, (D-Durant) who has long been the champion of the “Back-to-School” sales tax holiday in the Oklahoma Legislature, and whose district borders Texas in southeastern Oklahoma, issued the following statement in regards to Governor Brad Henry’s signing of the administrative rules that will govern the operation of Oklahoma’s first ever sales tax holiday August 3-5.

Saying he was alarmed by the recently adopted travel management plan for the Ouachita National Forest, Oklahoma district, Sen. Kenneth Corn has filed a resolution requesting Congress to intervene and delay implementation of the new plan for the district until public input has been considered.

The new travel management plan would limit ATV use to 40 miles of designated trails in the Ouachita National Forest in LeFlore County. Corn said the policy is too restrictive and would present problems for hunters and the disabled.

History will be made Sunday in the Oklahoma Senate when Republican Senator Glenn Coffee officially becomes the first Republican to hold the office of Senate President Pro Tempore.

“This is a historic day for the Oklahoma Senate. It is the first time in state history that a Republican senator has held the office of Senate President Pro Tem,” stated Senate Republican Floor Leader Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan and Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee have extended their congratulations to Miss Oklahoma winner, Makenna Smith. The Oklahoma City University graduate student interned at the Senate in 2005 when she was completing her bachelor’s degree at the University of Oklahoma.

“We’re very proud that one of our former interns will be representing our state in the Miss America pageant. We’re certainly wishing her all the best from everyone here in the State Senate,” Morgan said.

Gov. Brad Henry showed his continued loyalty to Oklahoma’s trial lawyers with a veto of a bipartisan bill that would have limited liability of doctors under contract with the state to perform administrative services, such as examining patient records.

A bill that would create an Oklahoma Bioenergy Center to position Oklahoma as a leader in biofuels research and production has been signed into law by the Governor.

Senate Bill 609 will combine the expertise of Oklahoma’s colleges and universities with the facilities of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation to research the development of biofuels.

Sen. Joe Sweeden, author of Senate Bill 609, said the Act will ensure that Oklahoma remains at the forefront of the energy industry for years to come.

Legislation that will increase funding to Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) and Multi-Disciplinary Child Abuse Teams was signed by Gov. Brad Henry this week.

Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, originally authored an amendment that was included in HB 1282. The amendatory language that is now law earmarks a $3 fee on criminal filings for programs that investigate child abuse cases. The new fee could generate as much as one million new dollars for Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) and Multi-Disciplinary Teams.

A task force has been authorized to examine how state funds are distributed to Oklahoma public schools—that’s after Gov. Brad Henry signed Senate Bill 925 into law this week. Sen. Clark Jolley is principal author of the legislation, co-authored by Rep. Ken Miller. Jolley said he appreciated the governor’s support of the study.

“This is long overdue. It’s been about two decades since anyone took an in-depth look at the school funding formula,” said Jolley, R-Edmond. “We need to determine whether it is efficient, fair, and whether it could be simplified.”