“This new law will make certain that every student who qualifies for an Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship will receive their scholarship. It will ensure that the state keeps the promise it has made to these dedicated young people and that the OHLAP program will remain a vital part of our efforts to increase the number of college graduates in Oklahoma.”

Note to editors: Currently, approximately 15,000 students are attending college on Oklahoma’s Promise scholarships and another 30,000 middle and high school students have signed up for the program.

At a State Capitol news conference Monday, State Sen. Randy Brogdon addressed recent criticism of his bill, the Taxpayer Transparency Act, and encouraged Gov. Brad Henry to sign the bill into law.
Senate Bill 1, authored by Brogdon (R-Owasso) and Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (R-Moore), requires the Office of State Finance to create and maintain a searchable Website to let citizens see how state tax dollars are used.

Oklahoma fire departments will be receiving much-needed funding for new equipment under a budget package recently approved by the Legislature.

Under the agreement, $2.5 million in funding will be deposited into a revolving fund established last year by the Legislature to provide fire departments throughout the state with money for new equipment. Sen. Jeff Rabon said providing departments with funding for critical equipment upgrades and repairs, has been a priority throughout the Legislative session.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan said Thursday Democrats and Republicans in the Oklahoma State Senate proved the skeptics wrong by working together in an unprecedented manner in the First Session of the 51st Oklahoma Legislature.

The “Letha Kay Louise Slate Act” is now one step closer to becoming law. The measure, authored by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, closes a loophole in current Oklahoma law impacting child neglect cases. The measure, part of Senate Bill 790, won final passage in the Senate on Thursday. Leftwich said the legislation is named for a Stephen’s County baby who drowned in a bathtub while her mother took a nap.

Legislation requiring financial literacy instruction for all Oklahoma secondary school students to help them avoid money problems in their adult years has been given final approval by the state Legislature and will now be considered by the Governor.

State Sen. Jonathan Nichols and Sen. Kenneth Corn have authored language to increase funding to help combat child abuse and domestic violence in Oklahoma. The language was included in House Bill 1282 which was approved by the Senate on Thursday.

Legislation that will help Oklahomans see exactly how their tax dollars are being spent is now on its way to Gov. Brad Henry. Senate Bill 1, the “Taxpayer Transparency Act,” by Sen. Randy Brogdon, calls for the creation of an online database to show exactly how state tax dollars are spent. The measure was given final approval by the Senate on Wednesday and by the House on Thursday. Both chambers approved the bill unanimously.

The full Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill to ensure that winners of the Oklahoma lottery must first pay delinquent taxes or child support liabilities.

Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, author of Senate Bill 513, explained the measure would allow the Lottery Commission to work together with the Tax Commission and the Department of Human Services to determine whether a winner owes child support or any taxes.

The bill will now advance to the House for final consideration.

Oklahoma Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee graded the 2007 legislative session a “B+,” but said the session could have gotten an “A” if Gov. Brad Henry had signed a bipartisan lawsuit reform bill passed by the Legislature.

“This was a ‘B+’ session that could have been an ‘A’ if Gov. Henry had signed the lawsuit reform bill,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. “But we still accomplished a lot for the people of Oklahoma, and the Senate finished the people’s business early and in an orderly fashion.”