State Sen. Debbe Leftwich and Rep. Rebecca Hamilton are calling for a house committee to vote on legislation to give victims of sexual assault or domestic violence some economic protection. Senate Bill 935 was approved unanimously by the full Senate last year. It eventually was assigned to the House Rules committee but no further action was taken during the 2005 session. The lawmakers are asking for the bill to be heard before the final deadline for House committee action in two weeks.

The Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Natural Resources and Regulatory Services Thursday questioned why House leaders appear to be stalling on providing extra funding to help rural fire departments repair and replace worn out equipment.

Governor Brad Henry signed into law Tuesday a measure that provided a total of $9 million for rural fire departments, which included setting aside $2 million immediately to help with equipment needs.

The Senate Finance Committee killed legislation earlier this week that would have helped boost economies in rural communities. House Bill 3126, authored by Senator Ron Justice (R-Chickasha) and Speaker of the House Todd Hiett (R-Kellyville), would have helped broaden Oklahoma’s tax base and attract out-of-state residents into communities that have declining populations.

Two key members of the Senate budget team said Wednesday that the General Appropriations bill passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives last week would lead to another severe funding shortfall at the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the furloughing of Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troopers.

The latest attack news release from the Speaker of the House is “deceptive at best” about actions of the Senate Finance Committee, the panel’s chairman said Wednesday.

In a news release, Republican Speaker Todd Hiett lamented the Senate Finance Committee’s defeat of the so-called “Come Home Oklahoma” act, a tax giveaway to individuals who may have never set foot in Oklahoma – part of the REDI initiative.

Senator Clark Jolley on Monday praised the Senate's unanimous passage of a measure that would prohibit public utilities from distributing the social security numbers of their customers.

Jolley noted public utilities are currently forced to release social security numbers when requested, adding that a recent local newscast indicated they had obtained the social security number of a House member by simply requesting the information.

Statement by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan

“I, too, believe Oklahomans deserve to know where their leaders stand on critical issues – like the issues of making significant investments in education, healthcare and public safety.

“In the Senate we are going to focus on these crucial policy issues that are important to every Oklahoman and we won’t allow ourselves to get bogged down in an ideological debate.”

Statement by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan
“Each of the measures that grew out of House Republicans brief sojourn into rural Oklahoma last year has been assigned to the appropriate committee and each will be given due consideration. Every bill will be weighed on its own merits.

In an effort to boost economies in rural Oklahoma, two rural democrats have teamed up to push for passage of Senate Bill 1587. The measure’s authors, Senator Susan Paddack of Ada and State Rep. Wes Hilliard of Sulphur are pleased the measure unanimously won the approval of a House panel Wednesday.

Hilliard said the measure modifies the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Act by providing protection for communities and gives incentives to corporations who want to set up in areas after a negative economic event occurs.

Members of the State Senate’s Rural Republican Caucus said they are pleased that Senate Democrats have reversed course and will now allow a vote on a bill providing much-needed funding to rural volunteer fire departments.

On Tuesday Senate Democrat leaders had indicated they would not allow the $9 million bill to come up for a vote unless their demands were met for additional changes to the proposal. SB 1190 passed the House of Representatives on a unanimous vote Tuesday.