The state entity that currently regulates electric utilities is continuing its efforts to sabotage electric restructuring in Oklahoma - this time by issuing a flawed report that attempts to link an Oklahoma proposal with a vastly different restructuring statute in California.

Senator Kevin Easley, who authored electric restructuring legislation this year, said the latest report from the State Corporation Commission offers a blatantly distorted view of Oklahoma's restructuring efforts.

OKLAHOMA CITY - A recent study by a nationally recognized research group concludes that national test scores were actually higher in states with greater per-pupil expenditures. That's according to Senator Cal Hobson, Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

"Recent comments by Governor Keating's Education Secretary claiming Oklahoma's decade long ACT increases can't be attributed to funding are typical, but they are just plain wrong," said Senator Hobson.

Citing the report of an independent actuary, the State Senate is pressing its call for another reduction in workers compensation rates. Senator Brad Henry, who authored workers compensation reform legislation this year, will make the Senate's case for a rate cut when the State Board for Property and Casualty Rates holds its annual rate hearing on Thursday, September 7th.

If state regulators follow the advice of the actuarial study, it will result in the fifth reduction in workers comp rates in the last six years.

Oklahoma business should be in line for another reduction in workers compensation rates when state regulators conduct their annual rate review next month, according to a state legislator who authored workers comp reform legislation this year.

Senator Brad Henry noted that the latest workers comp statistics indicate that costs are continuing to decline in Oklahoma, a fact also acknowledged by insurance industry representatives.

The Education Reform Act of 1990, a decade of school budget increases and hardworking Oklahoma teachers deserve the credit for rising ACT scores, according to two Senate education leaders.

Oklahoma's average ACT score increased to 20.8 this year, up from 20.6, according to new data released by the American College Test Thursday. Oklahoma's score was also the highest of a 14-state region that included Texas, Florida and Virginia.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Senator Paul Muegge is urging state officials to take a close look at a recent agreement on hog farms and the environment reached by government and industry officials in North Carolina.

"We have a critical balance to maintain. On the one hand we want to promote economic development and job creation, but at the same time we've got to protect our air and water," said Senator Muegge, D-Tonkawa.

OKLAHOMA CITY -State Senator Angela Monson has been unanimously elected to serve as the next vice-president of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Monson was
chosen for the post during this week's meeting of the NCSL in Chicago.

Senator Monson's election marks the first time a black woman will serve as NCSL vice-president, and the first time an Oklahoma legislator has been tapped for the post. It also means that Senator Monson will automatically become President of NCSL in two years.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Hoping to further advance the message of the plight of the family farmer in America, the Organization For Competitive Markets is set to meet in Kansas City next week, according to Senator Paul Muegge, D- Tonkawa.

The OCM is the product of a grass roots effort to assemble those who are dedicated to the independent production of agriculture, including farmers, ranchers, attorneys, legislators and others who are connected to the farming industry.

Unless additional money is allocated to higher education in Tulsa, the state may end up constructing new classroom and lab space that cannot be staffed by OU and OSU faculty because of a lack of resources, according to State Senator Penny Williams.

"We're expanding classroom and lab space to meet the higher education needs of Tulsa, but unless OU and OSU get the money they need to staff the facilities, we face the prospect of having classrooms and students with no teachers. That would be an embarrassment," said Senator Williams.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Environmental Protection Agency officials heard presentations by several companies today that were presenting their technology to help Oklahoma deal with the ongoing problem of hog waste from big corporate farming operations, according to Senator Paul Muegge, D-Tonkawa.