Eight legislators from Northeastern Oklahoma have united to voice their opposition to the Grand River Dam Authority Board (GRDA) of Directors’ plans to purchase an office building in Tulsa. The lawmakers have sent a letter to the Board calling the plan “an assault upon and insult to Northeastern Oklahoma.”
State Sen. Sean Burrage said the group is against the GRDA’s planned purchase of a 40,000 square foot office building in Tulsa—a community not served by the electric company.

Sen. Jim Wilson today said an effort by Sen. Clark Jolley to build a new medical examiner’s facility in his Edmond district has triggered the request of an opinion from the Attorney General, and has clouded the bond rating of every institution of higher education in Oklahoma.

Wilson said Jolley attempted to circumvent the normal appropriations or bonding process by adding the $42 million capital expenditure to the Real Property Master Lease Program. The program was designed, Wilson said, to allow colleges and universities to make capital improvements such as roof repairs.

For the first time in Oklahoma history, the State Senate has officially become part of the confirmation process for the Judiciary. On Tuesday morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by State Sen. Anthony Sykes, gave recommendations on four judicial nominees for the State Workers’ Compensation Court.

“This change is a part of our ongoing effort to bring important reform to Oklahoma’s workers compensation system,” explained Sykes, R-Moore. “Involving the Senate in the process gives our citizens greater input, and I think that’s an important and positive reform.”

Senate Democratic Leader Sean Burrage said his caucus would not support any bond proposals this legislative session as long as there’s still a push to cut state income taxes.

Sen. Rick Brinkley, R-Owasso, co-author of House Bill 2941, released the following statement after Wednesday’s House passage of the anti-meth legislation. Principally authored by Rep. David Derby, R-Owasso, HB 2941 implements significant improvements to Oklahoma’s electronic pseudoephedrine (PSE) blocking system and calls for reasonable reductions to the amount of PSE an individual can purchase.

Legislation sent to the desk of Governor Mary Fallin on Wednesday by the state Senate would initiate an energy conservation program for state agencies, institutions and assets that would result in hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars being saved. Senate Bill 1096, authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, creates the Oklahoma State Facilities Energy Conservation Program and directs all state agencies and higher education institutions to achieve an energy efficiency and conservation improvement target of at least 20 percent by the year 2020.

May is National Lupus Awareness Month and this week, the Senate approved a resolution to help raise awareness of the disease that kills more women each year than breast cancer. Senate Resolution 55, authored by Sen. Constance N. Johnson, recognizes May 3, 2012 as Lupus Advocacy Day at the State Capitol.

“Lupus is a devastating disease that strikes many women in the prime of their lives. It not only impacts women, but their families who have to deal with the complications and consequences of this horrible disease,” said Johnson, D-Oklahoma County.

State Sen. Jerry Ellis said Tuesday the House of Representatives got it right when they amended a Senate Bill dealing with water policy in Oklahoma. The House voted last Thursday to amend a section of the Senate Bill 1327 dealing with the creation of regional water groups. He’s urging the Senate to accept those changes.

A measure to help returning veterans use their military training and skills to better qualify for employment is on its way to the Governor’s desk after receiving overwhelming support from both legislative bodies. Senate Bill 1863, by retired Army Lt. Colonel Sen. Steve Russell and Rep. Ann Coody, creates the Post-Military Service Occupation, Education and Credentialing Act.

Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, praised the final passage of Senate Bill 1875, a measure allowing counties in Oklahoma to create community service programs for convicted criminals, putting offenders in position to make a positive contribution to their communities while serving their sentence.

The legislation, authored in the House by Rep. Gary Banz, R-Midwest City, was named the “Safari McDoulett Community Service Act,” after an employee in the office of Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan.