"Today I submitted letters to the Secretary of the Senate, President Pro Tempore Bingman, and Governor Fallin informing them that I will resign my duties as State Senator effective Jan. 15th, 2012.

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman today issued the following statement in response to the election of Representative T.W. Shannon as House Speaker-designate:
"I want to offer my congratulations to Representative T.W. Shannon on his election as House Speaker-designate. He is undoubtedly a gifted legislator, a dedicated public servant, and a man of proven integrity.

Oklahoma County District Judge Lisa Davis on Tuesday dismissed Sen. Jim Wilson’s lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Senate Redistricting plan.

State Sen. Rick Brinkley is under personal attack after sharing his concerns about predatory lenders who affiliate themselves with small Oklahoma-based tribes. A group called The Native American Fair Commerce Coalition (NAFCC) has staged an aggressive public relations blitz attacking Brinkley. He recently spoke out against predatory lending practices in an investigative news story by CBS News and the Center for Public Integrity (CPI).

Members of the Senate Interim Study on Rural Fire Departments met this week to discuss issues regarding rural fire defense.

Sen. Mark Allen said the Interim Study was requested to give Senate members a better understanding of the needs and challenges faced by Oklahoma’s rural fire departments. Allen noted that as numerous wildfires have threatened rural areas in the current period of extreme drought, lawmakers must be aware of our firefighters’ operational needs.

The chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Pensions said he was extremely encouraged that the solvency of the state’s largest retirement system has dramatically improved in recent months. Dr. James Wilbanks, Executive Director of the Teachers’ Retirement System, announced the decrease in unfunded liability in the pension fund on Thursday.

State Sen. David Holt responded Wednesday to a recent study ranking all 50 states based on government union power versus taxpayer rights. The nonpartisan, data-based ranking, called the “Big Labor vs. Taxpayer Index,” ranked Oklahoma dead last in the entire Southern United States for taxpayer rights. Oklahoma was ranked 24th overall, meaning that 23 other states are more favorable to taxpayers.

“State Labor Commissioner Mark Costello’s comments this week comparing state workers to feral hogs was atrocious and completely unprofessional. I think the Commissioner has forgotten that his job is to protect state workers not undermine them, which seems to be the purpose of his newly created nonprofit.

Sen. Ralph Shortey is lending his support to backers of Oklahoma City pharmacist Jerome Ersland in their effort to petition the Governor for a pardon. Ersland in July was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in the shooting death of an unconscious robber.

Pointing to the need to maintain the integrity of Oklahoma’s election process, the State Senate has filed a motion to intervene in Sen. Jim Wilson’s lawsuit challenging the bipartisan Senate Redistricting Act of 2011. Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman said the motion was filed late Thursday afternoon in Oklahoma County District Court.