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Showing: April, 2006


First elected to the State Legislature nearly 28 years ago, Sen. Frank Shurden was honored by his fellow members, family and friends on the floor of the State Senate on Tuesday afternoon. The Henryetta Democrat is completing his final year in the Senate due to term limits.
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Sen. Shurden speaks about his years of service.
Senate Pro Tem Mike Morgan addresses Sen. Shurden.
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The Mexican free-tailed bat is now the official flying mammal of Oklahoma.

The Governor has signed legislation naming the Mexican free-tailed bat as the official state flying mammal of Oklahoma.

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Sen. Laughlin is excited that his district is the new home to the Official State Flying Mammal.

Measure Includes Additional $87 Million Investment in Colleges

(Oklahoma City) State Senators Wednesday approved a $976.4 million appropriation measure for Higher Education on Wednesday. The measure includes $87 million in new funding for Oklahoma’s colleges and universities.

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Sen Taylor debates for Higher Ed funding bill

The State Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation to protect the images of service members of the United States Armed Forces from being used for purposes of advertising or solicitation without the consent of those individuals or their families.

House Bill 2643, by Senator Jim Wilson and Representative Mike Brown, would make the unauthorized use of an armed service member’s name, portrait or picture a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison or a fine of up to $1,000.
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Sen. Wilson says bill will prevent the exploitation of service men and women.
Highway Patrolman Honored by Senate

The State Senate on Monday honored the exceptional service of Colonel Gary D. Adams, a 38-year veteran of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, approving a resolution in his honor wishing him well upon his retirement. Senate Resolution 88, authored by Senator Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, commends a lifetime of uncompromising dedication to public safety.
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Sen. Nichols, Sen. Corn and Colonel Gary Adams speak on the floor during the resolution presentation.

Legislation designed to curb underage drinking took another important step Tuesday, passing the Senate by a vote of 45-1. House Bill 3056 by Sen. Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo, and Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman, creates the Prevention of Youth to Access to Alcohol (3.2 beer) Act.

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Sen. Rabon discusses the measure.

With a legislative career spanning four decades, Sen. Cal Hobson is completing his final term in the Oklahoma Legislature this year due to term limits. His colleagues on both sides of the aisle honored him on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday. Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan praised Hobson for his superior intellect, an unmatched work ethic and purity of purpose.
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Comments from Senators Morgan and Hobson.
Senate Approves Anti-Phishing Bill

The State Senate has given unanimous approval to a bill targeting Internet ''phishing." House bill 2473, by Sen. Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Fred Perry, R-Tulsa, would outlaw the increasingly common scam in Oklahoma.

"When we say we're against phishing, we're not talking about the fishing you do at the lake," explained Coffee. "Phishing is a scam used by identity thieves to lure Internet users into providing financial and personal information."
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Sen. Coffee presents phishing bill on floor.

State Sen. Scott Pruitt’s legislation to lower the state income tax rate from 6.25 percent to 4.9 percent has cleared another major hurdle. Senate Bill 2022, containing the largest tax cut in the history of the state, has now been approved by the House of Representatives.

“This is a huge victory for Oklahoma taxpayers,” said Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow. “This is not just a token rebate—this is a tax cut that over the next few years is going to put literally thousands of dollars back in the pockets of Oklahoma families.”

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Sen. Pruitt says this is a real tax cut for Oklahoma, not just a small rebate.

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.

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Entire press conference on SB 935.
Sen. Leftwich says SB 935 will ensure unpaid leave from work for victims of sexual abuse, rape and domestic violence.
One woman, who asked that her full name be withheld, shared her story of years of domestic abuse and then losing her job for taking time off to go to court, for counseling and trying to get her life back on track.
Pam Maisano, a representative for the Oklahoma Conference of Churches, says women need a guarantee that the jobs they depend on will be there in hard times.
Rep. Hamilton says SB 935 is a simple question of justice - if women are afraid of losing their livelihood, they probably won't seek counseling or pursue the case in court.