Audio

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.
read more.

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

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.

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.
read more.

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.
read more.

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.

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.
read more.

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."
read more.

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.”

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.