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Hundreds of Oklahoma students complete their college degree each year thanks to the financial assistance provided them through the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), a scholarship program that provides free tuition to state colleges and universities for certain qualifying students. Currently, students must be an Oklahoma resident, have a federally adjusted annual gross family income of $55,000 or less, and enroll in OHLAP in the 8^th, 9^th or 10^th grade. Sen.

The Senate unanimously approved a measure on Monday that would modernize county clerk services. Senate Bill 569, authored by Sen. Joe Newhouse, R-Tulsa, would allow certified copies of county land records to be signed, notarized and recorded electronically.

The Senate gave approval to the Second Amendment Sanctuary State Act on Tuesday, which would preempt the entire field of legislation by any agency or political subdivision of the state to infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of Oklahoma citizens.  

The Senate has given approval to a bill clarifying and strengthening penalties for people who commit crimes during riots. Senate Bill 806, creating the Oklahoma Citizens’ Protection Act, by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, was approved Monday.

Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, has won unanimous Senate approval for legislation to give law enforcement another tool to fight child predators. Senate Bill 980 would amend state law for obtaining a court order for a wiretap to include crimes related to child sexual exploitation.

The full Senate voted to prioritize child safety on Monday by passing Senate Bill 339, which would require any child 17 years old and younger riding in the back seat of a passenger vehicle to properly wear a seatbelt. The measure is authored by Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington.

The bill was one of many approved by the Senate last year, but stalled in the House due to the shortened session caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Pederson re-introduced the bill this legislative session.

The full Senate has given its approval to a measure to make sure local governments don’t ignore the will of their citizens when cutting police department budgets.  Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is the author of Senate Bill 825 which was approved on Monday.

Standridge said the concept is straightforward—if the citizens had previously approved a tax increase to fund public safety, the local government cannot redirect or reduce those funds without a second vote of the people.

In a move to stop the fraudulent use of the sales tax exemption extended to Oklahoma’s 100% disabled veterans, the Senate passed Senate Bill 415 Monday. The measure is authored by Navy veteran Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, who serves as the Chairman of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

The full Senate approved Senate Bill 567 on Thursday to establish the Oklahoma Homeland Security Revolving Fund, which would provide state aid for the funeral expenses of state military or law enforcement personnel who die in the line of duty.