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Senate Democrats held a media availability to give an update on the 2022 legislative session.  Speakers included:

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate approved a pair of law enforcement bills Thursday to streamline services and improve training, while also providing better mental health support for Oklahoma’s public safety personnel. The measures, authored by Sen.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate has given approval to a bill to modernize state statutes on motorized scooters.  Sen.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill to strengthen the right of Oklahomans to use the pharmacy of their choice has been approved by the full Senate.  Senate Bill 1860,

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation passed the Senate Tuesday to make a higher education more attainable for members of the Oklahoma National Guard. Senate Bill 1418, also known as the Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance Act, by Sen. Kim David, would cover resident tuition and fees at Oklahoma colleges and universities for qualifying members.

The full Senate has given unanimous approval to a measure that would further protect stalking victims.

Under current state law, if a victim is stalked by a stranger, they must first file a complaint with a law enforcement agency before they can file a protective order. Authored by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, Senate Bill 1674 would remove this requirement and allow any stalking victim – whether they know their perpetrator or not – to file a protective order without prior documentation of stalking behavior.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate approved legislation Monday by Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, to give schools more flexibility in how and when they spend general carryover funds. SB 1126 would remove the carryover caps for such funds, allowing schools to better plan and save for future needs.

Equalization certified that the Legislature would have more than $10.4 billion available to appropriate for Fiscal Year 2023, which begins this July 1.  A lot of people are very excited about that figure, including me.   But when we start drilling down into those numbers, what we’ve learned from past budget years and how we prepare for those to come, it’s clear we need to take a thoughtful, conservative approach.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A measure authored by Senate Education Committee Chair Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, was approved Tuesday to try to find answers to the ongoing teacher shortage. Senate Bill 1630 would direct school districts to conduct exit interviews when a teacher leaves their position, just as many private sector companies do with their employees.