Monday, Feb. 8 to Thursday, Feb. 11, 2009

Monday, February 8

• With attention focused on committee activity, the Senate approved no legislation on Monday.

• Senate committees approved the following measures on Monday:

-SB 1597 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, states legislative intent that members of state boards and commissions serve for a limited period of time.

-SB 2133 by Sen. Constance Johnson, changes the name of the Office of Minority Health within the State Department of Health to the Office of Multicultural Health.

-SB 2153 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, requires mental health court programs to establish a separate judicial processing system differing in practice and design from the traditional adversarial criminal prosecution and trial systems.

-SB 1927 by Sen. Dan Newberry, authorizes a city-county health department to own, acquire, lease or dispose of real property in the performance of local public health functions, duties and responsibilities.

-SB 2242 by Sen. Dan Newberry, expands the penalty for battery or assault and battery by a person in the custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs against an employee of the agency to include a minimum of six months incarceration at a facility determined by a court.

-SB 1595 by Sen. Bill Brown, exempts city-county health departments from the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act.

-SB 2112 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, directs the Department of Human Services to establish a program of drug screening for those persons applying for or receiving assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

-SB 1999 by Sen. Mike Schulz, defines “animal husbandry” and “teeth floating” and adds animal husbandry, teeth floating and farriery to the list of acts not prohibited under the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act.

-SB 1330 by Sen. Mike Schulz, creates the Musk Thistle Task Force to create a statewide plan for the eradication of musk thistle.

-SB 1834 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, reduces the maximum fine for violations of the Oklahoma Agricultural Code or any rule promulgated or order issued pursuant to the code from $10,000 for each violation to $5,000 for each violation.

-SB 2095 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, permits the state veterinarian upon obtaining concurrence from the State Board of Agriculture, to issue emergency orders governing animals in order to protect the citizens and animals of the state from diseases and pests.

-SB 2096 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, requires the State Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to consider certain debts uncollectable and to provide a list of all uncollectable debts and persons who owe debts to the Legislature, the Office of State Finance and the Oklahoma Tax Commission no later than May 1 of each calendar year.

-SB 2213 by Sen. Clark Jolley, requires the State Board of Education to seek approval of the U.S. Department of Education to amend the state accountability plan to replace certain criterion-reference tests with a formative assessment system that is aligned to the Priority Academic Student Skills.

-SB 1331 by Sen. Susan Paddack, requires school districts to report to the State Department of Education each year the percentage of students in the district that have enrolled in college preparatory work and the percentage of students in the district enrolled in the core curriculum.

-SB 1333 by Sen. John Ford, authorizes a maximum of tow technology center school districts to offer a pilot basis program that has an emphasis on a focused field of career study and that includes a full range of technical and academic courses.

-SB 1609 by Sen. Jim Halligan, allows the presidents of the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University and the president of a private Oklahoma university appointed to the Oklahoma Science and Technology Research and Development Board to send a predetermined designee to board members who may participate with full voting privileges.

-SB 2129 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, creates the Statewide Virtual School Task Force to explore the feasibility of establishing a statewide virtual school.

-SB 2139 by Sen. John Ford, directs the State Board of Education to adopt expected alternate year percentage growth targets for all public secondary schools and districts based on high school graduation rates.

-SB 1998 by Sen. Dan Newberry, eliminates the population limitations for certain use of county-owned property and requires a written cooperative agreement between the county and a municipality.

-SB 1659 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, permits an employee who accrues compensatory time to use the time within 180 days of the day on which it was accrued rather than within 180 days of the pay period during which it was accrued.

-SB 1342 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, exempts any county treasurer who also acts as a school district treasurer from requirements placed on school treasurers to complete at least 12 hours of instruction in school finance, accounting and ethics.

-SB 1369 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, modifies language related to the issuance of residential building permits.

-SB 1697 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, states legislative intent that state agencies issue publications in an electronic format whenever possible and that the Publications Clearinghouse and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries disseminate links to or other means by which to access publications.

-SB 1714 by Sen. Ron Justice, states legislative intent that all state public entities procure products using the wood of the eastern red cedar when available.

-SB 1962 by Sen. Clark Jolley, reduces from three to one the number of copies of the municipal code that must be kept of the office of the municipal clerk for public use, inspection and examination.

-SB 1997 by Sen. Clark Jolley, creates the Marvin Williams Robbie Chase Whitebird County Sheriff Assistance Act.

-SB 1280 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, modifies the definition of “employment” under the Employment Security Act as it relates to home services as part of a program administered by the Department of Human Services.

-SB 1851 by Sen. Charlie Laster, adds language modifying the definition of the practice of engineering to exclude providing a material take off or advising a person on a material take off.

-SB 1872 by Sen. Harry Coates, adds language requiring plans and specifications to be included in and application for review for a project submitted to the Construction Industries Board.

-SB 1883 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, adds language authorizing peace officers to detain and arrest any person operating a wrecker or tow truck without a valid license.

-SB 1905 by Sen. Harry Coates, requires that all monies retained or to be distributed for purses at licensed horse racing facilities are to be held in trust by the Horsemen’s Bookkeeper for the duly designated horsemen’s organization for purses.

-SB 1948 by Sen. Harry Coates, modifies the definition of prime contractor, subcontractor and sub-subcontractor in the Fair Pay for Construction Act.

-SB 1964 by Sen. John Ford, clarifies language related to caterer’s licenses and limits their issue to those that prepare, sell and distribute food for consumption on either a licensed or unlicensed premises.

• The House convened Monday but approved no legislation.

• House committees met Monday and approved the following legislation:

-HB 2540 by Rep. Marian Cooksey, clarifies language related to the Sex Offenders Registration Act.

-HB 2934 by Rep. Ken Luttrell, allows a court to require someone who must register under the Sex Offenders Registration Act to register any e-mail address information used for social networking or other similar internet communications.

-HB 2965 by Rep. Rex Duncan, modifies the punishment for anyone who willfully or maliciously engages in sexual abuse with a child under 12 to include a maximum of life imprisonment without parole and a $20,000 fine.

-HB 3381 by Rep. Randy Terrill, adds language making it a felony to delete from, alter or deface the required “sex offender” designation on a driver license or identification card.

-HB 2543 by Rep. John Wright, requires those seeking a divorce to attend no less than one hour of marital counseling from a licensed therapist or faith-based counselor before the filing of the petition.

-HB 2297 by Rep. Rex Duncan, modifies penalties for knowingly and willfully permitting an individual under age 21, who is an invitee to the person’s residence, building or structure to possess or consume alcoholic beverages.

-HB 2313 by Rep. Rex Duncan, modifies language related to juvenile proceedings, allowing a juvenile proceeding to be filed within six months after the juvenile’s 18th birthday if the underlying act would constitute a misdemeanor if committed by an adult.

-HB 2534 by Rep. George Faught, allows an assistant district attorney to carry or use a weapon in a courtroom if he/she is in possession of a valid concealed handgun license.

-HB 2942 by Rep. Jason Nelson, states legislative intent that the Oklahoma Bar Association amend its rules for mandatory continuing legal education to provide any employee of the Legislature who is a licensed attorney to be given continuing legal education credit if the attorney drafts legislation for either house of the legislature.

-HB 3255 by Rep. Gus Blackwell, modifies penalties for negligent homicide to include imprisonment with the Department of Corrections for a maximum of three years.

-HB 2836 by Rep. Earl Sears, requires the State Board of Education to establish a grant program as part of a teacher pay pilot program, contingent upon the availability of funding, and adopt program guidelines for school districts to follow in developing a teacher performance pay plan.

-HB 2575 by Rep. Dale DeWitt, directs the Department of Education to notify school districts by Feb. 1 of each year of any changes to the Oklahoma Cost Accounting System reporting codes and procedures.

-HB 3170 by Rep. Jeff Hickman, directs the State Board of Education to develop a funding mechanism for the disbursement of federal funds to reimburse local education agencies for the excessive costs of high-need students.

-HB 2691 by Rep. Lucky Lamons, states that the Office of Juvenile Affairs is responsible for complete site remediation if it ceases operation of the Lloyd E. Rader Children’s Center.

-HB 2906 by Rep. Danny Morgan, adds municipal employees to the list of people required to make a report regarding abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

-HB 3258 by Rep. Gus Blackwell, directs the Department of Human Services to develop a plan to outsource foster care and related services statewide.

-HB 3323 by Rep. Anastasia Pittman, requires the Department of Human Services and its contract providers to safeguard the confidentiality of applicant or recipient information.

-HB 2830 by Rep. Ron Peters, authorizes the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to annually assess a Home-Based Support Quality Assurance Assessment on each contracted community-based service provider.

-HB 2571 by Rep. Lisa Billy, creates the Oklahoma Missing in Action Act.

-HB 2299 by Rep. Gary Banz, modifies language related to the Teacher Due Process Act of 1990, increasing from three to four the number of semesters a teacher can be hired on a temporary contract.

-HB 2545 by Rep. John Wright, directs the Oklahoma Tax Commission to prepare and maintain and post on the internet a list of all taxpayers who claim a tax credit in excess of $10,000.

-HB 2579 by Rep. John Trebilcock, requires the director of the Oklahoma Emergency Management to report quarterly to the governor.

-HB 2610 by Rep. Guy Liebmann, removes the Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education from exceptions to the oversight of the fleet management division of the Department of Central Services and exempts the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control from such oversight.

-HB 2613 by Rep. Guy Liebmann, requires proposals for public construction contracts to be posted on the awarding public agency’s official website.

-HB 2615 by Rep. Guy Liebmann, modifies language related to a public trust’s ability to finance or refinance housing projects.

-HB 2300 by Rep. Gary Banz, requires individual and corporate income tax return forms to include a provision to allow a $25 donation from a tax refund to Oklahoma Honor Flights.

-HB 2556 by Rep. Steve Martin, modifies the definition of “place of primary use” and adds a definition for “prepaid wireless telecommunications service” under the Nine-One-One Wireless Emergency Number Act.

-HB 2703 by Rep. Randy McDaniel, modifies language relating to tax increment financing.

-HB 2582 by Rep. Todd Thomsen, changes the plan year from the calendar year to the fiscal year under the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Act.

-HB 2698 by Rep. Randy McDaniel, creates the Oklahoma Government Website Information Act.

-HB 2956 by Rep. Harold Wright, prohibits advertisements used by the Oklahoma Lottery Commission to promote the lottery from involving children in any manner.

-HB 3312 by Rep. Scott Martin, allows a county to use a reverse auction bidding procedure to obtain bids for the purchase of goods or services of any type.

-HB 3313 by Rep. Scott Martin, requires contracts for construction, labor, equipment, material or repairs in excess of $50,000 to be awarded by public trusts to the lowest and best competitive bidder.

-HB 2733 by Rep. Wade Rousselot, allows county courts to grant a qualified relative custody in certain cases in which a minor or minors have been abandoned.

-HB 3394 by Rep. Dan Kirby, modifies language relating to the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth to allow appointed members to serve an unlimited number of terms of two years each.

Tuesday, February 9

• With attention focused on committee work, the Senate met Tuesday and approved the following resolutions:

-SCR 35 by Sen. Jerry Ellis, honors the Oklahoma Forest Heritage Center in Beaver’s Bend State Park as the Wood Art Capitol of Oklahoma.

-SCR 40 by Sen. Randy Brogdon, requests that Gov. Brad Henry step down from the Presidential Council of Governors.

• Senate committees approved the following bills on Tuesday:

-SB 2196 by Sen. Steve Russell, prohibits the Department of Human Services from making application to the Veterans Administration for garnishment of wages from any type of service related injury compensation or combat related disability compensation for the purposes of assisting in the care of a child.

-SB 1960 by Sen. Harry Coates, creates the Airport Protection Act and states legislative intent to regulate the height and structures near public owned airports to protect instrument and visual operations to the airport and the safety and welfare of the flying public.

-SB 1764 by Sen. Brian Bingman, authorizes the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to construct and operate a new toll turnpike beginning at Interstate 44 at or near its intersection with 49th West Avenue; past State Highway 64/412 turning north easterly, crossing 41st West Avenue, continuing eastward to the L.L. Tisdale Expressway in Tulsa.

-SB 1684 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, allows the board of directors of a circuit engineering district to establish a county energy district authority made up of five trustees, including three members of the board of directors of the circuit engineering district and two persons appointed by the board of directors of the circuit engineering district who must be residents of the district and can not be elected officials.

-SB 1941 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, creates a Innovative Funding for Oklahoma Roads Task Force to study and evaluate innovations, technologies, and new methods being employed to more adequately and equitably fund road and bridge infrastructure.

-SB 1328 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, provides a sales tax exemption on the sale of eligible food and beverages as defined in the Streamlined Sales Tax and Use Agreement.

-SB 1282 by Sen. Randy Brogdon, modifies the calculation of the excise tax on a new water vessel or new motor, directing it be based on the value of the actual sales price before any discounts or credits.

-SB 1376 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, provides a sales tax exemption on tangible property or services sold to a licensed hospital that provides medical care to children with severe illnesses, injuries or diseases or who are severely disabled.

-SB 1396 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, adds a definition of “Model 4 Seller” under the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Administration Act.

-SB 1816 by Sen. Brian Bingman, clarifies language related to penalties for delinquent motor vehicle registration fees.

-SB 1900 by Sen. Harry Coates, clarifies language related to residential building permits.

-SB 1913 by Sen. Dan Newberry, exempts certain depository institutions from provisions of the Oklahoma Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act.

-SB 1908 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, removes language requiring vehicle operators to devote their full time and attention to driving and language preventing a law enforcement officer from issuing a citation for inattentive driving unless the operator of the vehicle is involved in an accident.

-SB 2064 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, expands the zone of safety concerning registered sex offenders around schools to 500 feet from 300 feet.

-SB 2312 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, extends the Sex Offender Registration Act to those violators who are homeless.

-SB 2231 by Sen. Cliff Branan, requires those registering under the Sex Offender Registration Act to provide a physical address and not a post office box.

-SB 1387 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, modifies language related to accidents involving persons with a canceled, denied, suspended or revoked license, removing language referring to accidents involving another vehicle.

-SB 1810 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, authorizes any Highway Patrol officer or other law enforcement officer employed as a full-time equivalent of the Department of Public Safety and prohibited by law or department policy from obtaining part-time employment as a law enforcement officer with any other law enforcement agency to engage in part-time employment for the duration of any furlough period imposed by the Commissioner of Public Safety or by law.

-SB 1845 by Sen. Richard Lerblance, adds language prohibiting semitrailers, trailers and truck trailers from driving in the left-hand lane except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

-SB 2291 by Sen. Susan Paddack, requires a record of conviction for any of the offenses related to driving, operating or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicating substance in a municipal court be forwarded to the Department of Public Safety.

-SB 2274 by Sen. Steve Russell, eliminates preplacement home studies in instances where a minor resides with a birth parent and the birth parent’s spouse and the stepparent has filed a petition for adoption.

-SB 2102 by Sen. Jerry Ellis, provides that a county sheriff will not be named as a party to any action against a trust, owner, entity or facility when a public trust, private owner or management entity by contract or otherwise operates or manages a jail facility, holding facility or detention facility and the county sheriff in which the facility is located has no authority over the facility.

-SB 1601 by Sen. Sean Burrage, modifies language related to the Protective Services for Vulnerable Adults Act, stating that records of investigations conducted under the act cannot be expunged except by court order.

-SB 1250 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, prohibits a laboratory, medical facility, hospital or birthing place from unauthorized storage, transferring, use or databasing of DNA from any newborn child without express parental consent.

-SB 1716 by Sen. Charles Laster, allows a court to revoke an offender from a drug court program if the offender’s willful absence has prevented the imposition of sanctions.

-SB 1938 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, requires that the venue of any action involving a child alleged to be deprived be in the county where the child resides or has resided for six months prior to the filing.

-SB 2041 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, requires that any person who intentionally harms themselves after being received into custody at a jail or holding facility, whether an arrestee or not, to pay the costs associated with any required emergency medical care.

-SB 2110 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, establishes that any person who engages in the unauthorized practice of law will be guilty of a misdemeanor that is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for up to six months or by a fine not to exceed $1,000 or both.

-SB 2203 by Sen. Brian Crain, directs that, upon notice of the appointment of a conservator, guardian of the estate or other fiduciary charged with the management of a principal’s property, the attorney-in-fact will terminate.

-SB 2293 by Sen. Brian Crain, declares that district judges and associate district judges with a population exceeding 400,000 do not work for the same agency as special judges.

-SB 2008 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, permits the Senate President Pro Tempore and the House Speaker, for measures containing for proposed constitutional amendments originating in their respective chambers, to submit a proposed ballot title to the attorney general for review and establishing certain guidelines.

• The House convened Tuesday and approved the following measures:

-HB 2750 by Rep. Lee Denney, directs the State Board of Education to adopt a social studies core curriculum with courses in Oklahoma history for all students in public schools to include information about the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

-HCR 1044 by Rep. Chris Benge, designates Feb. 9, 2010, Water Appreciation Day at the state Capitol.

-SCR 38 by Sen. Bill Brown, congratulates Danny Cahill for winning “The Biggest Loser”.

• House committees met Tuesday and approved the following measures:

-HB 2655 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, repeals language allowing a county employee fully vested with a county retirement system to receive up to four years of credit for time served as an elected city or state official.

-HB 2654 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, allows sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and reserve deputy sheriffs to enforce ordinances within a municipality under a mutual aid agreement entered into under the Interlocal Cooperation Act.

-HB 3210 by Rep. Don Armes, exempts the selling of fireworks as an unlawful act of burning trash or other material that may cause a wildland fire in any county of the state in which the board of county commissioners has passed a resolution declaring a period of extreme fire danger.

-HB 2602 by Rep. Dennis Johnson, modifies language related to the calculation of part-time reserve officers in municipalities.

-HB 3204 by Rep. Don Armes, modifies language related to the Central Purchasing Act.

-SB 1133 by Sen. Clark Jolley, creates the Oklahoma Interventional Pain Management and Treatment Act.

-HB 2593 by Rep. Dan Kirby, authorizes the Board of Dentistry to inspect any dental laboratory prior to the issuance of any permit.

-HB 2587 by Rep. Corey Holland, makes it unlawful for any physician or other person attendant upon the birth of a child to fail to instill immediately in both eyes of the newborn erythromycin ophthalmic ointment.

-HB 2695 by Rep. Sue Tibbs, exempts assisted living facilities licensed to house six or fewer residents from the requirement to install fire sprinkler protection.

-HB 2749 by Rep. Lee Denney, creates the Music Therapy Practice Act.

-HB 2697 by Rep. Randy McDaniel, authorizes a first purchaser, working interest owner or operator who pays royalty proceeds from oil and gas production to develop and use an electronic payment mechanism to pay royalty proceeds.

-HB 2912 by Rep. Danny Morgan, makes it unlawful for any person to intentionally or maliciously tamper with or destroy any safety equipment that is not their own and is used in drilling or the production of an oil or gas well.

-HB 1889 by Rep. Phil Richardson, enacts the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.

-HB 2963 by Rep. Earl Sears, increases to age 65 or older the age at which residents and nonresidents are eligible for a senior citizen lifetime fishing or hunting license.

Wednesday, February 10

• Attention remained focused on committee action on Wednesday, as the Senate quickly adjourned after approving the following resolutions:

-SCR 39 by Sen. Earl Garrison, recognizes Feb. 12, 2010 as “Drop Out Prevention Day”.

-SCR 41 by Sen. Todd Lamb, expresses opposition to federal cap and trade proposals and to certain U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

• Senate committees passed numerous bills on Wednesday, including the following:

-SB 2109 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, modifies the calculation for the initial allocation of state aid, foundation program and salary incentive aid by requiring the portion of weighted membership derived from pupils enrolled in online courses to be based on the weighted average daily membership of the preceding school year.

-SB 2218 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, creates the Task Force on Creating Administrative Efficiencies.

-SB 1702 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, removes language from the Oklahoma Information Services Act requiring the Chief Information Officer to develop and implement a plan to use open-source technology and products for the information technology and telecommunications systems of all state agencies.

-SB 2037 by Sen. Dan Newberry, directs the Department of Central Services to furnish an Oklahoma flag to the surviving spouse or parents of any member of the U.S. Armed Forces who is killed in conflict, if they are a resident of Oklahoma.

-SB 1715 by Sen. Ron Justice, provides a school attendance exemption to any child excused to participate in a military honors ceremony.

-SB 2142 by Sen. Steve Russell, allows certain electors to request a special write-in absentee ballot for statewide offices in addition to federal offices.

-SB 1321 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, increases the penalty for vendors who willfully or intentionally refuse to honor a consumer’s sales tax exemption from an administrative fine to a misdemeanor and a fine of up to $500 per offense.

-SB 2260 by Sen. Steve Russell, authorizes leave time for participation in the Civil Air Patrol disaster services.

-SB 2319 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, specifies criteria for the State Board of Education’s rules regarding the implementation of online courses.

-SB 1943 by Sen. Mike Schulz, allows school districts to transfer monies in the general fund to the building fund.

-SB 2108 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, modifies the authority of boards of education to convey real property.

-SB 2141 by Sen. Clark Jolley, creates the Oklahoma Certified Healthy Schools Act.

-SB 2183 by Sen. Cliff Branan, directs the secretary of the Commissioners of the Land Office to undertake a study on the possibility of the state selling land for development but retaining mineral rights.

-SB 2211 by Sen. Clark Jolley, states that any school district that is not in compliance with the standards and requirements established by the State Board of Education related to the state student record system will forfeit its state aid for the time of noncompliance.

-SB 2212 by Sen. John Ford, establishes that a charter school sponsored by a school district board of education will be considered a local education agency for federal funding purposes.

-SB 2173 by Sen. Cliff Branan, removes language allowing any county to direct the Tax Commission to deposit certain monies directly into the County Bridge and Road Improvement Fund.

-SB 2278 by Sen. Clark Jolley, requires every director, chief officer or administrative head of any state agency, board, commission, authority, bureau, office or other entity created with authority to make rules or formulate order under the Administrative Procedures Act to request, within a reasonable time, that the Attorney General recover public monies illegally expended, recover state property and prevent the illegal use of any state property when the value of loss of such illegal activity exceeds $50,000 and when the director, chief officer or administrative head has knowledge that such activity has or is taking place.

-SB 1940 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, increases from from $300,000 to $400,000 the minimum cost of certain road-related projects for which engineering plans and specifications must be prepared by the county engineer.

-SB 2232 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, requires that CompSource, including all buildings and assets, be sold to the highest bidder by Dec. 31, 2011.

-SB 2198 by Sen. David Myers, allows for the Commission on Consumer Credit to set an investigation fee by rule and allows for the commission’s administrator or independent hearing examiner to impose a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for all violations resulting from a single incident.

-SB 1712 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, creates the Commercial Pet Breeders Act.

-SB 2127 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, recreates the State Employee Health Insurance Review Working Group.

-SB 2132 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, creates the Oklahoma Wind Energy Development Act.

-SB 1338 by Sen. Tom Ivester, allows independent school districts to offer students in grades nine and above an elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures.

-SB 1392 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, requires drug testing for people applying for or receiving assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program.

-SB 1674 by Sen. Jim Halligan, states that all buildings, or portions thereof, owned by an educational facility as is defined in the Smoking in Public Places and Indoor Workplaces Act will be designated as nonsmoking.

-SB 1818 by Sen. Brian Crain, creates the Oklahoma Certified Health Communities Act.

-SB 1305 by Sen. Susan Paddack, directs the State Board of Career and Technology Education to increase the number of dropout recovery programs operated by technology center schools.

-SB 1337 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, directs that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner be located in close proximity to the University of Central Oklahoma Forensic Science Institute.

-SB 1379 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, creates the Private Attorney Retention Sunshine Act.

-SB 1633 by Sen. Randy Brogdon, creates the School District Transparency Act.

-SB 1658 by Sen. David Myers, states legislative intent to make the Insurance Department a non-appropriated agency.

• The House met Wednesday, approving numerous appropriations shell bills and the following substantive legislation:

-HB 2291 by Rep. Rex Duncan, authorizes the adjunct general to receive financial donations and expend such funds or utilize state-appropriated funds for momentos, presentations or participation in events designed to promote interests and relationships of the Military Department and the Oklahoma National Guard.

-HB 2837 by Rep. Earl Sears, clarifies language related to certified crime stoppers organizations.

• House committees on Wednesday approved the following bills:

-HB 2745 by Rep. Lee Denney, creates the Oklahoma Pet Quality Assurance and Protection Act to be administered by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

-HB 2321 by Rep. Dennis Johnson, directs the State Board of Education to adopt curricular standards for an elective course or courses consisting of nonsectarian, nonreligious academic study of the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture and politics.

-HB 2854 by Rep. Scott Inman, modifies language relating to substitute teachers, allowing substitute teachers to be employed for 90 days during a school year.

-HB 3126 by Rep. Joe Dorman, directs the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Board to serve as the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council.

-HB 3157 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, states that any firearm lawfully owned or possessed by a citizen is not subject to confiscation unless it is used for unlawful purposes.

-HB 2729 by Rep. Wade Rousselot, states that use of chemical agenst and electroshock weapons in secure facilities operated by or through contract with the Office of Juvenile Affairs will be minimal and will be prohibited except as specifically provided for in the rules of the Office of Juvenile Affairs.

-HJR 1054 by Rep. Mike Reynolds, proposes a constitutional amendment stating that a law or rule cannot compel, directly or indirectly, any person, employer or health care provider to participate in any health care system and that a person or employer may pay directly for lawful health care services and cannot be required to pay penalties or fines for paying directly for such services.

-HB 2278 by Rep. Larry Glenn, modifies language related to the crime of home repair fraud.

-HB 2316 by Rep. Glen Bud Smithson, adds definitions of “spoofing calling card” and “spoofing services” under the Anti-Caller ID Spoofing Act.

-HB 2704 by Rep. Randy McDaniel, directs that the Oklahoma Lottery Commission withhold from winnings the delinquent debt owed to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.

-HB 3021 by Rep. Seneca Scott, modifies landlord disclosure requirements under the Oklahoma Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.

Thursday, February 11

• The Senate met Thursday but approved no legislation.

Other News

• On Monday, a portrait of Te Ata was dedicated to the late Helen Cole's memory during a ceremony in the State Senate. Te Ata, also known as Mary Frances Thompson Fisher, was born in the Chickasaw Nation near Tishomingo in 1895 and achieved national and international acclaim as a storyteller, helping preserve tales from her own Chickasaw tribe as well as other Native stories. She was named Oklahoma’s first Cultural Treasure by Gov. Henry Bellmon and the Oklahoma Arts Council. She died in 1995, just a few days before her 100th birthday.

• The Oklahoma State Senate honored the 2009 Jim Thorpe Award winner Eric Berry Monday. The Senate unanimously approved Senate Resolution 81 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, recognizing and commending the standout safety from the University of Tennessee. Berry won in the most one-sided vote in the history of the Jim Thorpe award. He currently leads all NCAA players in total interceptions, interceptions per game, interception return yards, and interceptions returned for touchdowns.

• The Oklahoma Legislature honored NBC’s 2009 Biggest Loser Danny Cahill Tuesday with a resolution recognizing his record-breaking weight loss. Cahill lost 239 pounds in seven months.