Monday, Feb. 9 to Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009

Monday, February 9

• With attention focused on committee activity, the Senate approved two resolutions on Monday.

-SR 4 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, recognizes former Teachers Retirement System Secretary Tommy Beavors on his retirement.

-SR 7 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, commends the accomplishments of Amanda LaMunyon, of Enid.

• Several measures were approved by Senate committees Monday.

-SB 276 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, creates the Fair Practices of Equipment Manufacturers, Distributors, Wholesalers and Dealers Act.

-SB 431 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, authorizes boards of county commissioners to establish fines and penalties for offenses in violation of its regulations.

-SB 348 by Sen. David Myers, increases from $100 to $1,000 the award amount that boards of county commissioners may offer for the arrest and conviction of persons stealing or defacing county road signs or any other county property.

-SB 505 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, authorizes municipal governing bodies in counties with a population in excess of 500,000 to enact ordinances to create an automated electronic traffic control system.

-SB 506 by Sen. Don Barrington, designates the Lawton Rangers as the official riding club of the state.

-SB 269 by Sen. Brian Crain, allows county commissioners to appoint designees to attend meetings.

-SB 24 by Sen. John Ford, allows a member of a board of regents of an institution within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education to be elected to a municipal government body as long as the member does not receive compensation for their board services, other than travel reimbursement.

-SB 279 by Sen. Harry Coates, exempts the Office of Juvenile Affairs from a requirement to have its construction plans reviewed by the Construction and Properties Division of the Department of Central Services if OJA has a licensed architect or engineer as a full-time employee.

-SB 288 by Sen. Charles Wyrick, authorizes county purchasing agents to make purchases and rental or lease-purchase agreements outside the bidding process for asphalt if the agent obtains telephone quotes from at least three vendors prior to the purchase and the lowest and best quote is selected.

-SB 306 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, requires municipalities to verify that a contractor has general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance before issuing a residential building permit.

-SB 588 by Sen. John Ford, removes the District Attorney from the approval process of counties for contracting with private attorneys in civil cases.

-SB 452 by Sen. Mike Schulz, prohibits political subdivisions from regulating the care and handling of livestock and makes void and unenforceable any such local legislation.

-SB 432 by Sen. Ron Justice, increases from 65 cents to $1 per ton the semiannual inspection fee that a fertilizer distributor must pay to the State Board of Agriculture.

-SB 500 by Sen. Don Barrinton, adds additional implements of husbandry to an exemption of special size permits.

-SB 290 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, creates a policy that requires public schools to grant high school credit to students concurrently enrolled in certain college classes.

-SB 603 by Sen. John Ford, creates the Task Force on Concurrent Enrollment to conduct a comprehensive review of the concurrent enrollment program.

-SB 585 by Sen. John Ford, permits public educational institutions and their employees to keep confidential campus security plans.

-SB 493 by Sen. Jim Halligan, increases from seven to eight the membership on the Economic Development Generating Excellence Fund Policy Board.

-SB 322 by Sen. Clark Jolley, modifies language related to the Healthy and Fit Kids Act.

-SB 747 by Sen. Clark Jolley, requires persons seeking licensure or certification as a school psychologist or psychometrist to substitute the Graduate Record Examinations General Test administered by the Educational Testing Service for the general education portion of the required competency examination.

-SB 527 by Sen. Roger Ballenger, requires an employer whose check to an employee was returned, due to a refusal of the bank to honor it, to reimburse the employee for any fees or costs incurred due to the bank’s refusal to honor the check.

-SB 383 by Sen. David Myers, establishes a $25 fee for duplicate or amended registration for health spas.

-SB 406 by Sen. Brian Crain, authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to review specific financial circumstances and the history of a professional cash bondsman to determine whether to release a portion of his/her deposit.

-SB 524 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, requires employers to allow employees eligible for benefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act to take one week of paid or unpaid leave if he/she is the spouse, son, daughter or parent of an active duty member of the U.S. military who has been granted short-term temporary rest and recuperation leave during deployment.

-SB 536 by Sen. Harry Coates, modifies language related to the Fair Pay for Construction Act, removing language making it inapplicable to utilities, sanitary sewer construction and waterline construction.

-SB 576 by Sen. Harry Coates, increases the membership of the Construction Industries Board from seven to eight.

• The House convened Monday but no action was taken.

• House committees met Monday and approved numerous measures, including the following:

-HB 1864 by Rep. Jeff Hickman, modifies calculation of the school year, requiring that it include at least 1,080 hours.

-HB 2048 by Rep. Gary Banz, directs the State Treasurer and the Oklahoma Tax Commission to annually prepare financial statements in accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board requirements.

-HB 1869 by Rep. Jeff Hickman, provides a full tax exemption for 60 months to persons who establish their primary residence within a qualifying area of the state by purchasing an existing single-family residential structure.

-HB 1048 by Rep. Gary Banz, modifies the time period during which a county treasurer is to serve notice decreasing from two years to one year the time period during which a prior owner may withdraw funds from the amount paid in excess of the taxes due.

-HB 1036 by Rep. John Trebilcock, grants taxpayers who hold a valid license or certificate issued by the State Board of Education and who are employed as a public school teacher a maximum $500 tax credit for supplies, materials and equipment used in the classroom.

-HB 1716 by Rep. Randy McDaniel, provides a tax exemption to franchise tax if the company was previously located outside the state, the company has a physical location within the state and the company employs at least one person who is a resident of the state.

-HB 1736 by Rep. Ron Peters, would expand the definition of “personal care” within the Home Care Act.

-HB 1738 by Rep. Ron Peters, broadens the definition of health care professionals who are required to report a belief of child abuse or neglect to the Department of Human Services.

-HB 1893 by Rep. Pam Peterson, authorizes the DHS’s aging services division to work collaboratively with other national, state and local agencies and community groups to establish a single-point-of-entry concept for aging and disability groups in Oklahoma, referred to as an Aging and Disability Resource Consortium initiative.

-HB 1936 by Rep. Weldon Watson, allows group homes to be established as part of a court’s juvenile bureau.

-HB 2082 by Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, requires the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to make public all travel expenses and state the direct benefit to the education system for each listed travel expense.

-HB 1410 by Rep. Jason Murphey, increases from $2,500 to $5,000 the maximum acquisition allowed by state agencies conducting their own internal purchasing procedures.

-HB 1474 by Rep. Jason Murphey, repeals language related to the annual compensation for the Labor Commissioner.

-HB 2167 by Rep. Mark McCullough, creates the Private Attorney Retention Sunshine Act which requires an open and competitive bidding process for the awarding of any legal services contract where a state agency expects to retain a lawyer or law firm for services that will exceed $5,000.

-HB 1780 by Rep. Tad Jones, provides the State Treasurer the right to recover costs associated with retaining outside legal counsel to ensure compliance with the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act and authorizes the treasurer to purchase services to locate and effect the delivery of property.

-HB 1295 by Rep. Jason Murphey, adds a definition of “reissue” as it relates to the inability of a person to obtain a professional license if he/she is not in compliance with Oklahoma income tax laws.

-HB 1472 by Rep. Mike Sanders, increases from $200,000 to $400,000 the maximum amount of reimbursement the Department of Transportation can provide for force account county bridge projects.

-HB 1778 by Rep. Tad Jones, makes an appropriation of $450,000 to the Rural Infant Simulation Environment Program for capital expenditures and operations for a school designed to serve children with disabilities from birth to 5 years of age.

-HB 1871 by Rep. Jeff Hickman, requires the permanent school fund and other education funds to be invested in accordance with the requirements and duties set forth in the Constitution.

-HB 1290 by Rep. Jerry Shoemake, creates the Large Animal Veterinary Incentive Fund for the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Services.

Tuesday, February 10

• With attention focused on committee work, the Senate met Tuesday and approved just one resolution.

-SR 6 by Sens. Harry Coates, Charles Laster and Steve Russell, commends the musical talent of Wanda Jackson and congratulates her on her forthcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

• Senate committees approved the following bills on Tuesday:

-SB 658 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, increases the penalty for failure to register a transferred vehicle from 25 cents per day to $1 per day and specifies disbursement of part of the money to the State Highway Construction and Maintenance fund.

-SB 1150 by Sen. Clark Jolley, prohibits the sale of, the offer for retail sale or distribution for retail sale or promotion of novelty lighters designed to resemble a cartoon character, toy, gun, watch, musical instrument, vehicle, animal, food or beverage or similar articles.

-SB 489 by Sen. Don Barrington, extends a maximum $15,000 per year sales tax exemption granted persons who have been honorably discharged from active service in the U.S. Armed Forces or Oklahoma National Guard to the surviving spouse of a deceased eligible person if the surviving spouse has not remarried.

-SJR 27 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, would allow voters to decide whether to increase the Judicial Nominating Commission’s membership from 13 to 15 members.

-SB 622 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, creates the Oklahoma Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. The bill sets forth conditions under which an anatomical gift of a donor’s body or part may be made during the life of the donor for transplantation, therapy, research or education.

-SB 490 by Sen. Brian Crain, removes language making officers of the state, county, city, town or school districts jointly and severally liable in fraudulent claims brought by taxpayers.

-SB 612 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, requires defendants planning to raise the question of mental illness or insanity to file notice with the court within 30 days after arraignment.

-SB 673 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, adds the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to the definition of “health care facility” in the Affordable Access to Health Care Act.

-SB 1076 by Sen. John Sparks, authorizes the disclosure of medical and social history in certain adoption cases when a minor is in legal custody of the Department of Human Services without any agreement and without redacting identifying information when the prospective adoptive parent is a kinship or relative caregiver for the minor.

-SB 539 by Sen. Jim Reynolds, requires law enforcement officers interviewing victims of violent crimes to make them aware of the services available to victims of violent crimes.

-SB 611 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, modifies the guidelines governing the offering of evidence of a DNA profile in a trial, requiring a copy of the report on any such profile be given to a defendant’s attorney.

-SB 613 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, prohibits a court from imposing a deferred sentence when reviewing a sentence or revocation of probation.

-SB 615 by Sen. Brian Crain, prohibits liens from being effective against a grantee beneficiary until the expiration of a nine-month disclaimer period, unless the beneficiary exerts dominion over the real estate within nine months.

-SB 815 by Sen. Sean Burrage, increases the maximum amount of recovery in small claims courts from $6,000 to $25,000.

-SB 990 by Sen. Charles Laster, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

-SB 401 by Sen. Brian Crain, allows deputy sheriffs to practice as an attorney or counselor at law.

-SB 448 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, directs a judge to submit written findings relating to the custodial arrangements of a child of a single person who has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment.

-SB 699 by Sen. Brian Crain, clarifies language related to the Oklahoma Medicaid False Claims Act.

-SB 903 by Sen. Randy Bass, states that a licensed wrecker operator is not liable for damage to a vehicle, vessel or cargo that obstructs the normal movement of traffic or creates a traffic hazard and is removed at the request of law enforcements.

-SB 723 by Sen. Don Barrington, expands the back-to-school sales tax holiday to include the sale of school supplies, school art supplies or school instructional supplies.

-SB 2 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, authorizes the Oklahoma Tax Commission to design and issue In God We Trust license plates.

-SB 40 by Sen. Andrew Rice, extends the excise tax exemption granted to beer manufactured in Oklahoma for export to include spirits.

-SB 543 by Sen. Brian Crain, defines “little cigar” as it relates to taxing tobacco products.

-SB 601 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, limits taxpayers to claiming only one homestead exemption in Oklahoma or any other state.

-SB 618 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, exempts vehicles of National Guardsmen from certain registration requirements and limits those requirements to applying to no more than two vehicles owned by military personnel.

-SB 620 by Sen. Todd Lamb, specifies a timeline for the ability of a county to levy a lodging tax if a municipality in that county has already levied a lodging tax.

-SB 714 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, allows municipal courts, state agencies and district courts seeking to collect a debt, unpaid fines and cost to file a claim with the Oklahoma Tax Commission requesting that the owed amount be deducted from any refund due.

-SB 301 by Sen. Brian Bingman, removes language related to the duties of the Corporation Commission to establish rules for the state to participate in a single-state registration system for motor carriers.

-SB 1184 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, authorizes the Department of Public Safety to issue an Annual Vehicle Permit to a specific vehicle for the movement of oversize or overweight loads that cannot reasonably be dismantled.

-SB 760 by Sen. Jerry Ellis, requires wheelchairs and motorized wheelchairs operated on public roadways to have orange flags or pennants affixed to an aerial on the wheelchair.

-SB 1205 by Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield, modifies the exception allowing all-terrain vehicles and utility vehicles to be operated on streets and highways.

-SB 823 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, modifies language related to the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training.

-SB 948 by Sen. Don Barrington, removes language related to distance rates for wrecker owners and operators.

-SB 571 by Sen. Brian Bingman, requires the Nine-One-One Advisory Board to establish standards and measurements to assure that 911 systems serving populations of less than 20,000 are established.

• The House convened Tuesday and approved the following measures:

-HB 1461 by Rep. Earl Sears, requires a school that does not make adequate yearly progress defined by the State Board of Education accountability system and is identified for school improvement to utilize the assistance of a school support team that will review and analyze all school operations including the instructional program.

-HB 1031 by Rep. Jason Murphey, allows a municipality to adopt the building standards code of the International Code Council.

-HB 1294 by Rep. Jason Murphey, allows boards of directors of rural road improvement districts to use funds from an annual levy on ad valorem taxed property to finance improvements on a pay-as-you-go basis.

-HB 1044 by Rep. Earl Sears, removes language that allows city manager appointments to not be residents of the city or state and the requirement that city managers reside within the city while holding office.

-HB 1347 by Rep. Marian Cooksey, modifies the procedure for counties to dispose of equipment that originally cost more than $500.

-HB 1402 by Rep. Wes Hilliard, allows county election boards to deliver absentee ballots to voters in a veterans center.

-HB 1296 by Rep. John Wright, modifies language related to required reduction-in-force notices.

-HB 1334 by Rep. Lee Denney, allows state agencies to transfer copies of state records pertaining to the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation.

-HB 1008 by Rep. John Carey, implements a statute of limitations of seven years for the crime of arson.

-HB 1482 by Rep. Dale DeWitt, prohibits actions for nuisance from being brought against agricultural activities on farm or ranch land that has lawfully been in operation for one year or more prior to the action.

-HB 1583 by Rep. Eddie Fields, creates the Weed Free Hay Certification Act and authorizes the State Board of Agriculture to promulgate rules to allow the certification of crops as “weed-free” or free of noxious weeds.

• House committees met Tuesday approved the following measures:

-HB 2055 by Rep. Mike Thompson, states that each oil and gas interest owner shall be granted a security interest, as a secured party, to secure the obligations of a first purchaser, as a debtor, to pay the sales price.

-HB 1729 by Rep. Doug Cox, takes from pilot to permanent the informal dispute resolution panel to be offered by the State Department of Health for long-term care facilities.

-HB 1067 by Rep. George Faught, requires initial assessments by licensed mental health professionals of individuals being considered for emergency detention to include a drug and alcohol screening test.

-HB 1059 by Rep. Bill Nations, allows one or multiple dentists to use a trade name.

-HB 1065 by Rep. George Faught, directs the Oklahoma State Board of Health to develop rules to post on the Department of Health’s Web site a consumer guide or similar resource to assist individuals and families in understanding the services provided by assisted living centers and to compare and select facilities.

-HB 1535 by Rep. Corey Holland, directs the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to study possible state and federal funding possibilities for the retrofitting and connection of portable generators at nursing and specialized facilities.

-HB 1464 by Rep. R.C. Pruett, prohibits individuals from hinting or taking black bear without a license from the director of wildlife conservation.

-HB 1691 by Rep. Earl Sears, modifies the coverage and requirements for a falconer’s license.

-HB 1358 by Rep. Ben Sherrer, allows persons age 8 through 35 who do not have a certificate of hunter safety to purchase an apprentice hunting license or permit.

-HB 1077 by Rep. Lucky Lamons, transfers real property held by the state for the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Memorial of Reconciliation to the city of Tulsa and directs the city to operate the memorial.

-HB 1366 by Rep. Samson Ray Busk, directs the Oklahoma Historical Society to mark the gravesites of deceased governors of the state with historical markers that readily identify the gravesites.

-HB 1332 by Rep. Lee Denney, creates the Oklahoma Pet Quality Assurance and Protection Act.

-HB 1079 by Rep. Lucky Lamons, creates a misdemeanor for persons or entities that sell or offer a spoofing calling card or spoofing service to a caller who uses the card or service to insert false information into a caller identification system with the intent of misleading, defrauding or deceiving the call recipient.

-HB 1791 by Rep. Chuck Hoskin, grants all active-duty U.S. military members who are currently Oklahoma residents free admission to all state-owned or state-operated parks and museums.

Wednesday, February 11

• The Senate passed the following measures on Wednesday:

-SB 275 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, directs the State Board of Career and Technology Education to divide technology center school district territories into district zones.

-SB 342 by Sen. Brian Crain, creates a misdemeanor for electronically scanning bar-coded information on a driver license or identification card.

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

-SB 982 by Sen. John Ford, modifies language related to retaining eligibility for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.

-SB 387 by Sen. Tom Ivester, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Long-Term Care Partnership Act.

-SB 541 by Sen. Jerry Ellis, establishes a $3,000 application fee for long-term care facility certificates of need.

-SB 595 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, creates the Juvenile Justice Public Works Act.

-SB 597 by Sen. Brian Crain, permits law enforcement officers to transport individuals to mental health facilities in another state if the nearest facility is more than 50 miles from the county seat of the county in which the person is located.

-SB 598 by Sen. Brian Crain, clarifies the definition of a person requiring treatment in mental health and substance abuse cases.

-SB 599 by Sen. Brian Crain, allows the State Department of Health to establish licensing costs based on reasonable costs for hospitals.

-SB 661 by Sen. Susan Paddack, directs the commissioner of health to develop a National Hospital Preparedness Program grant program for private, nonprofit and public entities.

-SB 757 by Sen. Sean Burrage, directs the Oklahoma Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration to evaluate potential barriers to the broad adoption of standards-based electronic health information systems.

-SB 846 by Sen. Brian Crain, authorizes the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to seek from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services any waivers or amendment to existing waivers necessary to accomplish an extension of the premium assistance program to include state employees with an income at or less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level.

-SB 934 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, allows the Medicaid Drug Utilization Review Board to establish protocols and standards for prescription drugs determined to be medically necessary.

-SB 964 by Sen. Susan Paddack, modifies language related to the membership and duties of a Department of Health Advisory Committee.

-SB 1042 by Sen. Clark Jolley, expands exemptions under the Home Care Act to include an individual, agency or organization that contracts with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to provide services under the home and community based waiver for the elderly or that contract with the Department of Human Services to provide community services to the elderly.

-SJR 21 by Sen. Brian Crain, directs the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to study the feasibility of implementing the use of online health registries for Medicaid beneficiaries.

-SB 289 by Sen. Randy Brogdon, creates the Religious Freedom and Privacy Protection Act of 2009.

-SB 702 by Sen. Susan Paddack, adds kidnapping to the list of crimes for which 85 percent of any sentence must be served.

-SB 335 by Sen. Susan Paddack, modifies the duties of the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training, requiring that CLEET conduct review and verification or records relating to the statutory duties of the council.

-SB 1102 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, requires individuals found guilty of a misdemeanor offense of assault and batter, domestic abuse, stalking, possession of marijuana, or possession of a controlled and dangerous substance to submit to deoxyribonucleic acid testing for law enforcement purposes.

-SB 1141 by Sen. Constance Johnson, creates the Domestic Violence Registration Act.

-SB 1170 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, creates the Gaje Jeffrey Florence Act.

-SB 528 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, allows correctional employees to be served the same meals as those served to prisoners at no cost.

-SB 614 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, increases from $20 to $40 the supervision fee required of offenders when they are imposed with a suspended or deferred sentence without Department of Corrections supervision.

-SB 706 by Sen. Susan Paddack, directs that persons who attempt to commit first-degree rape, forcible sodomy, lewd molestation or sexual abuse of a child after being convicted of a previous such offense be sentenced to life without parole.

-SB 826 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, increases the penalty for assisting a minor in participating in, associating with or joining a criminal street gang to a term of more than five years in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

-SB 1099, by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, states that any person who threatens, intimidates or harasses a person sixty-five (65) years of age or older or any person eighteen (18) years or younger by use of the Internet and as a result of such prohibited conduct causes the victim to suffer physical harm shall be charged with a felony.

-SB 1147 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, prohibits any sex offender required to be registered under the Oklahoma Sex Offenders Registration Act to engage in ice cream truck vending.

-SB 832 by Sen. Brian Crain, creates the County Bridge Replacement Revolving Fund.

-SB 455 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, directs the Taxpayer Transparency Act Web site to include a list of agency or lobbyist request bills beginning no later than Jan. 1, 2010.

-SB 1172 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, creates the Oklahoma Recently Unemployed Worker Training Fund Act of 2009.

-SB 1175 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, creates the Oklahoma Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Security Act of 2009.

-SB 390 by Sen. Randy Brogdon, directs the Department of Human Services to establish a drug-testing program for people applying for or receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

-SB 646 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, creates the Accountability, Innovation and Privatization Act to require the conducting of performance audits, the review of tax incentives, the feasibility of privatizing governmental assets and services and the eradication of waste, fraud, abuse and corruption in state government to ensure taxpayer funds are being used efficiently and effectively.

• The House met Wednesday and approved the following measure:

-HB 1601 by Rep. Dan Sullivan, states that an attorney or counselor shall not deduct or withhold any portion of a legal judgment for political donation.

• House committees approved a number of bills on Wednesday including the following:

-HJR 1003 by Rep. Charles Key, claims Oklahoma state sovereignty and serves notice to the federal government to cease and desist mandates that are beyond the scope of its constitutionally delegated powers.

-HB 1322 by Rep. Mike Reynolds, orders a legislative referendum creating the Let the People Choose Act.

-HB 1568 by Rep. Colby Schwartz, provides for tie votes between candidates for elective office to be determined by which candidate won the most precincts in the election.

-HB 2151 by Rep. Don Armes, affirms that the Legislature occupies and preempts the entire field of legislation in this state that concerns in any way the regulation and enforcement of the care and handling of livestock to the complete exclusion of any order, ordinance or regulation by any municipality or other political subdivision of this state.

-HB 1484 by Rep. Dale DeWitt, repeals language related to acquisition of rural water district assets.

-HB 1826 by Rep. Dennis Johnson, requires school district boards of education to adopt policies and procedures to annually notify parents and guardians about clubs and organizations sponsored by or under the direction and control of the school.

-HB 1486 by Rep. Dale DeWitt, authorizes the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to issue $25 million in obligations for construction, repair and rehabilitation of flood control dams.

-HB 2264 by Rep. Mike Christian, establishes a minimum fine of $200 for failing to yield the right of way in an accident resulting in death.

-HB 1321 by Rep. Mike Reynolds, creates the Eliminate Driver License Lines Act.

-HB 1411 by Rep. Jason Nelson, provides for a 10-year concealed handgun license in addition to the current five-year license.

-HB 2208 by Rep. Ryan Kiesel, creates and authorizes the State Department of Health to operate the Oklahoma Geriatric Medical Loan Repayment Program.

-HB 1928 by Rep. Glen Bud Smithson, modifies language related to reciprocal agreements under the Oklahoma Self Defense Act.

-HB 2047 by Rep. Danny Morgan directs the Department of Corrections to establish a program to ensure that inmates have the opportunity to achieve at least a general education development level of proficiency in reading, writing and computation skills.

-HB 1742 by Rep. Ron Peters, changes definitions under the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act.

Thursday, February 12

• The Senate met briefly Thursday passing the following measures before adjourning to resume committee work:

-SR 11 by Sen. Todd Lamb, thanks Greg Lockhart for his years of service to the Senate.

-SB 764 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, clarifies sentencing options for persons guilty of domestic abuse.

-SB 476 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, clarifies procedures for election filing of bills and resolutions.

Other News

• The state Senate on Tuesday honored one of Oklahoma’s most enduring musical figures, passing a resolution commending the career accomplishments of Wanda Jackson. Jackson recently became the first Oklahoma woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “The Queen of Rockabilly” is also a member of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

• The state Senate on Monday honored a man who devoted four decades of his life to strengthening one of the state’s largest pension systems. Tommy C. Beavers officially retired as Executive Secretary of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma last month. Beavers provided the leadership to boost the assets of the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma from $153 million in 1970 to $8.6 billion in 2008. During that same period membership grew from 48,000 to 147,000 and benefit payments rose from $15 million to $847 million.