Monday, February 19 to Thursday February 22, 2007

Monday, February 19

• While attention remained focused on committee activity, the Senate approved two measures on Monday:

-SB 158 by Sen. Randy Bass, would order the court to delay final determination or modification in child custody cases until after a parent engaged in active duty in the armed services completes his or her term of active duty.

-SR 2, by Sen. Cliff Branan, commemorates the life and achievements of Edward C. Joullian III.

• Several measures were approved by Senate committees Monday.

-SB 1024 by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, would create the “Liability Protection for Teachers Act”.

-SJR 29 by Sen. Tom Ivester, would propose a constitutional amendment to allow winemakers to sell wine they produce to any wholesale distributor and to receive orders in electronic or written form.

-SB 78 by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, would direct the State Board of Education to issue one-year, nonrenewable secondary or middle level licenses to teach in the areas of mathematics, science, or foreign language to any person who has attained the appropriate certification by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence.

-SCR 1 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, would urge Congress to amend existing policy to support good jobs for U.S. citizens by enacting tax sanctions against U.S. corporations that outsource jobs from qualified American workers to workers outside the U.S.

-SB 23 by Sen. Mary Easley, would require that a bouncer in a mixed beverage establishment have an employee license and be licensed as a security guard pursuant to the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act.

-SB 605 by Sen. Brian Bingman, would create the Local Fire Protection District Act.

-SB 93 by Sen. Susan Paddack, would delete requirements for the governor to appoint a licensed embalmer and funeral director from a list of qualified persons submitted by the Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association.

-SB 985 by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, would establish a high school graduation rate goal for public schools and provide a method for determining a baseline rate.

-SB 60 by Sen. John Ford, would change the code for residential apartments and dormitories, removing the limitation to only 32 units per building.

-SB 639 by Sen. Randy Bass would allow the Department of Health to maintain public health infrastructure and preparedness by entering into contracts for professional services with professionals who have retired from state service.

-SB 1024 by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, would create the Liability Protection for Teachers Act.

-SB 658 by Sen. Andrew Rice, would authorize county commissioners to give, transfer or assign and execute the deeds of conveyance of lands that are owned by the counties and no longer needed for county purposes to nonprofit organizations for affordable housing.

-SB 426 by Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre, would authorize certain territories with certain populations to incorporate with certain documentation.

-SB 453 by Sen. Tom Ivester, would provide for free death certificates for the attorney general’s office in investigations of Medicaid fraud or abuse.

-SB 899 by Sen. Randy Bass, would authorize the Secretary of State to serve as the first point of contact for international inquiries of official state visits by foreign governments.

-SB 902 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, would increase the limit on ad valorem proceeds that may be used in a countywide economic development program.

-SB 994 by Sen. Nancy Riley, would modify the real property description for the former Hissom Memorial Treatment Center.

-SB 95 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, would repeal certain sections relating to hunting and fishing on private land.

-SB 161 by Sen. Ron Justice, would authorize landowners or occupants of the premises to kill certain animals found chasing livestock off the premises.

-SB 810 by Sen. Ron Justice, would expand duties of the State Board of Agriculture to include setting rules regarding prescribed burning and smoke management.

-SB 517 by Sen. Jim Wilson, would modify language relating to the Oklahoma Forestry Code, adding definitions for “lawful burning” and “limited liability burning”.

-SB 576 by Sen. Mike Schulz, would direct the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to administer an Oklahoma Controlled Burn Indemnity Fund.

-SB 704 by Sen. Mike Schulz, would authorize the Conservation Commission to cooperate with county commissioners to obtain their assistance for the maintenance and rehabilitation of upstream flood control structures.

-SB 483 by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, would require parents, before enrolling a student in core curriculum rather than college preparatory curriculum, to meet with school officials and provide a written statement of reason for such enrollment.

-SB 921 by Sen. Clark Jolley, would create the Achieving Classroom Excellence II Task Force.

-SB 777 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, would modify residency requirements for members of the Board of Regents for Oklahoma City Community College.

-SB 829 by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, would modify requirements for setting student performance levels.

-SB 926 by Sens. Judy Eason McIntyre and Constance N. Johnson, would require the Commission on Teacher Preparation to offer professional development institutes for teachers of English language learners and children in poverty.

-SB 776 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, would modify emergency transfer requirements for public school students.

-SB 924 by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, would require the Department of Education to provide data to the State Regents for Higher Education relating to performance of teachers who graduated from institutions within the State System of Higher Education.

-SB 1038 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, would require the State Regents for Higher Education to make independent third-party audits of its institutions concerning their financial statements available to the public on the website of the State Regents for Higher Education.

-SB 996 by Sen. Brian Crain, would expand conditions for exoneration of a bail bondman’s appearance bond.

-SB 1006 by Sen. Jeff Rabon, would increase the terms of members of the Real Estate Commission from three years to four.

-SB 1016 by Sen. Randy Bass, would prohibit a mixed beverage or beer and wine licensee from allowing a person under 21 years of age to sit at the bar of the licensed premises.

-SB 1032 by Sen. Mary Easley, would require chiropractic physicians to attend 16 hours of continuing education each year.

-SB 1034 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, would modify provisions relating to unlawful gift certificate or gift card sales to provide for certain certificates or cards issued as rebates.

-SB 1069 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, would create the Fair Practices of Equipment Manufacturers, Distributors, Wholesalers and Dealers Act.

-SB 437 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, would clarify language related to Department of Health inspections of county jails.

-SB 691 by Sen. Tom Adelson, would allow retired county employees to return to work on a part-time basis after the first month of retirement and continue to be eligible for their retirement benefits.

-SB 831 by Sen. Charles Laster, would decrease from $2,500 to $500 the limit on purchases made by state purchase cards and specifies requirements for the purchases.

-SB 1021 by Sen. Brian Bingman, would provide that tracts of land with an area of width no greater than 326 feet at the narrowest point that are annexed to a municipality would not be subject to municipal taxes, unless the tracts are annexed.

• The House convened Monday and approved a number of appropriations shell bills and the following substantive measures:

-HB 1026 by Rep. John Wright, would allow for the designation of covenant marriage.

-HB 1559 by Rep. Lee Denney, would prohibit common law marriages from being recognized as valid.

-HB 1345 by Rep. Wade Rousselot, would modify eligibility requirements to serve on a board of education to allow individuals related to a board member within the second degree

-HB 1496 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan and Sen. Charlie Laster, would increase from $25 to $50 per day the credit allowed for prisoner labor.

• House committees on Monday approved the following measures:

-HB 1510 by Rep. Jerry Ellis, would state legislative intent for the Commissioner of Health to authorize waivers for provisions of the Nursing Home Care Act and the Long-Term Care Certificate of Need Act.

-HB 2148 by Rep. Shane Jett, would call for the creation of an International School of Nursing Program through the regional university system of Oklahoma.

-HB 1299 by Rep. Randy Terrill, would qualify home-schooled students for participation in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.

-HB 1695 by Rep. John Enns, would create the Oklahoma AgrAbility Project Act.

-HB 1449 by Rep. Brian Renegar, would require school buses to be equipped with flashing, roof-mounted lights visible from at least 500 feet away.

-HB 1300 by Rep. Jerry Ellis, would prohibit the Secretary of Environment from engaging in litigation against agricultural non-point sources of pollution by targeting certain bodies of water or watershed areas under certain conditions.

-HB 1829 by Rep. Ryan Kiesel, would create an Oklahoma Carbon Emissions Reduction Act.

-HB 1994 by Rep. Anastasia Pittman, would create a Task Force on Statewide Minority Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Screening.

-HB 1649 by Rep. Pam Peterson, would enact a State Plan for Coordination of Efforts for Prevention of Sexual Violence.

-HB 1051 by Rep. Lance Cargill, would grant student victims the right to be separated from their offender if the offender attends the same school.

-HB 1476 by Rep. Ann Coody, would create the Passport to Financial Literacy Act.

-HB 1376 by Rep. Colby Schwartz, would make the County Budget Act applicable to any county in which a majority of the county officers and governing body approve to abide by the Act’s provisions and requirements.

-HB 2101 by Rep. Lance Cargill, would create the Oklahoma Arts Council Grant Revolving Fund.

-HB 2104 by Rep. Lance Cargill, would allow residents and nonresidents 17 years old and younger to not be charged an entry fee into participating sites connected to the Oklahoma Historical Society one day a week.

-HB 2192 by Rep. Lance Cargill, would establish membership criteria for metropolitan library commissions in counties with a population of at least 600,000.

-HB 1814 by Rep. David Dank, would rename the Workers’ Compensation Court as the Workers’ Compensation Trial Court and modify membership.

-HB 1565 by Rep. Scott Bighorse, would expand liability protection under the Volunteer Medical Professional Services Immunity Act to include veterinarians and registered veterinarian technicians.

-HB 1740 by Rep. Dale DeWitt, would create the Protection for School Employees Act.

-HB 1433 by Rep. James Covey, would allow mineral interests to be conveyed only through a mineral deed.

Tuesday, February 20

• With attention focused on getting measures assigned and heard by committees by the February 22 deadline, the Senate met briefly on Tuesday, approving the following bills:

-SB 499 by Sen. Andrew Rice, would create an Oklahoma Task Force on Hunger.

-SB 42 by Sen. Clark Jolley, would authorize the Office of Administrative Hearings to allow electronic transmittals of documents and electronic signatures.

-SB 99 by Sen. Tom Ivester, would allow the board of directors to collect a fine from any person or cotton gin determined to be in violation of the Boll Weevil Eradication Act.

-SB 597 by Sen. Charles Wyrick, would modify the Lead-Impacted Communities Relocation Assistance Act.

-SR 7 by Sen. Mike Schulz, designates Feb. 20, 2007, as Oklahoma Emergency Management Day.

-SCR 9 by Sen. Mike Morgan, commends the Oklahoma Bid Assistance Network and applaud its 20 years of service.

• Numerous measures were approved by Senate committees on Tuesday including:

-SB 595 by Sen. Mary Easley, would direct public officers entering into contracts for constructing a highway or turnpike to require contractors to submit a written agreement that will guarantee all portions of the construction work against defective workmanship and materials.

-SB 86 by Sen. Harry Coates, would modify the definition of an all-terrain vehicle to be 48 inches or less in width, weigh 800 pounds or less and include a seat meant to be straddled by the operator and is steered by handlebars.

-SJR 14 by Sen. Bill Brown, would urge the U.S. Department of Transportation to include the Tulsa to Springfield, Mo. line in its existing Missouri Amtrak feasibility study.

-SB 610 by Sen. Don Barrington, would allow right hand turns to be made from a highway shoulder that exists beyond the right-hand edge of the roadway under certain circumstances.

-SB 51 by Sen. Susan Paddack, would increase the fine for not wearing a safety belt from $20 to $40.

-SB 739 by Sen. David Myers, would make it a misdemeanor to knowingly destroy, remove, cover, alter or deface the trim tag plate of a motor vehicle.

-SB 851 by Sen. Owen Laughlin, would allow operation of all-terrain vehicles on streets and highways within a municipality.

-SB 910 by Sen. John Ford, would modify prohibitions against carrying concealed weapons in certain locations.

-SB 977 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, would require that a person who has a learners permit to drive a motor vehicle, but has been convicted of a traffic offense, be issued an intermediate Class D license.

-SB 411 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, would permit funds collected from levies on fire insurance gross premiums to be expanded only for costs associated with the operation of regional response teams.

-SB 501 by Sen. David Myers, would modify definition of electric-assisted and motorized bicycles.

-SB 593 by Sen. Todd Lamb, would provide for search warrants authorizing the installation or use of tracking devices.

-SB 74 by Sen. Brian Crain, would exempt jailers or law enforcement officers from serving for jury duty, with the exception of non-criminal cases.

-SB 398 by Sen. Tom Adelson, would modify language relating to Protective Services for Vulnerable Adults.

-SB 402 by Sen. Brian Crain, would remove language prohibiting persons convicted of or who entered a plea other than not guilty to a felony from being eligible for community sentencing or punishment.

-SB 430 by Sen. Clark Jolley, would create the Oklahoma Task Force on Recodification of Eminent Domain.

-SB 469 by Sen. Mary Easley, would increase background check requirements for foster parents.

-SB 538 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, would provide requirements for valuation of certain assets.

-SB 533 by Sen. John Sparks, would require the state to clarify how and where children must be placed who have been put in state custody.

-SB 554 by Sen. John Sparks, would allow a person aggrieved by a final order of the Department of Health to appeal.

-SB 619 by Sen. Tom Adelson, would allow for mental health evaluations to be performed on juveniles in delinquency hearings.

-SB 663 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, would provide that if a child reaches 18 years of age while in the permanent custody of DHS, the agency must retain custody if the child is in school and has not received a high school diploma.

-SB 790 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, would clarify language relating to detention homes for juveniles.

-SB 872 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, would clarify persons included under the definition of “volunteer fire departments”.

-SB 906 by Sen. James A. Williamson, would create an act dealing with the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children.

-SB 917 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, would provide for admissibility of certain evidence.

-SB 930 by Sen. Susan Paddack, would authorize the Secretary of Health, education and welfare to enter into agreements with charitable health care providers.

-SB 943 by Sen. James A. Williamson, would make lump-sum payments received from personal injury subject to liens for unpaid child support.

-SB 979 by Sen. Mike Johnson, would establish additional requirements for filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

-SB 980 by Sen. Todd Lamb, would create the Oklahoma Discretionary and Special Needs Trust Act.

-SB 1012 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, would require that any individual convicted of a sex crime against a person younger than age 14, and who fails to register upon conviction, be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for five years to life.

-SB 1026 by Sen. Randy Bass, would modify the definition of “commanding officer” for the Code of Military Justice.

-SB 1043 by Sen. Brian Crain, would modify requirements of certificates of incorporation.

-SB 1049 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, would provide that willful or malicious cruelty to an animal will subject the owner to legal proceedings forcing the owner to give the animal to a humane organization.

-SB 820 by Sen. Mike Morgan, would modify the apportionment of income tax revenues and addresses the fact that the amount of money needed to fund OHLAP will vary each year.

-SB 1119 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, would require school districts to submit payroll records to the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma.

-SB 861 by Sen. Don Barrington, would provide a sales tax exemption for sales of clothing or footwear during the first weekend in August.

-SB 117 by Sen. Jim Wilson, would modify the limit on the income tax credit in the Rural Venture Capitol Formation Incentive Act.

-SB 407 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, would permit the Grand River Dam Authority to enter into certain financial instruments designed to hedge interest rate risks or to manage interest rate costs.

-SB 697 by Sen. Jeff Rabon, would authorize investment of a maximum 15 percent of permanent school funds and other educational funds in foreign bonds.

-SB 813 by Sen. James A. Williamson, would create the Great Schools Tax Credit Program Act.

-SB 814 by Sen. James A. Williamson, would authorize the Department of Human Services to file claim with the Oklahoma Tax Commission for payment of child or spousal support.

-SB 871 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, would modify the requirement in the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program Act that employees reside in the state.

• The House convened Tuesday and approved several substantive bills and numerous appropriations shell bills before adjourning to resume committee work. The House approved the following substantive measures:

-HB 1021 by Rep. Marian Cooksey, would prohibit human trafficking and provide penalties.

-HR 1005 by Rep. James Covey, designates Feb. 20, 2007, as Emergency Management Day.

• House committees on Tuesday approved the following measures:

-HB 1485 by Rep. Dennis Adkins, would exempt wellhead equipment, pumping unit tanks and other equipment used in oil and gas production from ad valorem taxation.

-HB 1524 by Rep. T.W. Shannon, would authorize an income tax exemption equal to 50 percent of the amount paid for health care premiums.

-HB 1607 by Rep. Randy Terrill, would authorize the Tax Commission to disclose, without threat of liability, information requested by the Attorney General, district attorney, state agency or law enforcement officials used to enforce tax law or compacts and information requested by the Governor for use in negotiating a compact.

-HB 2067 by Rep. Richard Morrissette, would modify retirement payments and makes sure eligible employees receive proper retirement benefits.

-HB 2069 by Rep. Chris Benge, would increase employer contribution rates for public retirement systems.

-HB 2070 by Rep. Chris Benge, would create the Oklahoma Public Pension Funding Reform Act of 2007.

-HB 1718 by Rep. Kenneth Miller, would extend from 2007 to 2010 the tax levied on the production of oil and gas.

-HB 1926 by Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, would establish a system of reimbursement review for the delivery of community services to certain persons by the Director of the Department of Human Services.

-HB 2101 by Rep. Lance Cargill, would create a Transformational Justice Interagency Task Force to promote faith-based solutions to reduce the amount of repeat offenders in the corrections system.

Wednesday, February 21

• The Senate met Wednesday and approved the following bills before adjourning to resume committee work:

-HB 2195 by Sen. Richard Lerblance, the duplicate sections bill, would amend, merge, consolidate and repeal duplicate sections of law.

-SR 8 by Sen. Jeff Rabon, commends Oklahoma native B.J. Thomas for his outstanding musical career and designates Feb. 21, 2007, as B.J. Thomas Day.

-SB 9 by Sen. Richard Lerblance, praises the 5A state champion McAlester Lady Buffs volleyball team.

-SR 10 by Sens. Cliff Branan, Constance N. Johnson and Clark Jolley, praises the public career of former state Sen. Bryce Baggett.

• Senate committees passed a number of measures Wednesday, including the following:

-SB 709 by Sen. Ron Justice, would prohibit the definition of manure as a hazardous waste or substance.

-SB 69 by Sen. Randy Bass, would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to use teleconferencing for board meetings.

-SB 371 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, would increase penalties for providing false information that results in an AMBER alert.

-SB 7 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, would prohibit human trafficking and provides penalties.

-SB 677 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, creates the offense of aggravated trafficking and provides penalties.

-SB 848 by Sen. Constance N. Johnson, would direct the Department of Corrections to implement one or more faith-based programs.

-SB 164 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, would modify the definition of “abuse” to include permitting a vulnerable adult to be present where a controlled dangerous substance is being manufactured.

-SB 1 by Sen. Randy Brogdon, would create the Taxpayer Transparency Act to require the Office of State Finance to develop a searchable website by which the public can monitor any expenditure of state dollars.

-SB 22 by Sen. Randy Bass, would create a Military Department Emergency Response Revolving Fund.

-SB 35 by Sen. Brian Crain, would direct the Department of Public Safety to issue a distinctive license or card bearing the words “Sex Offender” to persons required to register under the Sex Offenders Registration Act.

-SB 81 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, would change the time for which the county jail can charge the Department of Corrections for housing an inmate.

-SB 107 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, would require the Department of Juvenile Justice to pay the costs of transporting a child committed to their custody.

-SB 139 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, would direct the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center to establish and maintain a public umbilical cord blood bank for collecting and storing umbilical cord blood and placental tissue donated by maternity patients.

-SB 156 by Sen. Owen Laughlin, would create the Small Hospitals Self-Help Act.

-SB 151 by Sen. Brian Crain, would authorize the expenditure of monies in the Community-based Substance Abuse Revolving Fund for contracting with statewide substance abuse organizations to provide substance abuse prevention programs.

-SB 157 by Sen. Owen Laughlin, would require that persons convicted of felony offenses with possession of a firearm serve at least 85 percent of any sentence of imprisonment.

-SB 392 by Sen. Susan Paddack, would create a Volunteer Firefighter Reimbursement Fund to reimburse volunteer fire departments for firefighter training.

-SB 424 by Sen. Tom Adelson, would create the All Kids Act to require the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to provide health insurance to children 18 and younger whose family income is less than 185 percent of the poverty level.

-SB 470 by Sen. Jim Wilson, would create a “Tourism Fund for the Future Revolving Fund” to maintain state park facilities.

-SB 509 by Sen. Charles Wyrick, would permit the use of certain funds for landfill closures.

-SB 523 by Sen. Susan Paddack would provide for medical and surgical care for inmates of the Department of Corrections.

-SB 563 by Sen. Cliff Aldridge, would require that 5 percent of the Public Transit Revolving Fund go toward funding new mass transportation programs.

-SB 580 by Sen. Ron Justice, would require that school districts provide alternative education programs.

-SB 635 by Sen. Richard Lerblance, would direct the Department of Corrections to engage in a study to determine the level of resources available within the state each year to deliver substance abuse treatment to prisoners.

-SB 659 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, would require DNA sampling of felony offenders upon arrest.

-SB 664 by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, would make the Office of the Attorney General responsible for establishing a 24-hour statewide telephone communication service for victims of sexual assault.

-SB 714 by Sen. James A. Williamson, would make it unlawful to perform or assist in an abortion that is not necessary to save the life of the mother.

-SB 736 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, would expand the unclassified service to include a Child Abuse Response Team investigator and a Child Abuse Response Team forensic interviewer for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

-SB 815 by Sen. Owen Laughlin, would add habitual criminal status to mandatory sentencing requirements.

-SB 887 by Sen. Brian Crain, would direct the Department of Health to establish and maintain a supplementary salary guarantee program for hospitals and other health care providers.

-SB 905 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, would increase the penalty for shooting a firearm with intent to kill and the penalty for incest.

-SB 920 by Sen. Kenneth Corn, would set qualifications for director of the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training.

-SB 925 by Sen. Clark Jolley, would create a School Funding Formula Task Force to review the statutorily created formula for funding the public schools of the state.

-SB 993 by Sen. Mike Morgan, would expand the space under the management and control of the legislature to include the space on the first and second floors of the Capitol.

-SB 997 by Sen. Charles Laster, would require the Department of Commerce to establish regional service centers.

-SB 1130 by Sen. Todd Lamb, would require the Department of Corrections to implement a method for tracking recidivism.

-SJR 22 by Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre, would extend a request from the Legislature to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to increase coverage for breast and cervical cancer.

-SB 1078 by Sen. Harry Coates would add grounds for revocation or suspension of retail alcoholic beverage licenses.

-SB 674 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, would create the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System Reform Act of 2007.

-SB 504 by Sen. Charles Wyrick, would clarify language relating to the Oklahoma Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act.

• The House met Wednesday and approved a number of sunset bills in addition to the following substantive measures:

-HB 2038 by Rep. Scott BigHorse, would increase penalties for the unlicensed practicing of podiatric medicine.

-HB 1464 by Rep. Earl Sears, would create an Oklahoma Medical Loan Repayment Program.

-HB 1306 by Rep. John Enns, would require “merge now” traffic control devices to be placed a certain distance from highway construction areas.

-HB 2100 by Rep. Lance Cargill, would create the Commission on Accountability and Review of State Agencies to identify and eliminate waste, duplication and inefficiency in state agencies.

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

-HB 2110 by Rep. Lance Cargill, would clarify language relating to the general rules and authority of the Ethics Commission.

-HB 1715 by Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, would prohibit children under 12 from accessing the internet unless the library has installed filtering technology to block or filter internet access, or unless there is adult supervision.

-HB 1897 by Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, would make a conviction of domestic abuse against a pregnant woman a felony punishable by imprisonment for no less than three years

-HB 1995 by Rep. Anastasia Pittman, would create an Oklahoma State-wide Gang Intervention Task Force.

-HB 1513 by Rep. Dale DeWitt, would remove the expiration date on tax credits for ethanol production.

-HB 1391 by Rep. Phil Richardson, would create the Blue Sky-ways Collaborative Grant Program.

-HB 1914 by Rep. Phil Richardson, would create the Feral Swine Control Act.

-HB 1495 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, would authorize district judges, associate district judges and special district judges to carry weapons in the courthouse.

-HB 1618 by Rep. Paul Roan, would require employing agencies of certified police or police officers to administer the psychological instrument approved by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training.

-HB 2095 by Rep. Trebor Worthen, would change the date of the Presidential Primary Election.

-HB 1452 by Rep. Rob Johnson, would direct elections for county offices and district attorneys to be nonpartisan.

-HB 1874 by Rep. Dennis Johnson, would designate the week of Nov. 11, 2007, as Celebrate Freedom Week and direct the state Board of Education to develop appropriate instruction.

-HB 2077 by Rep. Mike Jackson, would create the Oklahoma State Employee Education Loan Assistance Act of 2007.

Thursday, February 22

• The Senate met briefly Thursday and approved the following bills:

-SB 937 by Sen. Harry Coates, would delete certain exemptions relating to the Fair Pay for Construction Act.

-SB 620 by Sen. Andrew Rice, would eliminate certain license requirements for behavioral health practitioners.

Other News

• On Tuesday, the State Board of Equalization released its updated estimates of growth revenue for the upcoming 2008 fiscal year. In December, the Board estimated that the state would have about $277 million in new money. That amount has been lowered to about $106 million. Previously, it was estimated that the Legislature would have around $517 million more than they had during the 2006 session. Now officials are saying that there will be about $232 million.
• On Wednesday, the Senate passed SR 8, authored by Senator Jeff Rabon, recognizing the accomplishments and talent of Oklahoma native, and singing legend B.J. Thomas. Before the resolution presentation, the Hugo Honors Choir welcomed Thomas to the Senate Chamber with a special rendition of "Hooked on a Feeling." The Mayor of Hugo, Stan Payne, and City Manager Tom Pence, then presented Thomas with a proclamation from the city congratulating him for his accomplishments and making him honorary mayor on February 21. Rabon then presented Thomas and his wife of nearly 40 years, Gloria, with the Senate Resolution, which also designated February 21, 2007, as "B.J. Thomas Day" in Oklahoma.

• On Wednesday, the Senate paused for a moment of silence in honor of Poteau, Oklahoma Army National Guardsmen Sgt. Buddy Hughie, 25, who was killed in Afghanistan on Monday while attempting to deliver medical supplies to two fallen Afghan Army soldiers. Hughie and his unit were working in a joint mission with the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division and the Afghan National Army. Hughie had been deployed to Afghanistan in 2002, but chose to return and serve again.

• On Wednesday, the Senate adopted a resolution honoring the public career of former State Senator Bryce Baggett, who passed away on February 15. Baggett served in the State House of Representatives from 1958 through 1964, and in the State Senate from 1964 through 1972.

• The Oklahoma Centennial Pace Car made a stop on the state Capitol Wednesday. The care will participate in more than 40 racing events around the country this year.