Monday, May 11 to Thursday, May 15, 2009

Monday, May 11

• The Senate approved the following measures on Monday:

-HB 1330 by Rep. Mike Ritze, creates the Ten Commandments Monument Display Act.

-HCR 1040 by Rep. Chris Benge, expresses the agreement between the House and Senate to rescind the deadline date for the filing of conference committee reports as contained in SCR 12

-SB 293 by Sen. Sean Burrage authorizes the Grand River Dam Authority and municipally owned utilities to use funds to assist consumers in establishing energy conservation activities if there is a defined and measurable conservation of energy.

-SB 991 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, modifies language related to the Uniform Commercial Code, stating that an obligation of good faith does not support an independent cause of action in tort or otherwise for failure to perform or enforce in good faith.

-SB 1115 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, requires that local rules and administrative orders of a district court shall not conflict with any statutes of this state or any rules of a superior court.

-SB 1137 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, creates the Oklahoma Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.

• The Senate General Conference Committee on Appropriations approved the following measures on Monday:

-SB 346 by Sen. Brian Crain, requires the Department of Health to establish and maintain an advance directive registry to store directives under the Oklahoma Advance Directive Act to be accessible through the agency’s website.

-SB 521 by Sen. Jim Halligan, creates the Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden Authority Revolving Fund to develop and operate the Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden.

-SB 551 by Sen. David Myers, allows the Department of Agriculture to qualify for exceptions to minimum annualized salaries for state employees.

-SB 597 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, permits law enforcement officers to transport individuals to mental health facilities in another state if the nearest facility for an initial assessment or detention designated by the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is more than 50 miles from the county seat of the county in which the person is located and when there are factors based on clinical determinations made within the state that indicate the individuals are and treatment would be facilitated or improved by the out-of-state facility.

-SB 635 by Sen. Ron Justice, directs the State Board of Agriculture to promulgate emergency rules for the establishment of fees and inspections of licensed milk producers.

-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.

-SB 833 by Sen. Brian Bingman, requires state agencies to develop an energy efficiency and conservation plan and to designate a person to implement the plan.

-SB 938 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, creates the 21st Century Quality Jobs Incentive Act.

-SB 987 by Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield, modifies language related to the calculation of resources for an applicant for public assistance.

-HB 1698 by Rep. Lisa Billy, allows correctional employees to eat for free the same meals served inmates.

-HB 1740 by Rep. Ron Peters, declares the uses and purposes of the Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden Authority to be in furtherance of a public function and purpose and vital to the public welfare of the people of the state.

-HB 1759 by Rep. John Enns, raises the minimum cost threshold each for bridge, culvert or grade-and-drainage construction or repair to require engineering plans and specifications to be prepared by the county engineer.

-HB 2078 by Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, appropriates $14 million to the Employment Security Administration Fund from funds made available by the federal Reed Act Distribution made on March 13, 2002.

• The House on Monday approved the following bills:

-HCR 1040 by Rep. Chris Benge, expresses the agreement between the House and Senate to rescind the deadline date for the filing of conference committee reports as contained in SCR 12.

-HCR 1033 by Rep. Sally Kern, condemns the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and urges the U.S. Senate to reject its ratification.

-HB 1460 by Rep. Pam Peterson, allows the Oklahoma Attorney General or any district attorney to conduct investigations into persons currently or previously engaged in or attempting to engage in the purchase of child pornography.

-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.

-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 improvement on a pay-as-you-go basis.

• House committees took no action on Monday.

Tuesday, May 12

• The Senate approved the following bills on Tuesday:

-SB 394 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, modifies the time period during which boards of education must notify teachers of re-employment.
-SB 789 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, creates a misdemeanor for persons who knowingly make or utter a false statement to an officer or employee of an investigative unit of any state agency in the course of an internal agency investigation.

-SB 1153 by Sen. Don Barrington, designates to the Office of Homeland Security the duty and responsibility for interoperable public safety communications planning within Oklahoma.

-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 1460 by Rep. Pam Peterson, allows the Oklahoma attorney general or any district attorney to conduct investigations into persons currently or previously engaged in the purchase, procurement or possession of child pornography.

-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 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 546 by Sen. Jim Halligan, creates the Therapeutic Recreation Practice Act to regulate persons offering therapeutic recreation service to the public.

-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 653 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, modifies the type of report and subsequent procedures required in a judicial review provided by the Department of Corrections.

-SB 800 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, directs the Secretary of State to publish circulation of a notice of an initiative petition filing and the sufficiency or insufficiency of the petition.

-SB 994 by Sen. John Sparks, modifies language related to physician-patient privilege, stating that testimonial privilege does not make communications confidential where state and federal privacy law would otherwise permit disclosure.

-SB 1166 by Sen. Clark Jolley, creates the Regional Emergency Nine-One-One Services Act to encourage formation of emergency communication districts in order to provide efficient delivery of emergency nine-one-one service throughout the state.

-SB 1168 by Sen. John Ford, creates the 10-member Legislative Task Force on Achieving Classroom Excellence.

• The Senate General Conference Committee on Appropriations approved the following measures on Tuesday:

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

-HB 1890 by Rep. Phil Richardson, establishes a $25 fee for a senior citizen lifetime combination hunting and fishing license.

-HB 1077 by Rep. Lucky Lamons, allows transfer of 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 operation the memorial.

-HB 1084 by Rep. Todd Thomsen, requires peace officers attending a basic law enforcement academy conducted by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training to execute an agreement stating that they will remain within the law enforcement profession in Oklahoma for four years following graduation.

-HB 1097 by Rep. David Dank, creates a nine-member task force for the Study of Transferable Tax Credits.

-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 1576 by Rep. Charles Joyner, defines “amateur mixed martial artist,” “amateur mixed martial arts,” “combative sports” and “professional mixed martial arts” under the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission.

-HB 1592 by Rep. Ann Coody, requires any superintendent or financial officer or other relevant employee of a school district who has supervision of or authority to expend school district funds to be required to furnish a surety bond in the penal sum of not less than $100,000 or an amount otherwise set by the State Board of Education.

-HB 1661 by Rep. Corey Williams, requires income tax return forms to contain a provision allowing for a maximum donation of $25 of tax refund to benefit the Oklahoma chapter of the Y.M.C.A.

-HB 1717 by Rep. Pat Ownbey, redirects money derived from Emergency Medical Technician License Plates to the Emergency Medical Technician Revolving Fund.

-HB 1837 by Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, authorizes the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to establish an Inner City Schools Rescue program to recruit and train licensed or certified teachers to work in inner city schools and provide technical assistance and support to those teachers.

-HB 1919 by Rep. Steve Kouplen, modifies the definition of “eligible agricultural business” under the Oklahoma Agricultural Linked Deposit Program.

-HB 1964 by Rep. Chris Benge, provides that the Department of Human Services will provide transitional planning services to children in its custody.

• The House met Tuesday, approving numerous measures including the following:

-HB 1949 by Rep. Chris Benge, extends a one-time tax credit for investments in qualified clean-burning motor vehicle property.

-HB 1003 by Rep. Sally Kern, modifies language related to exemptions granted under the Workers’ Compensation Act.

-HB 1025 by Rep. Rex Duncan, makes it unlawful for any private employer to ask any applicant for employment information regarding whether he/she owns a firearm.

-HB 1095 by Rep. Todd Thomsen, prohibits athlete agents from communicating with student athletes who are ineligible to be drafted.

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

-HB 1424 by Rep. Eric Proctor, requires any entity seeking a zoning change that involves multiple housing units to mail written notice within 30 days of the hearing to all registered voters within one-quarter of a mile of the affected area.

-HB 1760 by Rep. John Enns, removes the requirement that tests of blood, breath, saliva or urine specimens for intoxicating substances other than alcohol identify the presence and concentration of the intoxicating substance and allowing the test to identify the presence of the intoxicating substance.

• House committees took no action on Tuesday.

Wednesday, May 13

• The Senate approved the following bills on Wednesday:

-SB 225 by Sen. Mike Johnson, makes an appropriation to the Department of Transportation.

-SB 388 by Sen. Sean Burrage, allows the Department of Public Safety to make available for sale used vehicles and emergency equipment to reserve deputies, reserve officers and firefighters who furnish their own vehicles for the performance of their duties.

-SB 721 by Sen. Don Barrington, directs state individual and corporate tax returns to include a provision to allow a donation from a tax refund to provide academic and vocational training scholarships administered through the Folds of Honor Scholarship Program to dependents of military servicemen and servicewomen who were killed or wounded in action in the war in Iraq or Afghanistan.

-SB 1102 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, requires individuals found guilty of certain misdemeanors to submit to DNA testing.

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

-SB 277 by Sen. Mike Schulz, makes a felony second and subsequent offenses of trespassing and unauthorized hunting on commercial hunting areas.

-SB 346 by Rep. Mike Ritze, requires the Department of Health to establish and maintain an advance directive registry to store directives under the Oklahoma Advance Directive Act to be accessible through the agency’s website.

-SB 458 by Sen. Cliff Branan, authorizes county election board secretaries to transmit balloting materials by e-mail under certain conditions.

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

-SB 521 by Sen. Jim Halligan, creates the Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden Authority Revolving Fund to develop and operate the Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden.

-SB 551 by Sen. David Myers, allows the Department of Agriculture to qualify for exceptions to minimum annualized salaries for state employees.

-SB 597 by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, permits law enforcement officers to transport individuals to mental health facilities in another state.

-SB 611 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, modifies the guidelines governing the offering of evidence of a DNA profile in a trial.

-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 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 794 by Sen. Clark Jolley, directs the Department of Human Services to include statistics on unsuccessful adoptions.

-SB 810 by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, creates the Oklahoma Sleep Diagnostic Testing Regulation Act.

-SB 827 by Sen. Mike Schulz, creates a contract position within the Corporation Commission to act as an electric transmission system advisor to the Commission, Governor, Legislature and Attorney General.

-SB 828 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, directs the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to promulgate rules promoting the fair and orderly development of wind generation electric facilities.

-SB 938 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, creates the 21st Century Quality Jobs Incentive Act.

-SB 987 by Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield, modifies language related to the calculation of resources for an applicant for public assistance.

-SB 1029 by Sen. Steve Russell, requires the attorney or person facilitating a direct placement adoption of a minor in the state to prepare an adoption full disclosure statement.

-SB 1075 by Sen. Brian Crain, modifies requirements for review of an offender’s eligibility for drug court.

-SB 1123 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, exempts from civil liability an owner, employee, participant, member or customer of a gun range, gun shop or gun club, who is acting in good faith and pursuant to the standards of the firearm industry for injuries to any person engaged in firearm activities on the premises of such range, shop or club when such injuries result from the inherent risks of such activities.

-SB 1181 by Sen. Clark Jolley, modifies the Oklahoma Pharmacy Act.

-SB 1231 by Sen. Clark Jolley, creates the Task Force on the Mutualization or Privatization of CompSource Oklahoma.

-HB 1003 by Rep. Sally Kern, modifies language related to exemptions granted under the Workers’ Compensation Act.

-HB 1760 by Rep. John Enns, removes the requirement that tests of blood, breath, saliva or urine specimens for intoxicating substances other than alcohol identify the presence and concentration of the intoxicating substance.

• The Senate General Conference Committee on Appropriations approved the following measures on Wednesday:

-HJR 1014 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, proposes a constitutional amendment related to state spending.

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

-SB 118 by Sen. Mike Johnson, makes an appropriation to the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

-SB 219 by Sen. Mike Johnson, makes an appropriation to the State Department of Education.

-SB 832 by Sen. Brian Bingman, authorizes the Department of Transportation to enter into cooperative agreements with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority for the purpose of bridge repair.

-SB 909 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program Act.

-SJR 5 by Sen. Jim Reynolds, proposes a constitutional amendment limiting the increase on the fair cash value of real property to 3 percent.

-HB 1114 by Rep. Scott Martin, directs the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to consider certain resources upon an individual’s application for Medicaid benefits under a long-term partnership program.

-HB 1491 by Rep. Harold Wright, allows employees of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture to use state-owned vehicles to provide transportation between the employee’s residence and assigned place of employment.

-HB 2067 by Rep. Skye McNiel, creates the Oklahoma Community Economic Development Pooled Finance Act.

• The House approved numerous appropriations bills and the following measures on Wednesday:

-HB 1021 by Rep. George Faught, limits the maximum amount a plaintiff or claimant may receive in civil actions to recover damages arising from a vehicle accident if the plaintiff or claimant is not in compliance with the Compulsory Insurance Law.

-HB 1595 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, prohibits a person from knowingly or recklessly performing an abortion with knowledge that the pregnant woman is seeking the abortion solely on account of the unborn child’s gender.

-HB 1069 by Rep. Sue Tibbs, directs the Department of Health to determine if a felony conviction renders an applicant unfit to practice counseling under the Licensed Professional Counselors Act.

-HB 1004 by Rep. Danny Morgan, modifies the definition of “refrigeration system” as it relates to the Mechanical licensing act.

-HB 1035 by Rep. Fred Jordan, modifies language related to arbitration, removing a requirement that an arbitrator support his or her decision by findings of fact and conclusions of life.

-HB 1389 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, grants the prevailing party in an annexation dispute court costs and attorney fees, including when a municipality withdraws, revokes or reverses the ordinance at issue in response to litigation before a final judgment.

-HB 1739 by Rep. Ron Peters, stipulates that in any proceeding of custody over a minor child a determination by the court that one party is guilty of domestic violence, stalking or harassment shall mean that any type of custody by that party is not in the child’s best interest.

-HB 1742 by Rep. Ron Peters, provides a definition of “child care center” under the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act to mean a facility that provides care and supervision for children and that operates for more than 30 hours per week.

-HB 1775 by Rep. Paul Roan, grants the director of the Department of Corrections the ability to issue subpoenas to assist or further investigations into allegations of crimes committed in public or private prisons in Oklahoma.

-HB 1897 by Rep. Doug Cox, creates the Allied Professional Peer Assistance Program.

-HB 1698 by Rep. Lisa Billy, allows correctional employees to eat for free the same meals served inmates.

-HB 2154 by Rep. Don Armes, increases from $1,000 to $10,000 the fine for taking or attempting to take wildlife or cervidae from a commercial hunting facility without permission.

-HB 1759 by Rep. John Enns, raises the minimum cost threshold each for bridge, culvert or grade-and-drainage construction or repair to require engineering plans and specifications to be prepared by the county engineer.

-HB 1647 by Rep. Wade Rousselot, creates an exemption within a prohibition of school board members serving in a district for which a relative works.

-HB 1963 by Rep. Chris Benge, creates the Task Force on the Mutualization or Privatization of CompSource Oklahoma.

-HB 1081 by Rep. Samson Ray Buck, modifies the procedure under which substitute candidates are to be offered when a political party’s nominee for office dies before the general election.

-HB 1307 by Rep. Ken Luttrell, exempts from liability for damages any physician providing medical services at an amateur or professional athletic event sanctioned under the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission.

-HB 1509 by Rep. Gus Blackwell, makes it unlawful for anyone to help in any way a convicted sex offender avoid his registration, conceal his or her identity or keep information from peace officers.

-HB 1481 by Rep. Sally Kern, expands the scope of special volunteer licenses to include the pharmacists, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

-HB 1678 by Rep. Pat Ownbey, expands the definition of “volunteer medical professional” and “referred volunteer medical professional” under the Volunteer Medical Professional Services Immunity Act.

-HB 1935 by Rep. Weldon Watson, removes language allowing teachers teaching past age 70 the ability to make up 5 percent contributions for the years taught after age 70.

-HB 2028 by Rep. Kris Steele, modifies language related to child support, stating that a stepparent is not required to maintain his or her spouse’s children from a prior relationship.

-HB 2029 by Rep. Kris Steele, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Juvenile Code.

• House Committees took no action on Wednesday.

Thursday, May 14

• The Senate approved the following measures on Thursday:

-HB 1603 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, establishes a cap on noneconomic damages, rules relating to summary judgment, calculation of prejudgment interest, determination of joint and several liability, the definition of “frivolous” lawsuits and a requirement for certificates of merit for professional negligence claims.

-SB 342 by Sen. Brian Crain, creates a misdemeanor for electronically scanning bar-coded information on a driver license or identification card, compiling or maintaining a database of information from bar code information to market, advertise, solicit or distribute samples of any product.

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

-SB 452 by Sen. Mike Schulz, designates the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture entity empowered to implement the policy of the state regarding the care and handlings of livestock.

-SB 796 by Sen. Randy Brogdon, prohibits transitional living facilities that house sex offenders or persons convicted of a capital offense from locating within 2,500 feet of a public or private school.

-SB 812 by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, modifies the Consumer Protection Act.

-SB 833 by Sen. Brian Bingman, requires state agencies to develop an energy efficiency and conservation plan and to designate a person to implement the plan.

-SB 887 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, creates the Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgments Recognition Act.

-SB 909 by Sen. Mike Mazzei, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program Act.

-SB 1066 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, increases from $5,000 to $10,000 the maximum allowable purchase amount that can be paid by county purchasing agents in cases where the low bidder cannot fulfill the bid contract and the purchasing agent is forced to purchase from the next lowest bidder.

-SB 1071 by Sen. Don Barrington, makes additions to the definition of “final average salary” as it relates to the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System.

-SB 1179 by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, increases fees assessed by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

-SB 1182 by Sen. Randy Brogdon, creates the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission.

-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 888 by Sen. Glenn Coffee, eliminates the population threshold relating to appointment procedures for motor license agents.

-HB 1004 by Rep. Danny Morgan, modifies the definition of “refrigeration system” as it relates to the Mechanical Licensing Act.

-HB 1021 by Rep. George Faught, limits the maximum amount a plaintiff or claimant may receive in civil actions to recover damages arising from a vehicle accident if the plaintiff or claimant is not in compliance with the Compulsory Insurance Act.

-HB 1025 by Rep. Rex Duncan, makes it unlawful for any private employer to ask any applicant for employment information regarding whether he/she owns or possesses a firearm.

-HB 1035 by Rep. Fred Jordan, modifies language related to arbitration, removing a requirement that an arbitrator support his or her decision by findings of fact and conclusions of law.

-HB 1069 by Rep. Sue Tibbs, directs the Department of Health to determine if a felony conviction renders an applicant unfit to practice counseling under the Licensed Professional Counselors Act.

-HB 1081 by Rep. Samson Ray Buck, modifies the procedure under which substitute candidates are to be offered when a political party’s nominee for office dies before the general election.

-HB 1095 by Rep. Todd Thomsen, prohibits athlete agents from communicating with student athletes who are ineligible to be drafted.

-HB 1389 by Rep. Leslie Osborn, grants the prevailing party in an annexation dispute court costs and attorney fees, including when a municipality withdraws, revokes or reverses the ordinance at issue in response to litigation before a final judgment.

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

-HB 1424 by Rep. Eric Proctor, requires any entity seeking a zoning change that involves multiple housing units to mail written notice within 30 days of the hearing to all registered voters within one-quarter of a mile of the affected area.

-HB 1698 by Rep. Lisa Billy, allows correctional employees to eat for free the same meals served inmates.

-HB 1739 by Rep. Ron Peters, stipulates that in any proceeding of custody over a minor child a determination by the court that one party is guilty of domestic violence shall mean that any type of custody by that party is not in the child’s best interest.

-HB 1742 by Rep. Ron Peters, provides a definition of “child care center” under the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act.

-HB 1759 by Rep. John Enns, raises the minimum cost threshold each for bridge, culvert or grand-and-drainage construction or repair to require engineering plans and specifications to be prepared by the county engineer.

-HB 1775 by Rep. Paul Roan, grants the director of the Department of Corrections the ability to issue subpoenas to assist or further investigations into allegations of crimes committed in public or private prisons in Oklahoma.

-HB 2028 by Rep. Kris Steele, modifies language related to child support, stating that a stepparent is not required to maintain his or her spouse’s children from a prior relationship.

-HB 2029 by Rep. Kris Steele, modifies language related to the Oklahoma Juvenile Code.

-SB 605 by Sen. Todd Lamb, permits the Oklahoma Department of Homeland Security to make grants from state apportioned funds.

• The Senate General Conference Committee on Appropriations approved the following measures on Thursday:

-SB 635 by Sen. Ron Justice, directs the State Board of Agriculture to promulgate emergency rules and inspections of licensed milk producers.

-SB 243 by Sen. Mike Johnson, modifies language related to income tax credits for qualified employees.

-SB 313 by Sen. Brian Bingman, extends the gross production tax exemption on oil and gas from horizontally drilled wells.

-SB 929 by Sen. Jim Halligan, modifies language related to ad valorem tax exemptions for manufacturing facilities.

-SB 1152 by Sen. Don Barrington, authorizes the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to sell its laboratory property and directs the bureau to transfer any monies received from the sale of the property to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Revolving Fund.

-SB 1489 by Rep. Dale DeWitt, modifies the apportionment of gross production tax revenue by removing the 2012 sunset date for apportionment of the gross production tax to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board Rural Economic Action Plan Water Projects Fund.

-HB 1747 by Rep. Gus Blackwell, allows the Corporation Commission to employ, by contract, one person to act as an electric transmission system advisor to the Commission.

-HB 1885 by Rep. Phil Richardson, authorizes the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to integrate all individual farm and ranch plans in the unincorporated areas of the state that have been written to address local sources of non-point source water pollution in watersheds having state-developed watershed-based plans or with total maximum daily load limitations into a resource stewardship plan.

-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.

• The House approved the following bills on Thursday:

-HB 1603 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, establishes a cap on noneconomic damages, rules relating to summary judgment, calculation of prejudgment interest, determination of joint and several liability, the definition of “frivolous” lawsuits and a requirement for certificates of merit for professional negligence claims.

-HB 1661 by Rep. Cory Williams, requires income tax return forms to contain a provision allowing for a maximum donation of $25 to benefit the Oklahoma chapter of the YMCA Youth and Government Program.

-HB 2161 by Rep. Sally Kern, prohibits school districts, their employees or employee organizations from allowing a speaker, including a candidate for political office, to speak at an in-service or other similar teacher meeting or distribute material at the meeting for which attendance is mandatory for the purpose of influencing the results of an election for state or local office.

-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 the Oklahoma income tax laws.

-HB 1576 by Rep. Charles Joyner, defines “amateur mixed martial artist,” “amateur mixed martial arts,” “combative sports” and “professional mixed martial arts” under the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission.

-HB 1592 by Rep. Ann Coody, requires any superintendent or financial officer or other relevant employee of a school district who has supervision of or authority to expend school district funds to be required to furnish a surety bond in the penal sum of not less than $100,000 or an amount otherwise set by the State Board of Education.

-HB 1597 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, allows an attorney who was an attorney of record for a deceased party immediately preceding death to file a statement of death with the court.

-HB 1616 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, directs police officers to immediately transport medically unstable individuals in custody to an appropriate medical facility.

-HB 1753 by Rep. Scott Martin, requires reporting of up to 10 percent of any contract change order if a public agency has a governing body and allows that change to be approved by city managers or city manager designees.

-HB 1800 by Rep. Marian Cooksey, increases from $25 to $75 the maximum court costs that a municipal governing body is allowed to determine by ordinance.

-HB 2078 by Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, appropriates $14 million to the Employment Security Administration Fund from funds made available by the federal Reed Act Distribution.

-HB 1084 by Rep. Todd Thomsen, requires peace officers attending a basic law enforcement academy conducted by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training to execute an agreement stating that they will remain within the law enforcement profession in Oklahoma for four years following graduation.

-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 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 653 by Sen. Anthony Sykes, modifies the type of report and subsequent procedures required in a judicial review provided by the Department of Corrections.

-SB 994 by Sen. John Sparks, modifies language related to physician-patient privilege, stating that testimonial privilege does not make communications confidential where state and federal privacy law would otherwise permit disclosure.

-HB 1963 by Rep. Chris Benge, creates the Task Force on the Mutualization or Privatization of CompSource Oklahoma.

• House committees took no action on Thursday.

Friday, May 15

• The Senate approved the following measures on Friday:

-HB 1295 by Rep. Jason Murphey, clarifies language about taxation on the renewal or reissue of professional licenses.

-HB 2078 by Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, makes an appropriation to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission pursuant to the Reed Act.

-HB 1084 by Rep. Todd Thomsen, sets legal contract guidelines and contract violation penalties for officers in the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training Program.

-HB 1647 by Rep. Wade Rousselot, limits the application of school board member nepotism prohibitions for certain positions and school districts.

-HB 1897 by Rep. Doug Cox, establishes the Allied Professional Peer Assistance Program to rehabilitate medical professionals who are drug dependent or alcohol dependent.

-HB 1616 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, specifies procedures for emergency detention of persons appearing to be mentally ill, alcohol dependent or drug dependent.

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

-SB 613 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, states that within twelve months after a sentence is imposed, the court may modify the sentence if the best interest of the public will not be jeopardized.

-HB 1576 by Rep. Charles Joyner, expands the duties of the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission to include martial arts contests.

-HB 2154 by Rep. Don Armes, modifies references and provisions regarding trespassing.

-SB 1013 by Sen. Dan Newberry, modifies definitions making it a crime to steal or embezzle or copy without authority certain business records and customer lists.

-HB 1595 by Rep. Daniel Sullivan, prohibits the performance of an abortion solely on account of the sex of the unborn child.

Other News

• A concurrent resolution asking the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture to name their complex the “Clem Rogers McSpadden Agricultural Complex” was approved by the House of Representatives after winning unanimous approval in the Senate this week. McSpadden was a former President Pro Tempore of the Senate, but had also won international acclaim as a professional rodeo announcer. He was a fifth generation rancher and the great-nephew of Oklahoma humorist Will Rogers. McSpadden, who was also a U.S. Congressman, died in 2008 at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

• The Senate acknowledged the untimely death of former professional basketball player and native Oklahoman Wayman Tisdale. Tisdale died Friday morning in Tulsa at the age of 44. Tisdale was diagnosed with cancer in his right knee in March 2007. He played basketball at the University of Oklahoma from 1983-1985.