Week In Review

• The Senate approved several bills in its first floor session of the week, including the following:

-HB 1162, by Rep. Randy McDaniel and Sen. Gary Stanislawski, creates the Pension Protection Act. The bill increases the vesting schedule from five years to seven years for members of the Teachers' Retirement System. The bill passed 34 to 7. It now goes to Gov. Mary Fallin for her consideration.

• The Senate approved several bills on Monday, including the following:

-HB 2298, with title, effective date and enacting clause restored, by Rep. Charles McCall and Sen. Mike Schulz, would end the zero-emission tax credit for wind energy facilities July 1. The measure passed 40-3.

-HB 2178, by Rep. Charles Ortega and Sen. Gary Stanislawski, allows private schools to charge service fees in relation to the surcharge for the use of credit or debit cards. The bill passed 29 to 14.

• The Senate Education Committee met on Monday and approved the following bills:

• The Senate met Monday, but with focus back on committee work, no bills were considered. Senators joined House members for a joint session in the afternoon to honor Oklahoma's military veterans.

• The Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget approved the following measures on Monday:

• On Monday, the Senate met and approved the following legislation:

• On Monday, the Senate met and approved the following legislation:

-SB 170, by Sen. Roger Thompson and Rep. Earl Sears, repeals the individual income tax trigger that would reduce the top marginal rate from 5.0 percent to 4.85 percent. It also repeals statutory language establishing the process for the Board of Equalization to make a finding that would result in the individual income rate decrease and the requirement that the rate decrease when a particular finding is made. The bill passed 39 to 6 with no discussion or debate.