Two measures were approved Tuesday by the full Senate to protect the rights of nursing mothers who are state employees.  Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, is the author of the two bills.   

Senate Bill 1877 will require all buildings owned or leased by the state where state employees work to have a place other than a bathroom for breastfeeding or to express breast milk.

The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday unanimously advanced legislation directing the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to coordinate resources and functions more closely.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, is the author of Senate Bill 1775.

The Oklahoma Senate advanced legislation Wednesday aimed at updating the state’s civil service code, which has not seen significant updates since 1982.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, is the author of both Senate Bill 1780, which places a sunset date of July 1, 2021, on the Merit Protection Commission, and of Senate Bill 1879, which seeks to modernize the human resources policies that guide the management of the state’s workforce.

Under current law, Oklahomans with state occupational licenses or certifications who are delinquent on their income taxes face possible nonrenewal. To ensure these individuals can afford to pay their back taxes Sen. Paul Scott, R-Duncan, authored Senate Bill 1816, which passed out of the Senate Wednesday.

The Senate has approved legislation to help keep emergency certified teachers in the classroom and strengthen bullying prevention in Oklahoma schools.  Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, is the author of the two bills.  

SB 1115 allows the State Board of Education to renew the emergency or provisional certificate of anyone who has been employed by a school district for at least two years.  To be considered, the individual must have –
 

In an effort to continue growing the state’s economy and address the teacher shortage, the Senate approved two reciprocal licensing reforms Wednesday.  Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, is the author of the measures to recognize the out-of-state occupational licenses and teaching certificates of qualified individuals moving to Oklahoma.

The Senate has voted to strengthen penalties against those who sell intimate images or videos without the subject’s knowledge or consent. Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, said Senate Bill 1462 will protect victims from continual embarrassment and other negative impacts from the public sharing of such private pictures and videos.

Home-based bakeries and other types of food businesses are one step closer to being able to continue growing their small business without having to rent or buy a commercial property. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said he authored Senate Bill 1714 to allow these types of small business owners the freedom to decide when they are ready to move into a larger commercial location rather than the state forcing them.

There are currently nearly 2,000 U.S. children under the age of 18 on the national transplant waiting list.  The Senate passed Senate Bill 1359 late Tuesday to give Oklahoma judges the power to possibly save some of those children.  Under the measure, if a court has to make the decision to withdraw life sustaining treatment of a child in state custody based upon the attending physician’s recommendation, then the judge has the authority to authorize anatomical gifts. 

The Senate has given full approval to legislation that will provide for state licensure of midwives.  Senate Bill 1823 creates “Shepherd’s Law,” by Sen. Brenda Stanley.  The bill was approved by a wide margin and with bipartisan support on Wednesday, 41 to 5.

Stanley, a Midwest City Republican Senator and former teacher and principal, said she named the bill after the newborn son of a former student, Lecye Doolen, who lost her baby the day after a planned home delivery that went terribly wrong.