The Senate has approved Senate Bill 1388, which would sweeten the pot for urban gardeners to raise honeybees by giving tax exempt status to bee products sold at farmers markets across the state.   

Sen. Allison Ikley-Freeman, D-Tulsa, said she authored the bill after a food desert in west Tulsa led her to look at alternative ways her constituents could access fresh produce.

The full Senate has approved legislation raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.  Sen. Greg McCortney is the author of Senate Bill 1423, aligning state law with the federal Tobacco-Free Youth Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in December, which prohibits the sale of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.

McCortney, R-Ada, said it was important to make sure Oklahoma’s statutes mirror the new federal law.

State Sen. James Leewright has won unanimous approval in the Senate for Senate Bill 1739, the “Barbara E. Hoover Act,” protecting the use of video monitoring in assisted living centers.  The legislation, which was approved Tuesday, ensures all continuum of care facility residents have the same rights as nursing home residents.

More than 1,500 students were stranded for several hours at schools across Mississippi last August after a federal immigration sweep of local businesses led to the arrest of nearly 700 undocumented citizens. To avoid such a possible traumatic incident for Oklahoma students, Oklahoma City Public Schools requested Senate Bill 1711 to create the Oklahoma Standby Guardianship Act.  The bill by Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma, was approved Tuesday by the Senate. 

The Senate has passed legislation that would provide mental health patients telemedicine healthcare access when a law enforcement officer is dispatched for assistance. Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, authored Senate Bill 1208, which he says is necessary to provide immediate patient care and reduce costly mental health transports.

Under the measure, if an officer is called to assist a medically stable individual suffering from mental health ailment, the patient could be assessed by a licensed mental health professional via telemedicine if the capability is available.

Legislation to help more Oklahoma students be career ready after graduation    unanimously passed off the Senate Floor Tuesday.  Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, is the author of Senate Bill 1532, which will allow sophomores age 16 and older to participate in the Apprenticeships, Internships and Mentorships Act of 2016.

The House will next consider legislation clarifying cities’ and counties’ authority to regulate the smoking and vaping of medical marijuana in public places.  Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, is the author of Senate Bill 1296, which he says is needed to clear up confusion as to where citizens can use their medical products.  The bill passed out of the Senate Monday afternoon.

The full Senate has approved a measure that would require the director of the Department of Corrections (DOC) to develop an annual report detailing issues related to contraband cellphone use in Oklahoma prisons.

The full Senate has passed legislation that would allow absent students who complete assigned instructional activities or engage in online curriculum or programs provided by the school district to be counted as “in attendance.”

Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro, authored Senate Bill 1210 because of a changing educational climate where engagement can no longer be defined as sitting in a seat, he said. 

The full Senate has passed legislation that would require any new tax credits to have a maximum sunset of 10 years and a measurable goal that can be used as a benchmark for success.  

Senate Bill 1280, authored by Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, addresses the issues found by the Incentive Evaluation Commission when they analyzed the state’s tax credits. The commission was formed by the legislature in 2015 to objectively evaluate Oklahoma’s economic incentives.