The Senate Health and Human Services approved Senate Bill 1296 to add marijuana to the list of products that cannot be smoked or vaped in public places.  Sen. Lonnie Paxton authored the bill to address the growing number of citizens utilizing medicinal marijuana around stores, restaurants and other public places.

The Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee voted Monday in favor of legislation increasing the age to buy or use tobacco products from 18 to 21.  Senator Greg McCortney, chair of the committee, is the author of Senate Bill 1423. 

In December, President Donald Trump signed the Tobacco-Free Youth Act into law, prohibiting the sale of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.  McCortney, R-Ada, said SB 1423 brings Oklahoma into line with that federal change.

A bill requiring Oklahoma school districts to adopt suicide awareness and training programs for grades seven through 12 has been passed by the Senate.

Senate Bill 266 by Sen. Allison Ikley-Freeman, D-Tulsa, who is also a mental health professional, is the first step in preventing suicide among Oklahoma’s children, she said.

After years of stalled attempts to modernize Oklahoma statutes dealing with Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), compromise legislation has cleared the full Senate.  Senate Bill 801 would bring Oklahoma in line with much of the country in how CRNAs are regulated.  The bill, authored by Sen. Paul Rosino, was approved unanimously on Monday.

An exemption allowing in-home hospice providers the ability to opt out of electronic prescribing has been passed by the full Senate.

Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, authored Senate Bill 1278, which allows outpatient hospice patients to have greater access to their medications by exempting their doctors from Oklahoma’s electronic prescription law that went into effect on Jan. 1.

The law was a recommendation from the Oklahoma Commission on Opioid Abuse and aims to combat prescription fraud and opioid abuse.

Under current state law, honorably discharged veterans get free entry to all state parks and museums.  However, the law is written assuming state parks charge per person rather than per vehicle, which parks are starting to do.  To ensure these veterans continue getting free entry, Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, authored Senate Bill 1185 at the request of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department.  The bill was unanimously approved Thursday by the Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee.

The Senate passed legislation Wednesday to provide more local control for school districts to decide how to protect their students.  Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, is author of House Bill 2336.  The measure would allow a local board of education to voluntarily adopt a policy to authorize the carrying of a handgun onto school property by school personnel who hold a valid reserve peace officer certification or possess a valid handgun license. School personnel will also be required to complete “campus-specific active shooter training” conducted by local law enforcement.

The full Senate has voted in favor of a measure that would increase Oklahoma’s statute of limitations for both first and second degree manslaughter.  Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, is principal author of Senate Bill 414.  The Senate gave unanimous approval to the bill on Wednesday, the first bill to pass off the floor during the 2020 legislative session.

Legislation formalizing an Oklahoma Arts Council (OAC) program that provides a positive economic and social impact on cities and communities across the state has been approved by the Senate.

Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, authored Senate Bill 106, also known as the Cultural Districts Initiative Act. The measure provides additional definition and accountability for the Oklahoma Cultural District Initiative program, which offers funding, guidance, professional consultation and certification to cultural districts across the state.

After the devastating death of a Lexington, Okla., middle school athlete injured during a football game last fall, Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, wants school districts across the state to provide emergency medical services at athletic events.

Senate Bill 1198, which overwhelmingly passed the Senate Education Committee today with a vote of 14-0, would direct all Oklahoma school district boards of education to coordinate with emergency medical service providers to develop a plan to provide emergency medical services at athletic events or activities held at school facilities.