A bill to modernize the process for filing and storing vehicle titles and liens has cleared the full Senate.  Senate Bill 998, by Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, was approved Monday.

“This is going to speed up the process for titles and liens by moving these records online,” Standridge said.  “It’s going to make buying and selling vehicles more convenient and will even help owners get their permanent tags more quickly.  It’s time to bring our state into the 21^st century, and this is a part of that effort.”

Businesses that host blood drives for their employees could soon qualify for a tax incentive for helping address the state’s blood shortage.  The Senate approved Senate Bill 905 Monday by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant.

The Senate has given approval to a bill clarifying and strengthening penalties for people who commit crimes during riots. Senate Bill 806, creating the Oklahoma Citizens’ Protection Act, by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, was approved Monday.

Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, has won unanimous Senate approval for legislation to give law enforcement another tool to fight child predators. Senate Bill 980 would amend state law for obtaining a court order for a wiretap to include crimes related to child sexual exploitation.

The full Senate voted to prioritize child safety on Monday by passing Senate Bill 339, which would require any child 17 years old and younger riding in the back seat of a passenger vehicle to properly wear a seatbelt. The measure is authored by Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington.

The bill was one of many approved by the Senate last year, but stalled in the House due to the shortened session caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Pederson re-introduced the bill this legislative session.

The full Senate has given its approval to a measure to make sure local governments don’t ignore the will of their citizens when cutting police department budgets.  Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is the author of Senate Bill 825 which was approved on Monday.

Standridge said the concept is straightforward—if the citizens had previously approved a tax increase to fund public safety, the local government cannot redirect or reduce those funds without a second vote of the people.

In a move to stop the fraudulent use of the sales tax exemption extended to Oklahoma’s 100% disabled veterans, the Senate passed Senate Bill 415 Monday. The measure is authored by Navy veteran Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, who serves as the Chairman of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

Oklahoma has around 33,000 state employees and one of their benefits as state workers is to get most, if not all, of their health insurance covered under their flexible benefit allowance. As a measure to control costs, the annual benefit allowance was frozen in 2012 and has not increased since, even though health premiums have increased almost annually. On Monday, the Senate approved Senate Bill 650 to bring the benefit allowance more in line with current healthcare costs. Senate Majority Floor Leader Kim David, R-Porter, authored the bill.

“In God We Trust” has been the United States’ national motto since it was adopted by Congress in 1956 and on U.S. currency since the Civil War.  It has been part of America’s national vocabulary since its founding.  Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, authored Senate Bill 815 to ensure counties and municipalities can continue displaying it if they want. The measure passed the full Senate 41-5 Thursday.