Senator Mike Morgan and Representative Jari Askins announced a schedule Wednesday of four issue-oriented hearings on tort reform.

Morgan, D-Stillwater, and Askins, D-Duncan, are co-chairs of a special 23-member joint House-Senate committee that will examine the state’s civil justice system. The co-chairpersons outlined the process the committee will follow in the hearings during Thursday’s meeting.

Senator Angela Monson and House Speaker Pro Tempore Danny Hilliard were joined by trauma survivors and physicians Monday for a special presentation on the state of Oklahoma’s trauma care network.

The legislative leaders hosted the presentation in the State Senate Chamber in an effort to educate other lawmakers and the public on the need for an infusion of funding to keep the state’s only Level 1 Trauma Center open at University Hospital in Oklahoma City and to ensure the existence of reliable statewide trauma care network

House Speaker Larry Adair and Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson announced Friday the formation of a 23-member bipartisan joint committee on lawsuit reform.

The committee, which will be led by Representative Jari Askins and Senator Mike Morgan, will conduct a series of open hearings beginning April 15, to examine the myriad of issues surrounding lawsuit reform. Members of the joint committee are also expected to serve as members of the conference committee that will write the final version of lawsuit reform legislation this session.

Senate Republican Leader James A. Williamson gave the just-completed 2004 legislative session a grade of “D.”

“The 2004 legislative session is one of the worst examples of missed chances I have ever seen,” said Williamson, R-Tulsa.

“This session started with so many positive opportunities to create jobs and promote economic development. Instead, the governor’s program to raise taxes and expand gambling dominated the debate and our time. Even those issues were referred to a vote of the people instead of being dealt with directly by the Legislature,” he said.

State Sen. Jim Reynolds will be on hand next week when a new permanent exhibit about the U.S.S. Oklahoma is dedicated at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii. The unveiling will be on December 6, 2004, the eve of the 63rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

“About a million and a half people visit the museum every year. They know all about the Arizona, but there are too many people who don’t know that the U.S.S. Oklahoma sustained the second largest loss of life, with 429 men killed. This exhibit will finally help tell their story,” Reynolds said.

Senator Debbe Leftwich said she is hopeful the full Senate will support her efforts to ensure all Oklahoma women have access to breast and cervical cancer treatment. House Bill 2552 won approval by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

“The American Cancer Society has a map of the United States showing all the states that provide breast and cervical cancer treatment to women who are under-insured or have no insurance. Oklahoma is the only state that offers no such program,” said Senator Leftwich, D-OKC.

(Oklahoma City) Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson and House Speaker Todd Hiett announced Thursday an agreement on deadlines for the First Session of the 50th Oklahoma Legislature.

“These deadlines provide a framework for the exercise of democracy, in which critical issues are debated and decided by the people’s representatives. Oklahoma’s citizens can be confident that the new bi-partisan government will work,” said Hiett, R-Kellyville.

“If my particular bill were to be passed, I would sign it. I was serious about that effort last year." -- Gov. Brad Henry, discussing the possibility of future lawsuit reform legislation in The Journal Record, 12/02/2004.

State Capitol, Oklahoma City – New Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, said he welcomes comments by Gov. Brad Henry that he would sign new lawsuit reform legislation in the next legislative session.

“It is very welcome news that Gov. Henry now seems willing to ignore his moratorium and support new lawsuit reform.

(Oklahoma City) Saying it’s only natural to continue to build on the advances enacted by the Legislature in the last two years, Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson announced Friday that he will support Governor Henry’s continued work on tort reform in the coming legislative session.

(Oklahoma City) Oklahoma’s continued inclusion in a national report released this week as one of the top 10 “business friendly” states didn’t just happen, a veteran state senator said Thursday.

Senator Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo, said the state’s outstanding showing in the annual rankings by Pollina Corporate Real Estate Inc. is a result of work by the Legislature to foster an environment to grow existing Oklahoma businesses and attract new firms.