A portrait of Mrs. Lamar Looney, the first woman ever elected to serve in the Oklahoma State Senate, was unveiled during a ceremony in the State Senate Chamber on Tuesday.

The painting is the latest in a series of historical paintings, a project by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc. The portrait is sponsored by the 2005 Senate Women’s Caucus, Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin, the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women, the Rural Women’s Business Center and the Family of Mrs. Lamar Looney. The painting was done by Norman, Oklahoma artist Mike Wimmer.

The State Senate has unanimously approved a measure to increase the statute of limitations for filing charges against suspected child molesters. House Bill 1013, by Rep. Larry Glenn, D-Miami, and Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-OKC, would increase the statute of limitations from seven years after discovery of the crime to 12 years.

Senator Jeff Rabon and Representative Paul Roan are questioning whether their Senate Concurrent Resolution naming the official state dinosaur will receive a House Committee hearing. The bill was assigned to the House Rules Committee and will more than likely not make it on the agenda. The deadline to give bills a committee hearing from the opposite house of origin is quickly approaching – bills must be heard before 5:00pm Thursday, April 21st, 2005.

A bill to provide tax credits for producers of ethanol in the State of Oklahoma passed the Senate Monday afternoon. House Bill 1556, authored by Sen. David Myers and Rep. Mike Jackson, will encourage companies to build ethanol facilities in the state.

Under provisions of the bill, an ethanol plant could not be eligible for tax credits until the plant had been operating for six months at 25-percent of capacity.

A measure supported by the National Rifle Association that strengthens the rights of gun owners and protects employers from lawsuits has cleared another legislative hurdle according to Senate author of the measure, Senator Jay Paul Gumm. Gumm, (D-Durant) said House Bill 1243 passed off the Senate Floor with a bi-partisan majority vote.

The State Senate has approved a bill to give more protection to victims of rape and domestic violence. House Bill 1698, the “Victims of Violent Crimes Privacy Act,” would stop court clerks and district attorneys from posting information about those victims on the Internet. The bill is authored by Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, D-OKC and Sen. Frank Shurden, D-Henryetta.

Saying Oklahoma’s public schools deserve recognition for making the most out of limited resources, Senator Tom Adelson won approval Monday of a resolution thanking state educators for the classroom successes of state students.

“We often hear criticism of our education system, criticism that isn’t supported by the statistics. I think recognition that Oklahoma educators are doing an outstanding job and that our students are achieving academic excellence that exceeds the regional and national averages is well overdue,” said Adelson, D-Tulsa.

A bill to make sure Oklahoma kids aren’t filling up on junk food while at school has been signed into law. Senate Bill 265, signed by Gov. Brad Henry on Thursday, will prohibit elementary schools, junior high or middle schools from allowing “low-nutritional” foods except for special occasions such as class parties.
High schools would be required to provide healthy food options. The measure also directs school districts to provide incentives to encourage healthy food choices for high school students such as reduced prices.

The vice chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Education said today that House leaders need to fulfill their promise to help the thousands of Oklahoma high school students who have dreams of going to college.

Senator Daisy Lawler, D-Comanche, said the House Republican budget is holding the hopes and dreams of these high schools students hostage by failing to fully fund the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP).

A measure to ensure that the state’s Federally Qualified Health Centers adhere to the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act was signed into law by Governor Brad Henry Tuesday.

Senate Bill 708, authored by Senator Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah, was written as a safeguard against Federally Qualified Health Centers acting outside the bylaws that govern them as well as state and federal laws.

Oklahoma currently has seven Federally Qualified Health Centers. Four new centers were authorized earlier this week and that number is expected to increase to thirty in the future.