State Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-OKC, said she’s optimistic about legislation now headed for a conference committee that would strengthen laws against hazing as well as enact campus drinking bans aimed at protecting young people. Wilcoxson is the Senate author of HB 1970 by Rep. Fred Perry, R-Tulsa.

“When a young person goes to college and joins a fraternity or sorority, their parents never imagine their child could be harmed as a result of hazing. We believe stronger penalties could help prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place,” Wilcoxson said.
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The classification of Oklahoma’s state liability system as “moderate” by the United States Chamber of Commerce shows that Oklahoma has been successful in striking a balance between maintaining a positive business climate and protecting the rights of everyday Oklahomans to seek justice in the courts, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan said Wednesday.
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Passage Wednesday of meaningful pro-life legislation is a victory for all Oklahomans, said Senator Daisy Lawler, author of the measure and a founding member of Democrats for Life.

House Bill 1686 will ensure “informed consent” by Oklahoma women seeking abortions and “parental notification” before a minor can receive an abortion, the Comanche Democrat said.
The measure passed on a 44-4 vote.
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After years of blocking pro-life legislation, Senate Democrat leaders – who hold only a razor-thin majority in the Legislature’s upper chamber – finally allowed a significant pro-life bill to be heard on the Senate floor Wednesday.

House Bill 1686 passed the State Senate Wednesday 44 to 4.

Senate Democrats are not serious about passing meaningful lawsuit reform, Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, said Wednesday.

Senate Democrats passed Gov. Brad Henry’s watered-down lawsuit bill on a party-line vote Wednesday as part of House Bill 1554. Republicans, who support real lawsuit reform, opposed the Democrats’ watered-down version.

Senate Democrats voted along party lines Wednesday to block a meaningful workers’ compensation reform bill from advancing on the Senate floor.

“Senate Democrats had a meaningful workers’ comp reform bill on their desks, and they chose to play politics instead of choosing to make history. Their vote today was a vote against meaningful workers’ comp reform,” stated Sen. Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, the Senate author of House Bill 2046.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Charlie Laster said Wednesday he’s concerned the decision by Senate Republicans not to go forward with a floor vote on House Bill 2046 could make reaching a workers compensation reform agreement difficult before the constitutionally-mandated May 27 Sine Die adjournment date.

“First Speaker Hiett wouldn’t participate in negotiations and now the Senate Republicans appear to be walking away. It’s going to be tough to negotiate compromise when there’s nobody to negotiate with,” Laster said.

Thursday afternoon Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin and Senate Republicans resumed their attempt to bring a workers’ comp reform bill to a vote in the Senate as a call for senators to come into session was continued.

Yesterday, Senate Democrats said “we’ll find out tomorrow if (Republicans) are really interested in passing a workers’ compensation bill this year.” But Thursday Senate Democrats went into in hiding to avoid an up-or-down vote on workers comp reform. All 22 GOP senators reported to the Senate floor, but 25 senators are needed to achieve a quorum.