State Sen. Jeff Rabon said he was disappointed that the House won’t hear his legislation to reduce underage drinking. Senate Bill 666 had been assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee but Sen. Rabon received word on Monday that the committee would not give the bill a hearing. Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman, is Rabon’s co-author for SB 666. Balkman was principal author of a similar House bill that was killed earlier this session.

The Oklahoma State Senate will begin considering single agency appropriations measures by hearing bills to fund 42 state agencies Tuesday, Senate Appropriations Chairman Johnnie Crutchfield said.

Senator Kenneth Corn told a group of concerned citizens today that Senate Democrats understand the importance of The Heartland Flyer, Oklahoma’s only passenger rail service, and told these concerned citizens that Senate Democrats have a plan to save the Heartland Flyer through its 2020 Plan for Bridges and Roads.

Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City has found a way to further enhance their already renowned Arts and Sciences department by utilizing the Senate’s newly implemented webcast technology.

President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, said Republican Leadership in the House has been too busy cranking out politically motivated news releases to act on a Democratic General Appropriations (GA) Bill that truly places value on working families.

He said the newly elected Republican majority in the House has a duty to provide critical services upon which all Oklahomans depend. They are instead, he said, trying to govern through press releases, which falls short of the responsibility that all Oklahomans deserve and expect from the legislature.

Three former educators who are now members of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Education said Thursday that if the House doesn’t act to pass an education appropriation on Monday school boards across Oklahoma will be forced to make crucial staffing decisions without knowing how much state funding will be allocated to their districts.

The result could be a new exodus of teachers to Texas, according to the trio of lawmakers who have 96 years of experience in public education among them.

The Oklahoma State Senate unanimously approved a resolution today honoring the life of Pope John Paul II and mourning his death. State Sen. Mike Mazzei was principal author of the measure, with all members signing on as co-authors.

“Although I am not Roman Catholic, I felt it was very appropriate for our chamber to pay tribute to Pope John Paul II—undeniably one of the greatest individuals of our time. His spirituality transcended denominational divisions,” said Mazzei, R-Tulsa.

Senator Daisy Lawler said today she is pleased pro-life legislation cleared the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Lawler said House Bill 1686 passed the panel with bi-partisan support. Lawler, one of the co-founders of Democrats for Life, is particularly pleased that women who are facing the decision to end their pregnancy will now be armed with information that will hopefully help them choose life.

Following the 80th anniversary of Oklahoma's unique flag design on April 2, the family of the banner's designer, Louise Funk Fluke, donated the original flag to the state today at the Capitol.

Senator Daisy Lawler said today she is pleased a bill aimed at strengthening families in Oklahoma cleared another legislative hurdle as it passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee with bi-partisan support. She said however, she is puzzled that four Republican members of the Senate, who so often talk about the importance of ‘family values’, voted against a bill aimed at protecting those family values in Oklahoma through character education curriculum for Oklahoma school children.