A bill providing Oklahoma’s disabled veterans with tax breaks passed the Senate today on a bi-partisan majority vote. Passage of Senate Bill 17, authored by Senator Kenneth Corn, (D-Poteau) completes all portions of Governor Henry’s Operation Homefront Initiative.

Corn said the measure exempts veterans who are 100 percent disabled and their spouses, from paying excise taxes on the vehicles they purchase. The measure also reduces the cost of vehicle registration for disabled veterans from $85 to a ceremonial $1.
read more.

Senate Bill 531 is on its way to the State House of Representatives. That’s after winning unanimous approval by the Senate on Tuesday. Senator Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, said the bill is designed to help school districts with cash-flow problems resulting from unforeseen expenses and fluctuating revenues.

“Our school districts do a very careful job of planning their budgets, but there are some things that can’t be completely anticipated—a big spike in fuel prices, for example, can have a serious budgetary impact,” explained Pruitt.
read more.

The State Senate has given unanimous approval to a measure banning a potentially deadly new way of downing alcohol—Senate Bill 663 would forbid anyone to sell, buy, furnish, manufacture or possess an alcohol inhalation device.

Senator Jonathan Nichols is principal author of the measure. He said the use of devices to inhale alcohol is a fad that’s been seen in bars and clubs in other parts of the nation. He worries people unfamiliar with alcohol inhalers may not realize they can be extremely dangerous.
read more.

Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee reminded legislative leaders Thursday that the deadline to pass the state funding bill for public schools is next Wednesday, March 16.

“The ‘Fund Education First’ deadline is less than a week away, so it is imperative that the Senate and House work quickly to meet the deadline,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. “I have every confidence that Chairman Morgan and Chairman Benge will reach an a bipartisan agreement and that we will pass education funding by March 16.”

A measure to ensure the safety of Oklahoma’s children received approval from the Senate today. Senate Bill 618, authored by Mary Easley, creates the “Dustin Rhodes CPR Training Act,” which would require two employees at every school to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instruction each year.

The Democrat from South Tulsa authored the legislation following the tragic death of Dustin Rhodes in the school cafeteria. The boy started choking on a piece of bread, and while teachers and staff tried to help the child; they were not properly trained in CPR.
read more.

A bill to help bring computer child pornographers to justice is now making its way through the House of Representatives. State Senator Cliff Branan, R-OKC, is principal author of SB 513 which has already won unanimous approval in the Senate. He explained the measure is similar to a law requiring photo labs to report child porn pictures they find while processing film.
read more.

A bill to expand a prescription assistance program has passed the Senate in a bi-partisan majority vote and awaits action in the House of Representatives, Senator Susan Paddack, author of the measure said.
read more.

State Senators Monday overwhelmingly approved a $2.152 billion budget for public schools two days before the “Fund Education First” deadline of March 16.

Senate Bill 217, which represents a funding increase for K-12 schools of $144.7 million over Fiscal Year 2005, passed on a 43-0 vote.
read more.

Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee praised a bipartisan effort in the State Senate to pass funding for Oklahoma’s public schools – beating a March 16 deadline for the Legislature to send the “common education” budget bill to the governor.

“Funding education first and early during the legislative session ensures that education is not used as a political football in the budget process,” said Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

In a show of bipartisan support, the State Senate has approved a measure that could help law enforcement identify suspects in unsolved murder, rape and other criminal cases. Senator Jonathan Nichols is principal author of SB 646. He said the measure would expand the state’s DNA database to include all convicted felons.
read more.