The State Senate has approved a bill to provide Oklahoma nursing homes with sex offender notifications. Principal Senate author of HB 1963, Sen. Debbe Leftwich said the measure will give greater peace of mind to nursing home residents and their families. In addition to providing nursing homes with notifications of individuals on the statewide sex offender registry, it also requires notification of those who are on the state’s violent offender registry.

State Senators today unanimously gave final approval to a plan to invest billions of dollars in road and bridge maintenance over the next decade.

House Bill 1078 passed the Senate on a 48-0 vote.

“Today we have made an historic investment in road and bridge maintenance in our state. Oklahomans will begin seeing the results of this bill before the end of this year. In the coming decade, hundreds of bridges will be replaced and repaired while thousands of miles of highways will be resurfaced,” said Senator Kenneth Corn, author of the measure.

Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin and Senate Republican leaders said Thursday they were right when they predicted four weeks ago that Gov. Brad Henry would attempt to water down workers’ compensation reform if the issue went to a conference committee instead of receiving an up-or-down vote in the Senate.

Now it is too late in the legislative session for a good workers’ compensation reform bill to be produced – meaning the issue will have to be resolved in a special session of the Legislature this summer.

A bill to enable consumers to get defects with their newly built home repaired at a swift rate did not make it over its final legislative hurdle and was vetoed by Governor Brad Henry this week. Senator Todd Lamb stated that Senate Bill 431, also known as the Homeowner Construction Defect Protection Act, would have provided those who hire a builder to construct their new home with a peace of mind so if problems did arise, they would be remedied quicker and less costly than current law allows.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan declared Thursday that Senate Democrats are unwilling to deny injured workers the right to choose their own physician.

Morgan said he is still hopeful that Republicans will agree to the latest Democratic proposal that protects physician choice and would save Oklahoma businesses $100 million.

With Memorial Day approaching, the State Senate honored an Oklahoma World War II veteran today at the Capitol with a resolution recognizing his years of service and sacrifice in the United State Air Force.

Senate Resolution 50, authored by Sen. Earl Garrison, was heard before the Senate this afternoon and recognized the outstanding war record and distinguished military career of Muskogee resident, Colonel Albert Eldon Hill who served his country for 41 years.

State Capitol, Oklahoma City – State Sen. Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, said Friday that Gov. Brad Henry should consider asking his appointees to the Oklahoma Lottery Commission’s board to resign.

“We should start over with a new board that isn’t bent on taking advantage of Oklahoma’s poor in an effort to meet Gov. Henry’s lofty projections for lottery revenues,” Reynolds stated.

“After months of refusing to address the public safety crisis, I hope Speaker Hiett’s ‘major policy announcement’ tomorrow isn’t just another attempt to change the subject.

“I hope the Speaker will announce his support for a comprehensive plan announced by Senate Democrats more than a month ago that gives the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) the tools they so desperately need to help keep our communities safe.

Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee said Tuesday that Senator Kenneth Corn has joined liberal national Democrats in an effort to politicize rising fuel prices – and said Corn tried using a make-believe Senate vote on the issue in an effort to score partisan political points.

Corn issued a partisan news release Tuesday calling on President George W. Bush and Congress to address rising fuel prices.

Saying working families suffer most when gas prices soar, Senator Kenneth Corn called on President George W. Bush and Congress to immediately use whatever powers necessary to thwart skyrocketing gas prices.

“Many working families, especially here in southeastern Oklahoma live pay check to pay check, and cannot afford to pay $50 dollars every time they go to the pump,” Corn said.

Corn added that during the past legislative session, a resolution was authored by Democratic Senator Daisy Lawler calling on Congress and President Bush to address fuel prices.