Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee made the following statement following the Senate’s bipartisan vote to pass the higher education bond issue.

“Senate Republicans are strong supporters of higher education, and we proudly provided bipartisan support for the higher education bond proposal today,” Coffee stated.

The Governor’s Workers Compensation Reform measure passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee today with a 5-4 vote. Republican committee members James Williamson, Todd Lamb, Brian Crain and Scott Pruitt all voted against the measure that when enacted, will reduce costs for businesses that operate in Oklahoma.

Judiciary Chairman, Senator Charlie Laster, (D-Shawnee) said passage of the bill out of committee puts the measure one step closer to bringing a comprehensive workers compensation reform package to Oklahoma businesses.

Gov. Brad Henry’s watered-down workers’ compensation reform bill was passed 5 to 4 on a party-line vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.

“Senate Bill 846 does nothing to address the out-of-control legal costs or the dueling doctors problem that are driving up workers’ comp insurance rates in Oklahoma,” stated Judiciary Committee member Sen. Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow.

State Senator Jonathan Nichols said he was outraged that members on the Senate Appropriations Committee defeated legislation that would have banned inmates from using cell phones in prison. The former prosecutor said he was stunned by the Wednesday morning vote which killed Senate Bill 654. The measure would have categorized cell phones as illegal contraband in Oklahoma prisons.
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Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson Wednesday offered to rescue the Higher Education bond issue from a sea of unnecessary partisan politics by announcing he would consider each of the other unrelated issues included in Speaker Todd Hiett’s bond proposal on their own merits.
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A bill aimed at providing working families with a tax rebate cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee today by receiving a majority vote that will now send the proposal to a vote on the Senate floor.

Senate Bill 918, authored by Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, creates the Helping Oklahomans Prosper Economically (HOPE) Fund. The bill is part of Gov. Brad Henry’s tax package.
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Lack of Senate Action Does Not Bode Well for House Bills

Senate Republican leaders said Thursday that Senate Democrats seem intent on keeping the Senate’s reputation as the Legislature’s “graveyard for good legislation” by refusing to schedule committee hearings for dozens of good public policy legislation authored by Republicans. A Senate bill that did not receive a committee hearing by Thursday is dead for the session.

As the Senate Finance Committee completed its work on Senate bills assigned to it, the panel’s chair said the panel’s work is responsible and shows a deep respect for Oklahoma working families.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm said the committee considered and approved upwards of $300 million in tax cuts, almost all of which are targeted to working families or to grow Oklahoma’s economy.
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State Senator Debbe Leftwich, D-OKC, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Susan Winchester, R-Chickasha, are calling the first meeting of the Oklahoma Women’s Caucus a tremendous success. Women lawmakers from the House and Senate gathered at the State Capitol for a session which included a presentation on similar organizations throughout the nation as well as a demonstration on women’s health issues.
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The State Senate approved a resolution this week to bypass the review period of recent rules proposed by the Agriculture Department to restrict the sale of ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

House Concurrent Resolution 1001, authored by Sen. Ron Justice (R-Chickasha) and Rep. John Wright (R-Broken Arrow) waives the 30-day legislative review period that is usually required for proposed rules.
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