Senate Democrats continued to ignore the Oklahoma Constitution Tuesday in their effort to protect trial lawyers from real workers’ compensation reform.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan and Senate Democrats again ignored Lt. Gov Mary Fallin’s presence in the presiding officer’s chair of the Oklahoma Senate Tuesday – but Fallin gaveled down Morgan, whom she ruled out of order, as the Democrat leadership ordered her microphone to be turned off.

Democrats violate State Constitution

In flagrant disregard of the Oklahoma Constitution, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan ignored Lt. Gov Mary Fallin’s presence in the presiding officer’s chair of the Oklahoma Senate Monday.

Citing his constitutional authority Monday, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan presided over the Oklahoma State Senate while standing beside his desk on the Senate floor, reaffirming his control over the day-to-day business of the legislative body after Lt. Governor Mary Fallin’s second failed attempted to hijack it.

Oklahoma is now the third state in the nation to have an official caucus to help develop and pass legislation dealing with cancer research, prevention and treatment. Rep. Kris Steele, R-Shawnee and Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-OKC are co-chairs of the newly formed caucus.

Sen. Debbe Leftwich said she’s working to ensure Oklahoma families and individuals don’t lose their homes in government land grabs after a recent Supreme Court decision on eminent domain. The Oklahoma City Democrat said she has requested legislation to restrict government property seizures.

“Owning your own home is the American Dream. It is shocking to think that dream could be shattered because a big business has enough clout to take what you thought was yours,” Leftwich said.

Senator Kenneth Corn and other members of the Senate stood outside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary (OSP) in McAlester this afternoon and vowed to continue fighting for adequate funding for Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) and promised to work diligently to bring a comprehensive solution to a funding problem that plagues the department year after year.

Saying he was alarmed by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling expanding the use of eminent domain, Sen. Clark Jolley plans to introduce a legislation giving greater protection to private property owners in Oklahoma.

The court decision expands the right of local governments to seize private property not only for public projects, such as the construction of roads or schools, but also for private economic development.

Sen. Brian Crain is planning to introduce legislation limiting the circumstances local governments can use for taking personal property. He said last week’s Supreme Court decision was a serious blow to the rights of individual property owners.

“I support the use of eminent domain for roads, bridges and other kinds of infrastructure projects that clearly benefit the public. But I do not support selling eminent domain powers to the highest bidder. That’s what I’m afraid this Supreme Court ruling could do,” said Crain, R-Tulsa.

Opposition by Senate Democrats to GOP proposals to eliminate the state’s death tax proves how out of touch the Senate’s century-old majority is with the people of Oklahoma.

Coffee said Senate Republicans plan to push for the elimination of the death tax during the 2006 legislative session. House Republicans announced similar plans today.

“The Senate Democrats’ knee-jerk reaction in opposition to eliminating the death tax shows how out of touch their party is with the people of Oklahoma,” stated Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

Republican Senator Randy Brogdon of Owasso said today that the state and Native American tribes should enter into arbitration to the fix tobacco tax problems.