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.

Some children in Oklahoma are still not safe from sexual predators even after their attackers have been tried, convicted and served their time in prison, said Sen. Charlie Laster, author of an amendment that would prevent convicted child molesters from moving back into the home where their victims live.

“Believe it or not, there’s nothing on the books right now to prevent the perpetrator from serving his time and then going right back into the same home where the child victim lives,” said Laster, D-Shawnee. “This would fix that.”

A juvenile justice task force recommendation for a study on the facilities that house youthful offenders won't be heard in the legislature this year--that's after a House committee failed to hear the measure for the study.

The measure, House Bill 2915, was authored by Rep. Danny Morgan, D-Prague and Sen. Nancy Riley, R-Tulsa. Riley said there are three state-run juvenile facilities, including the Rader Center in Sand Springs which is in her district.

Teenagers with learner’s permits could soon face restrictions on cell phone use while driving. That’s the focus of legislation approved by the State Senate on Thursday. Sen. Clark Jolley is the author of Senate Bill 1542. He said it was important for new drivers to focus on the road instead of their cell phones.

The State Senate passed a measure today to protect Oklahoma's elderly and disabled from financial scams. Senator Ron Justice, R-Chickasha, is the author of Senate Bill 1793 which makes it a felony to knowingly, through deception or intimidation, obtain or use the funds, assets or property of elderly or disabled people.

Constitutional Amendment Clears Senate Committee

The Oklahoma Senate Thursday overwhelmingly approved a measure by Senator Jay Paul Gumm that would protect rural Oklahoma from forced consolidation of public schools.

For more than half a century, artist Jim Lange has let a caricature named Mr. Voter speak on behalf of the public in the editorial cartoons of the Oklahoman. This session Lange and his creation will be in the spotlight at the State Capitol as lawmakers decide on a bill to make Mr. Voter, also known as John Q. Public, the state’s official editorial cartoon. State Sen. Todd Lamb is author of the legislation.

The Senate on Wednesday chose the Mexican free-tailed bat an unusual bat with a migratory pattern that has become in a huge tourist attraction for one Oklahoma state park as the official state flying mammal of Oklahoma.

This is really a tourism bill, said Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward, author of Senate Bill 1678, which recognizes the Mexican free-tailed bat, also known as Tadarida brasiliensis, as the states flying mammal. The Selman Bat Cave out by Alabaster Caverns State Park is a great tourist attraction.

SB 1030 would build 800 MHZ Statewide Emergency Communication System

A bill to ensure school-age victims of violence have a greater say in limiting contact with their attacker is headed to the full Senate for consideration. Sen. Charlie Laster is author of SB 1597 which has now won approval from the full Senate.