"Fiscal conservatives, Democrats and Republicans alike, need to stand up and hold the line on cutting our income tax to 4.9 percent.

I can tell you this. The people of Oklahoma do not want another $45 dollar rebate check. They deserve better than that, and the Speaker of the House has publicly said he’s committed to doing a budget with a 4.9 percent cut. It is my hope he will uphold that commitment.

Lawler, Shurden say the Bill Provides Protections against Trespassing

Rural landowners won a huge victory this week with the passage of House Bill 2984, authored by Senator Frank Shurden and Representative Shane Jett. An amendment to the bill by State Senators Daisy Lawler and Frank Shurden increases the penalties for trespassing on private land.

Following is a statement from Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, about the Senate’s action today to send a pair of tax bills to a conference committee. Gumm is chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

“Tax cuts should be negotiated as part of a budget that reflects our state’s values, not used as a platform for a term-limited politician to try to get elected to another job.

The State Senate honored one of its own Tuesday. Senator Gilmer Capps was recognized by his colleagues for his 36 years of service in the distinguished body. The Snyder Democrat is leaving office this year due to term limits.
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State Senator Frank Shurden passed Senate Resolution 105 through the State Senate Wednesday urging Congress to pass H.R. 197, known as the “Military In-State Tuition Act of 2005”. The Act, authored by U.S. Rep. David Scott of Georgia, would amend title 10 of the United States Code to require every state to charge in-state tuition rates at public institutions of higher education to active-duty members of the Armed Forces and their dependents living or stationed in that state.
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State Sen. Frank Shurden said Gov. Brad Henry had joined the Senate and House in approving his legislation aimed at preventing the spread of disease by giving the Department of Health oversight of tattooing in the state. Gov. Henry signed that legislation on Wednesday.

“I’ve said all along, this is a public health issue. If these businesses fail to follow basic health guidelines, they could be spreading terrible diseases like Hepatitis or Aids,” said Shurden, D-Henryetta.
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Governor Brad Henry on Wednesday signed legislation to simplify the permitting process for custom wheat harvesters, saving them valuable time and money.

House Bill 2895, the Harvest Regulation Reform Act of 2006, authored by Sen. Daisy Lawler and Rep. Ryan McMullen will lower the estimated overall fees assessed to harvesters in the permitting process, while providing harvesters with efficient options for obtaining the proper documentation.

With the wheat harvest expected to begin in mid-May, Lawler said, the bill was an urgent legislative priority.

State Sen. Don Barrington said he wants the Oklahoma State Senate to send a pro-life bill directly to the governor instead of relegating the bill to a House-Senate conference committee where it would likely be dead for the 2006 legislative session.

Senate Bill 1742, authored by Barrington, was amended in the House of Representatives to include legislative language from several pro-life bills that were killed by the Senate’s Democrat leadership earlier this year.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm, a Democrat from Durant, has been named a “Friend of Main Street” by the Oklahoma State Main Street Program for his vision of making downtown communities in Oklahoma a thriving economic development tool.

“Downtowns across Oklahoma are the heart and soul of the community,” Gumm said. “Ensuring they remain vibrant means a brighter future for all Oklahomans.”

The Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary said he intends to fight for the critical needs of some of Oklahoma’s most important public safety agencies. He said creating a safer Oklahoma cannot happen without the necessary funding for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) and the Oklahoma State Medical Examiners Office.