A special team of expert child abuse investigators to help local law enforcement handle difficult cases would be created by a bill approved unanimously by the Senate on Thursday. Senate Bill 1800, by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, would establish the Child Abuse Response Team (CART) within the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

“The Governor’s signature on HB 2288 culminates months of work in the Senate to bring an end to the public safety crisis facing Oklahoma.

“Just as in June when I offered my thanks to the Governor for answering my call to expand the Special Session to include the Department of Corrections (DOC) funding issue, I am offering my thanks to him again today for his leadership on signing this supplemental appropriation into law.
read more.

State Senator Mary Easley, vice-chair of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee thanked Governor Brad Henry Friday for signing her funeral picketing bill into law, which goes into effect immediately.

Senate Bill 1020, known as the “Oklahoma Funeral Picketing Act” makes it a misdemeanor to picket within 500 feet of a cemetery, mortuary or church from one hour before the scheduled commencement of funeral services until one hour after the completion of the funeral services.
read more.

Protecting Oklahoma's children from internet predators is the focus of Senate Bill 1479 which was approved today by the State Senate. Senator Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah, is primary author of the bill.

The full Senate has given its approval to legislation targeting drug runners who bring meth into Oklahoma from super labs in Mexico. Senate Bill 1713, by Sen. Charles Wyrick, could land major importers behind bars for life.

“We’ve had tremendous success in reducing the numbers of illegal meth labs in our state by placing limits on the purchase of medicines that contain the ingredients needed to make methamphetamine,” said Wyrick, D-Fairland. “Now we need to address the other source of meth—the major importers.”

SB 2047 Will Allow Small Businesses in Rural Oklahoma to Upgrade Employee Skills

A bill that will strengthen small businesses across Oklahoma through greater access to training dollars to upgrade the skills of existing workers won the approval of the full Senate today. Senate Bill 2047, by State Senator Debbe Leftwich will allow the Department of Commerce to utilize $20 million from the read more.

State Senators voted Monday for a measure calling for a Constitutional amendment to create the Oklahoma Safe Roads Trust Fund and require that all motor fuels taxes are deposited in the fund.
Senate Joint Resolution 58 by Senator Kenneth Corn passed the Senate by a vote of 44-0.
read more.

Pole Road will continue to serve as an entrance to Crossroads Mall from Interstate 240 in South Oklahoma City, transportation officials have informed Sen. Debbe Leftwich, who fought to keep the Pole Road exit open when a new highway interchange design threatened to make shoppers drive a mile out of their way.

- Senate Democrat leaders refuse to allow debate and a vote on GOP amendment for real lawsuit reform

By a 21-25 vote Monday, a watered-down tort bill authored by the State Senate’s Democrat leadership was defeated by a bipartisan majority.

All 21 Republican senators present, joined by 4 Democrat senators, voted against the watered-down measure, Senate Bill 1874.

Statement by Senator Charlie Laster

“Senator Coffee could have filed a so-called ‘meaningful’ tort reform bill before the session, but he didn’t. Instead, he plopped a 124-page amendment to my bill on the desk this morning in hopes we would all abandon the bill that had been heard in committee in favor of one nobody has had time read.
“It’s not like he had a bill that wasn’t heard in the Judiciary Committee. The truth is that he only filed a one-page shell bill and never asked me to hear a committee substitute dealing with tort reform. read more.