The Senate General Conference Committee on Appropriations has given its approval to a bipartisan plan to help expanding military bases in Oklahoma. Senate Bill 751 creates the “Military Base Protection and Expansion Incentive Act.” Sen. Randy Bass, D-Lawton, is principal author of the measure, and Sen. Don Barrington, R-Lawton, is co-author.

“This brings us one step closer to getting this bill through the legislative process and to the governor’s desk,” Barrington said. “This is critical for our military bases and for our state.”
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Legislative leaders in the Oklahoma Senate and House of Representatives have submitted a compromise lawsuit reform proposal to Gov. Brad Henry in an effort to reach an agreement before the Legislature adjourns for the year.

The full Senate has given final approval to a measure to help Oklahoma military bases slated for expansion. Sen. Randy Bass, D-Lawton, is principal author and Sen. Don Barrington, R-Lawton is co-author of Senate Bill 751, which was approved on Wednesday.
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The “Letha Kay Louise Slate Act” is now one step closer to becoming law. The measure, authored by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, closes a loophole in current Oklahoma law impacting child neglect cases. The measure, part of Senate Bill 790, won final passage in the Senate on Thursday. Leftwich said the legislation is named for a Stephen’s County baby who drowned in a bathtub while her mother took a nap.
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Legislation requiring financial literacy instruction for all Oklahoma secondary school students to help them avoid money problems in their adult years has been given final approval by the state Legislature and will now be considered by the Governor.
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State Sen. Jonathan Nichols and Sen. Kenneth Corn have authored language to increase funding to help combat child abuse and domestic violence in Oklahoma. The language was included in House Bill 1282 which was approved by the Senate on Thursday.
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Legislation that will help Oklahomans see exactly how their tax dollars are being spent is now on its way to Gov. Brad Henry. Senate Bill 1, the “Taxpayer Transparency Act,” by Sen. Randy Brogdon, calls for the creation of an online database to show exactly how state tax dollars are spent. The measure was given final approval by the Senate on Wednesday and by the House on Thursday. Both chambers approved the bill unanimously.
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The full Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill to ensure that winners of the Oklahoma lottery must first pay delinquent taxes or child support liabilities.

Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, author of Senate Bill 513, explained the measure would allow the Lottery Commission to work together with the Tax Commission and the Department of Human Services to determine whether a winner owes child support or any taxes.

The bill will now advance to the House for final consideration.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan said Thursday Democrats and Republicans in the Oklahoma State Senate proved the skeptics wrong by working together in an unprecedented manner in the First Session of the 51st Oklahoma Legislature.
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Oklahoma Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee graded the 2007 legislative session a “B+,” but said the session could have gotten an “A” if Gov. Brad Henry had signed a bipartisan lawsuit reform bill passed by the Legislature.

“This was a ‘B+’ session that could have been an ‘A’ if Gov. Henry had signed the lawsuit reform bill,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. “But we still accomplished a lot for the people of Oklahoma, and the Senate finished the people’s business early and in an orderly fashion.”