The Oklahoma State Senate approved SB 1910 Thursday, by State Senator Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma County, creating a special license plate for Oklahomans wishing to demonstrate support for the Campaign for a United States Department of Peace.

Sen. Johnson said there is a national grassroots effort being led by the Peace Alliance, a nonpartisan citizen action group, which wants Congress to create a federal Department of Peace.

The full Senate has given its approval to a bill that could privatize the state’s education lottery. Sen. John Ford said the lottery has not made as much money for education as supporters had claimed. He said privatization might create a more efficient operation.

Sen. Jonathan Nichols has won overwhelming approval for a measure to protect the right of victims to discuss their religious beliefs or reference the bible when giving impact statements in court. The measure, Senate Bill 2004, was approved Wednesday 43 to 2.

The state Senate on Wednesday approved legislation that would establish a misdemeanor for the public playing of obscene music in vehicles.

Authored by Sen. Jeff Rabon, Senate Bill 2021 would make the playing of any loud, obscene music or continuous noise from a vehicle illegal, provided that the noise can be heard at a distance of 50 feet or further from the vehicle.

A bill to reduce the amount of mercury allowed in childhood vaccinations was approved by the Oklahoma Senate today on a bipartisan 27-17 vote.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm, author of Senate Bill 1407, said the purpose of the bill was to remove a substance that causes some parents to have concern about childhood vaccinations.

Steffanie’s Law Protects Seriously Ill Patients

The Oklahoma State Senate today approved legislation in a bipartisan vote making Oklahoma the 24th state to require health insurance plans to pay the cost of routine medical care for participants in a clinical trial.

The bill’s principal author, State Sen. Andrew Rice (D-OKC), called the vote a “significant victory for patients who assume that playing by the rules and paying their premiums on time means that their insurance company can’t walk away from them”.

The Oklahoma State Senate unanimously approved a bill that requires state agencies and public school districts to purchase and display American and Oklahoma flags that were manufactured solely in the United States.

State Senator John Sparks, author of Senate Bill 2070, said the plan is Patriotic and is the right thing to do as a sign of support for Americans who have served and are currently serving in the armed forces.

The Oklahoma Senate approved an amendment today that could ultimately give Oklahoma families a way to preserve umbilical cord blood and the life-saving adult stem cells in it.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm submitted the amendment to Senate Bill 1708, a measure by Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee on organ donations. The amendment and the bill were both passed with bipartisan majorities.

A bill proposing the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) to protect domestic abuse victims passed by a unanimous vote today in the Oklahoma State Senate. Authored by State Senator Debbe Leftwich, D-OKC, Senate Bill 2163 uses available technology to better protect Oklahoma citizens.

Leftwich said using all available resources and cutting-edge technologies to make Oklahoma safer is responsible government.

The Oklahoma State Senate passed key pro-life legislation that provides protection to pro-life healthcare providers.

Senate Bill 1878 by Senator Todd Lamb, R-Edmond, creates the Freedom of Conscience Act, which protects the rights of healthcare providers to refuse to take part in the destruction of human life.

Protection under this legislation is provided to employees or prospective employees who have objections, based on their religious conviction or moral code, to such scenarios as participating in or performing an abortion, stem cell research, or euthanasia.