The weak economy is negatively impacting many industries including construction. Due to the economic slowdown, many commercial construction projects are getting put on hold across the state. State Sen. Harry Coates says that construction professionals are seeing even more of their job opportunities go to out-of-state entities because of an unfair state law.

OKLAHOMA CITY – TARC, a Tulsa-based organization advocating for the rights of citizens with developmental disabilities, has chosen Senator Jay Paul Gumm as its “Elected Official of the Year.”

Gumm received the award during TARC’s annual awards dinner held Monday at Tulsa’s Southwood Baptist Church. The lawmaker was honored for his efforts to require insurance companies to cover diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. The measure, known as “Nick’s Law,” has been reintroduced for the 2009 legislative session as Senate Bill 1.

Senate President Pro Tem Designate Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, named the Senate’s new committee Vice-Chairs on Wednesday. Committee chairs were announced last week.

Under the new committee structure, which was reduced last week from 22 full committees and standing subcommittees to 20, fifteen Republican Senators and five Democrats will assume leadership roles in their respective committees in the 2009-10 legislative session.

While the legislative session will not get into full swing until February, momentum is already building for Senate Bill 1, also known “Nick’s Law.” The legislation would require health insurance companies to cover diagnosis and treatment of autism in children.

State Sen. Sean Burrage has been named as one of only 24 elected public officials to be selected for the Aspen Institute’s Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership 2008 Class of Fellows. Each of the members of the class was selected based on their reputation for intellect, thoughtfulness, and a bipartisan approach to governing. The class is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats and represents Fellows from 22 states, serving both local and state levels of government. Burrage is the only elected official from Oklahoma chosen for the 2008 class.

Sen. Kenneth Corn has announced plans to file legislation that would prohibit students under the age of 18 from dropping out of school. The measure would also implement a Statewide Truancy Court Program, providing every District Attorney in the state with a truancy officer. The proposal is supported by the Oklahoma District Attorney’s Council, Corn noted.

Corn said reducing Oklahoma’s dropout rate is critical to ensuring future economic growth in the state.

Sen. Jay Paul Gumm on Friday announced that another analysis of Nick’s Law shows that the proposal will have a minimal impact on insurance costs.

The Oklahoma State Education Employees Group Insurance Board this week released the findings of their study, which showed an impact to claims of 1 percent or less. Gumm said these findings are in line with those in a comprehensive study by Jim Bouder, which was presented to the Legislature in May.

Sen. Randy Brogdon has authored a measure to block any efforts to relocate prisoners from the terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay to Oklahoma. Thats after President Barack Obama signed an executive order to close the prison within a year. Brogdon said previous locations considered for inmates have included Fort Sill in southwestern Oklahoma. He said it is critical for the State Legislature to back efforts by Oklahomas Congressional delegation to stop that from happening.

The Republican majority looks forward to working with Senator Laster and his leadership team to move Oklahoma forward, even in this challenging fiscal environment in which will operate this session.

As I experienced in the minority, good ideas are not the sole domain of the majority. As I pledged on Senate organizational day, we will give a fair hearing to those ideas and proposals that will help grow our state, keep it safe and educated, build a stronger business climate, protect our families, and empower Oklahomans to prosper.

Senator Don Barrington, R-Lawton, announced he is authoring Senate Bill 723 that will expand his successful Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday to include school supplies and reference materials.