State Sen. Steve Russell’s bill to exempt Oklahoma soldiers from state income tax on federal pay is one step closer to becoming law. Senate Bill 881, co-authored by Rep. Gary Banz, R-Midwest City, was approved on a bipartisan vote of 45 to 0 on Friday. Russell said he was elated that the bill was so close to the governor’s desk. The tax exemption would apply to all troops, whether they are National Guard, Reserve or active.
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The State Senate has given final approval to legislation creating stronger penalties for domestic abuse and for possession of child pornography. Senate Bill 1020, by Sen. Jonathan Nichols, was approved unanimously on Friday.

“Crimes like domestic abuse and child pornography destroy families and shatter lives,” said Nichols, R-Norman. “My legislation creates stronger sentences and closes loopholes so these serious crimes will carry the serious punishments they deserve.”
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On the final day of the 2009 legislative session, the state Senate approved a measure that would lower the legal blood alcohol concentration limit for the offense of boating under the influence from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent.

Sen. Bill Brown, Senate author of Senate Bill 902, noted that alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, accounting for nearly twenty percent of all reported fatalities.

The Senate gave final approval to legislation Friday to help reach out to the thousands of at-risk youth in the state and help them become productive citizens. Senate Concurrent Resolution 32, by Sen. Harry Coates, creates the Task Force on Youth Transitioning into Adulthood to look at why so many of Oklahoma's children are falling through the cracks.

On Friday, Sen. Jay Paul Gumm and Rep. Joe Dorman succeeded in their effort to close a loophole that allows sex offenders to use ice cream trucks to come into close contact with children.

The Oklahoma Legislature approved a compromise version of Senate Bill 1020 which would strengthen state laws on domestic violence and increase penalties for child pornography.

The State Senate and House passed a bill late today that will provide transparency and accountability in the testing and ranking of student achievement. The vote was unanimous in the Senate and by a wide bipartisan majority in the House.

With the passage of a landmark lawsuit reform bill; a new centralized function for state information services that will save Oklahoma millions of dollars, as it has in other states; and the new public-private partnership which will ensure OSU Medical Center’s future; a water bill that keeps Oklahomans in control of our most precious commodity; and many other major reforms, the first legislative session under a Republican majority produced unprecedented success and offers more opportunities to continue a reform agenda in 20 read more.

The tone of the first session of the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature was set early on when Senate Republicans wrote into the Senate Rules special protections for insurance companies and the theme continued until the very last day in what Senate Democratic Leader Charlie Laster is describing as a “Special Interest Feeding Frenzy.”
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Earlier this month, members of an Oklahoma delegation traveled to Washington, D.C. to receive the Partners in Conservation Award from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. This coalition of individuals and agencies worked collaboratively with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Chickasaw Nation to protect valuable aquifer resources and to improve water resource conditions in Oklahoma.

Sen. Kenneth Corn this week announced his intention to file a resolution encouraging the use of Oklahoma companies in projects funded by a recently approved federal economic stimulus package.

In order to make the most of federal stimulus dollars, Corn said, the state must seize the opportunity to jumpstart the Oklahoma economy through job creation.