“Senate Republicans did a great job of ignoring the huge elephant in the room today. They refused to talk about what they are going to do to get us out of this billion dollar budget hole.

“They spent their morning talking about all the proposals they will push that curry favor with Corporate America through giveaways to giant corporations and less regulation.

Oklahoma Senate Republicans today released the first section of their 2010 Legislative agenda, focusing on their goals for Economic Development, Energy, and Government Reform.

Under the leadership of Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee (R-OKC) and Majority Floor Leader Todd Lamb (R-Edmond), who also chaired the Senate Republican Agenda Committee, Senate Republicans have constructed an ambitious legislative road map to build upon the successes of their first session in the majority in 2009.

State Senator Jim Wilson recently filed legislation to authorize the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to create a voluntary Shared Work Unemployment Compensation Program. Senate Bill 1385 would allow part time employees to receive unemployment insurance payments.

State Sen. Andrew Rice has filed legislation to stop employers from improperly misclassifying workers as “independent contractors” in order to avoid paying unemployment and other taxes. Senate Bill 1384 would allow the Oklahoma Tax Commission, Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court and Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to share information and coordinate investigative and enforcement efforts in order to find employers who intentionally misclassify individuals as independent contractors rather than employees.

State Senator Richard Lerblance recently filed legislation to help improve Oklahoma’s state lottery. SB 1279 would eliminate the requirement that net proceeds must equal at least 35 percent of the gross proceeds.

The full Senate has given its approval to a measure designed to close a loophole in Oklahoma’s sex offender registration law. Sen. Cliff Branan is the author of the legislation. Senate Bill 2231 won unanimous approval by the Senate on Thursday.

The Oklahoma Senate gave unanimous approval to a bill by Senator Jay Paul Gumm to further ensure disabled veterans receive a tax benefit the senator wrote and passed in 2005.

In light of a December ruling by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) that will have a damaging affect on Oklahoma industries, Senator Ron Justice (R-Chickasha) and Senator Brian Bingman (R-Sapulpa) call on fellow legislators to join in the fight to protect the state’s economic stability.

Three resolutions, SJR 58, SJR 59 and SJR 64, expressing opposition to the health care legislation currently moving through Congress, including a resolution offering Oklahomans an opportunity to opt-out of the mandates imposed by Obamacare, passed the Senate today. Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee (R-OKC) offered two resolutions, and Senator Dan Newberry (R-Tulsa) sponsored the opt-out resolution.

“This is an important debate to have in Oklahoma today,” said Coffee. “Washington has turned a deaf ear to the people this monstrosity would most directly effect.

The Senate gave overwhelming bipartisan support today to Senate Bill 2330, authored by Senator John Ford, which gives local empowerment to education professionals, bringing them together to improve Oklahoma’s education system.

Senate Bill 2330 is a voluntary measure that gives an individual school or a group of schools the opportunity to opt out of programs or state unfunded mandates within their given districts. By opting out, this allows them to save money or maximize the education experience.