The full Senate has given its approval to the “Parent Empowerment Act.” Senate Bill 1001, authored by Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Jabar Shumate, D-Tulsa, would enable parents to petition to make dramatic changes in their child’s underperforming school. The bill was approved 30 to 12 on Wednesday. Holt said the bill was based on a “parent trigger” concept that has been enacted in at least seven other states.

Sen. Jerry Ellis today criticized a plan that would send to a vote of the people a proposal to make the offices of State Superintendent, Labor Commissioner and Insurance Commissioner gubernatorial appointments.

Ellis said it was unwise to consolidate so much power in the executive branch.

“This is a scheme that simply invites temptation,” said Ellis, D-Valliant. “Reducing these offices to cabinet positions is reminiscent of Louisiana-style politics, and it would open the door to Louisiana-style corruption. They had the best government money could buy.”

The Senate has given its approval to a measure expanding the state’s landmark scholarship program, Oklahoma’s Promise. Senate Education Chairman John Ford is the principal author of SB 432, creating ‘Oklahoma’s Career Promise Act,’ expanding Oklahoma’s Promise program to cover 100 percent of tuition and fees for students pursuing industry certification in five specific areas of the economy. Those areas include aerospace and defense, energy, agriculture and biosciences, information and financial services, and transportation and distribution.

The state Senate this week approved legislation that would strengthen the ability of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) Child Abuse Response Team (CART) to combat child abuse.

Senate Bill 1002 would provide a funding mechanism for CART, and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. ICAC agents investigate technology-driven crimes against children including child pornography, child abuse and human trafficking.

New products for delivering nicotine are not being addressed by current Oklahoma laws aimed at preventing children from using tobacco products. That would change if Senate Bill 802 becomes law. Sen. Rob Johnson, R-Yukon, is the principal author of Senate Bill 802, which was approved by the full Senate on Wednesday 26 to 15.

The full Senate has given overwhelming support to legislation targeting those who plan crimes of mass violence and those who fail to report such plans. Senate Bill 995, by Sen. Brian Crain, carries a maximum penalty of life in prison for anyone who plans to commit a plan of mass violence at a school, place of worship, a place of employment, a sporting event, entertainment venue or any other location used for large gatherings of people.

Senate Democratic Leader Sean Burrage issued the following statement Wednesday in response to the release of the report of the Oklahoma Commission on School Security, which was chaired by Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb and the members of this commission for their efforts to keep the children of Oklahoma safe,” said Burrage, D-Claremore. “I am pleased to see that the result of their work is a set of actionable, policy-based recommendations which I look forward to discussing with my colleagues in the Senate.

Too few college students and teenagers realize binge drinking can be deadly, and many may fail to seek help in an emergency because they’ve been drinking as well and are afraid of getting into trouble. That’s why Sen. Cliff Branan has authored Senate Bill 1, which was approved unanimously on Monday. The measure gives immunity to those who call to get help for a friend who may have alcohol poisoning.

The Senate approved two measures Tuesday that democrat Senators Constance N. Johnson and Jabar Shumate believe could jeopardize the state’s higher education funding. Senate Bills 58 and 59 remove the mandate for a Langston University presence in Tulsa and allows for the duplication of Langston University course offerings – both of which are in direct violation of a 1978 agreement with the U.S.

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman issued the following statement Tuesday in response to the issuance of the 2013 Report of the Oklahoma Commission on School Security. Lt. Governor Todd Lamb, chair of the commission and a former United States Secret Service agent, joined with 22 members of the commission at the Oklahoma state Capitol to announce policy recommendations regarding school security.