A measure to provide financial assistance to Oklahoma’s agricultural community during droughts passed the Senate unanimously Tuesday. Senate Bill 996 would create the Emergency Drought Protection Special Fund. Sen. Ron Justice, author of the legislation, says the state’s current drought is a tragic example of why the fund is needed.

The full Senate has given approval to a bill aimed at improving care for Oklahoma National Guardsmen struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Sen. Brian Crain is principal author of Senate Bill 527 which was approved by the Senate on Monday 44 to 0.

Crain said the programs would be administered by the University of Oklahoma and would be geared to assist the spouses, parents and other friends and family members who are acting as caregivers for returning troops.

Several members of the state Senate wore pink Tuesday in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Day at the state Capitol. This year marked the 5th anniversary of the special event started, and chaired each year, by former state senator and breast cancer survivor, Judy Eason-McIntire.

The Senate approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 24, authored by Sen. Jabar Shumate, Rep. Anastasia Pittman and Rep. Kevin Matthews, designating the special educational day at the Capitol.

A bipartisan group of state senators issued the following comments on Tuesday’s passage of Senate Bill 1062, which is the latest attempt at workers’ compensation reform in Oklahoma.

Gov. Mary Fallin’s desk is the next stop for legislation meant to encourage underage drinkers to call for help if one of their friends becomes unresponsive. Senate Bill 1, by Sen. Cliff Branan and Rep. Mike Jackson, was given final passage with a unanimous Senate vote on Tuesday. Branan said the measure would protect an individual from being charged for underage drinking if they call for help for a friend who may have consumed lethal amounts of alcohol.

The state Senate moved Tuesday to abolish Oklahoma’s judicial workers’ compensation system. Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman’s Senate Bill 1062, the Administrative Workers’ Compensation Act, replaces Oklahoma’s adversarial court process with an administrative system. Oklahoma and Tennessee are the only two states left in the nation currently employing a judicial process for the resolution of workers’ compensation claims.

Senator Susan Paddack, D- Ada, issued the following statement on the amendment and passage of her bill, Senate Bill 408, today by the Oklahoma House of Representatives:

“I was surprised today to see that my bill, Senate Bill 408, was amended to include language which would allow school personnel to carry guns in our schools.

That language came from a House bill that was not heard in the Senate this session.

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman issued the following statement Wednesday following passage of Senate Bill 1062, the Administrative Workers’ Compensation Act, in the House of Representatives. Bingman’s workers’ compensation overhaul, authored in the House by Speaker T.W. Shannon, passed the House by a vote of 74-24. The bill now returns to the Senate for final approval before being sent to the Governor.

Sen. Dan Newberry today issued the following statement after the Senate’s passage of House 2032. The bill would cut the top income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 5.0 percent on January 1, 2015, and to 4.85 percent, on January 1, 2016, contingent on state revenues.

Under legislation passed by the Oklahoma state Senate on Wednesday, the future maintenance and management of state-owned assets would be prioritized and made more efficient through a central Long-Range Capital Planning Commission.