Sen. Patrick Anderson today said he was shocked that the State Department of Education spent $33,268.00 on its annual report. The report, which is 60 pages in length and includes 50 glossy color photos and charts, was delivered to legislators Wednesday.

According to the document, the Department of Education printed 2,000 copies, meaning each copy of the report cost taxpayers $16.63.
read more.

The 6th annual Breast Cancer Awareness Day will be held at the state Capitol on Tuesday, April 29. The educational event is free to the public and provides information on prevention, treatment, support groups and other important topics.
read more.

The state Senate has approved legislation to ensure that students in Oklahoma high schools receive instruction in life-saving Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) prior to graduation. Under House Bill 1378, authored by Rep. Emily Virgin and Sen. John Sparks, students will receive hands-on training to learn skills that can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival after sudden cardiac arrest.
read more.

Currently, 100-percent disabled veterans in Oklahoma are provided with an ad valorem tax exemption for their primary residence as long as they lived there on Jan. 1st and apply for the exemption by March 15th. Last week, the Senate approved legislation ensuring disabled veterans continue to get the exemption if they move mid-year as well as extending the tax break to the surviving spouses of veterans killed in the line of duty.
read more.

After earning unanimous approval in the Senate on Tuesday, two proposals authored by Sen. Dan Newberry to combat the crime of human trafficking will now advance to the governor.

Senate Bill 1433 would guarantee that persons convicted of human trafficking serve at least 85 percent of their sentence. Under Senate Bill 1431, the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration Act will apply to people convicted of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. Both measures are sponsored by Rep. Pam Peterson.
read more.

With a plan to build a new State Medical Examiner’s Office in Edmond facing uncertainty, Sen. Patrick Anderson is proposing that the state use one-time money from the Unclaimed Property Fund to construct the facility.

The State Supreme Court last year issued a ruling that would allow the state to proceed with the sale of $38.5 million in bonds to fund the project. However, the bonds have yet to be sold due to concerns from University of Central Oklahoma officials that the Legislature will not provide funding for the bond payments. read more.

The state Senate today approved a plan to complete the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum (AICCM) without undertaking further state bond debt.
Senate Bill 1651 will fund completion of the project using $40 million in one-time monies from the state’s Unclaimed Property Fund, which will be matched by $40 million in private donations. The proposal enables the project to be completed without accepting any federal debt financing, and eliminates the state agency structure of AICCM, removing its annual cost from the state budget.
read more.

A portrait of critically and internationally acclaimed Oklahoma author Ralph Ellison was unveiled in a special ceremony at the state Capitol on Thursday. Ralph Ellison was author of the 1953 National Book Award-winning novel “Invisible Man,” as well as other acclaimed works, including “Shadow and Act,” “Going to the Territory,” “Juneteenth” and “Three Days Before the Shooting.”

The fundraising effort for the artwork was led by State Sen. David Holt, Oklahoma City University President, Robert Henry, and Kevin Perry of Perry Publishing and Broadcasting.
read more.

Oklahoma State Senators Josh Brecheen and Anthony Sykes filed an amendment to Senate Bill 1764 that will address the growing concern with Common Core education standards.

The amendment to SB 1764:
1. Orders the State Board of Education to remove alignment with the K-12 Common Core State Standards developed by the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

The state Senate today approved legislation that would guarantee persons convicted of human trafficking will serve at least 85 percent of their sentence.
Sen. Dan Newberry, author of Senate Bill 1433, said the measure will ensure that some of the state’s most dangerous criminals serve a sentence that fits their crime.
read more.