Sen. Kyle D. Loveless withdrew his request Friday for an interim study of civil asset forfeiture in Oklahoma. The study was scheduled for September 1 at the Tulsa Police Academy. The location of the meeting quickly garnered criticism from the public, committee members and the media.

“I believe the topic of civil asset forfeiture is too important to be overshadowed by politics. I would prefer to hold an open and transparent discussion on civil asset forfeiture so both sides of the issue can go on the record to present their cases,” said Loveless, R-Oklahoma City.

Sen. Anthony Sykes on Monday said his committee will move forward with a scheduled study on the issue of civil asset forfeiture. A Tuesday meeting at the Tulsa Police Academy has been rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. after the author of the study requested to withdraw previously scheduled morning presentations.

The proposal was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sykes is chairman of the committee.

The Democrats of the Oklahoma State Senate have chosen Sen. John Sparks as leader of the Democratic Caucus. Sparks, of Norman, will succeed Sen. Randy Bass of Lawton. Sparks will take over from Bass as of this week.

“We are all grateful for Sen. Bass’ leadership this past session. His commitment to Democratic ideals is remarkable and his strong legislative efforts on behalf of Oklahoma’s children and families have been significant,” Sparks said.
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More Oklahoma students will be able to qualify for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) and attend college thanks to a new law that went into effect July 1. Sen. Corey Brooks was the principal author of Senate Bill 137, which allows the State Regents for Higher Education to review cases where a family’s income includes nontaxable military benefits or federal Social Security payments due to the death or disability of one or both parents.
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OKLAHOMA CITY Sen. Kyle Loveless, R-Oklahoma City, today reacted to the Oklahoma congressional delegations support of the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act (FAIR Act) legislation aimed at reforming civil asset forfeiture laws at the federal level.

I am pleased that our congressional delegation is standing up and co-sponsoring this important measure, said Loveless. Legislators across the country have been working to reform civil asset forfeiture laws, but meaningful reform cant happen until the federal government fixes things on their end.

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman on Thursday issued the following statement on the passing of former Transportation Secretary and Commission Chairman Herschal H. Crow, Jr. Crow, who was 80, served in the Senate (D-Altus, District 25) from 1969 through 1982. He passed away unexpectedly Wednesday morning days after surgery for a broken hip.

State Senator Anastasia A. Pittman will serve as keynote speaker for the luncheon kickoff for the 45th Annual Miss Black Oklahoma and Miss Black Oklahoma Teen pageant events next week. This year’s luncheon will be held on Tuesday, July 28th at 12pm at the Waterford Hotel in Oklahoma City.

After Tuesday’s luncheon event, the pageant will be held the following weekend on Saturday, August 1, at 7:00pm at the Freede Little Theater located inside the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City.
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A measure intended to update and clarify Oklahoma’s existing car seat law, making it easier for parents and caregivers to understand the best and safest way to restrain their child in their vehicle, was signed into law on Friday by Governor Mary Fallin.

“We know that in Oklahoma alone, the number of children who died or were seriously injured in car accidents could have been cut in half with the proper use of child restraint systems,” said Sen. Randy Bass, D-Lawton. Bass is the Senate author of the measure.
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Gov. Mary Fallin has signed into law Senate Bill 312, which consolidates local election dates to either one cycle in the spring or one cycle in the fall. This follows the successful adoption of other proposals championed by Sen. David Holt (R-Oklahoma City) to encourage higher voter turnout after dramatic recent declines.
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Two doctors currently serving in the Oklahoma Legislature are authors of a new law aimed at raising awareness of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Unlike a heart attack, which occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, sudden cardiac arrest is triggered by an electrical malfunction that causes the heart to simply stop beating. Death occurs within minutes if a victim doesnt receive treatment.
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