Citing reports that low salaries are forcing many Oklahoma teachers to leave the state for better-paying jobs elsewhere, legislative leaders unveiled a program today that would give every public school teacher a $3,000 pay raise.

Senate President Pro Tempore Stratton Taylor and House Speaker Loyd Benson said the across-the-board teacher pay plan will be the Legislature's first order of business when lawmakers return for their annual session on February 7th.

State Senator Kevin Easley is asking Governor Keating to identify a mystery CEO who reportedly told the state chief executive that Oklahoma college graduates aren't making the grade when it comes to job skills.

During an interview on KRMG Radio in Tulsa last week, the Governor recounted a recent conversation with a person he identified only as a "CEO of a Fortune 500 company." According to Governor Keating, the CEO told him that the majority of Oklahoma college graduates could not pass the employment test required to work for his company.

A new teacher pay program hurriedly thrown together by Governor Frank Keating contains only "funny money," not a real pay raise, according to the leader of the Oklahoma State Senate.

Wednesday -- three days after Senate President Pro Tempore Stratton Taylor and House Speaker Loyd Benson announced an across-the-board, $3,000 pay hike for teachers -- the Governor unveiled a $2,000 pay plan, but with several strings attached.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Calling the new requirements unfair to Oklahoma schools and students, Henryetta Senator Frank Shurden has authored SB 1047 that would repeal the course-specific curriculum and honor diploma programs signed into law by the Governor last year.

"I've heard from teachers, administrators and parents across the state who feel that the curriculum requirements of House Bill 1759 were simply a bad deal. The bottom line is, this is going to cause more harm than good. We need to get it off the books," said Senator Shurden.

The state board that oversees Oklahoma's nationally recognized career technology schools is working to dismantle the award-winning vocational education system - an action that would jeopardize the future of career technology and ultimately hinder Oklahoma's economic development efforts, according to Senator Mike Morgan, vice-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

A special task force on electric restructuring will hold its third meeting in Tulsa on Wednesday, November 7th.

State Senator Kevin Easley, chairman of the Electric Restructuring Advisory Committee, said the panel is in the process of touring the state, gathering information and seeking public input on how Oklahoma should proceed with the complicated issue.

(Oklahoma City) Legislative leaders have created a special committee charged with improving health benefits for Oklahoma public school teachers and their families.

Senate President Pro Tempore Stratton Taylor and House Speaker Larry Adair announced appointments to the panel today, saying they are hopeful that the group will be able to find a way to make health insurance more affordable for teachers and their dependents.

Oklahoma City - The State Health Department has given final approval to new regulations for non-emergency medical transportation companies. That's after State Senator Jim Reynolds had authored legislation calling for the agency to clear the way for these companies to operate legally.

-- Says reform more critical than ever in light of Phillips Petroleum's relocation

OKLAHOMA CITY-State Senator Glenn Coffee today urged the Democrat legislative leaders to reconvene the current special session to address the repeal of Oklahoma's income tax. The Oklahoma City legislator likened the announced relocation of Phillips Petroleum to that of Fleming Foods when they moved their headquarters from Oklahoma City in 1999.

Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor,
Senate President Pro Tempore

"Just like all Oklahomans, I'm very concerned about the jobs our state is losing because of the Phillips-Conoco merger. If there is anything that we can do to prevent those job losses or lessen the economic impact of them, I am certainly interested in pursuing it."