Last week, Sen. Wayne Shaw applauded recent steps by Dahlonegah Public Schools to improve the health of their students, faculty and staff. He said he hopes other school districts take note of their efforts and work to make their own schools healthier.
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The Senate honored the life and accomplishments of Oklahoma’s son, Gordon Cooper Wednesday on the 50th anniversary of his spaceflight. Sen. Ron Sharp presented Senate Resolution 34 declaring the day as “Gordon Cooper Day” in Oklahoma.
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A measure filed Wednesday in the Senate will help ensure that the visitation rights of law-abiding noncustodial parents are protected. Sen. Ron Sharp filed Senate Bill 1612 after visiting with attorneys and community leaders from around the state and learning about the growing problem of noncustodial parents being denied their visitation rights by bitter custodial parents.
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In an effort to address growing discipline problems in public schools, Sen. Ron Sharp has filed legislation offering schools an alternative to suspending or expelling students for bad behavior. Senate Bill 1345 would allow school districts to voluntarily issue fines or community service to students who misbehave as punishment rather that giving them in-school or out-of-school suspension.
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On Tuesday, the Senate approved legislation that would help more businesses qualify for the Small Employer Quality Jobs Incentive Act. Senate Bill 1329, by Sen. Ron Sharp, would remove population limits which currently make the incentive inaccessible to small businesses in Oklahoma’s larger populated areas.
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The Senate gave unanimous approval to legislation Wednesday that would help better prepare students for jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Senate Bill 1181, by Sen. Ron Sharp, seeks to put into effect some of the recommendations made by the governor’s Science and Technology Council, a group focused on enhancing workforce development through the strengthening of STEM education programs at K-12 and college levels.
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The Senate Public Safety Committee approved legislation Wednesday that could save hundreds of Oklahoma lives. Senate Bill 442, by Sen. Ron Sharp, would make it unlawful to compose, send or read a text message while driving.
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Last year, approximately 2,000 Oklahomans were involved in crashes caused by drivers distracted by their cell phones and other electronic devices. More than 700 of those individuals sustained injuries while ten of them were killed according to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office. On Wednesday, the Senate sent Senate Bill 442 prohibiting texting while driving back to committee where Sen. Ron Sharp says his bill will most likely die.
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The Senate unanimously approved legislation Tuesday to better protect the privacy of Oklahoma’s teachers. Sen. Ron Sharp is the principal Senate author of House Bill 3173, which would require public bodies to keep confidential all records created under the Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System (TLE) that identify a current or former employee.
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Small businesses in Cleveland, Oklahoma and Tulsa counties could soon be able to qualify for the Oklahoma Small Employer Quality Jobs Incentive Act thanks to legislation given final approval Tuesday. House Bill 2956, by Sen. Ron Sharp and Rep. Josh Cockroft, is on its way to the Governor’s desk after passing unanimously out of the Senate.

The bill amends the Oklahoma Small Employer Quality Jobs Incentive Act by eliminating the requirement that qualifying establishments locate in counties with populations under 200,000.
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