Oklahoma is considered one of the premiere states for STEM education and Sen. Ron Sharp wants to expand it further. He has filed Senate Bill 880 to further advance STEM education by moving oversight of the STEM Region/Community application subcommittee from the Coalition for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Education in Oklahoma (CASMEO) to the Department of Career and Technology Education.
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Sen. Ron Sharp carried the nomination last Thursday of long-time public safety officer Major Rusty Rhoades to serve as the Commissioner of Public Safety. The Senate Public Safety Committee approved the nomination unanimously.

“Major Rhoades has dedicated his life to serving the people of Oklahoma and improving public safety throughout the state,” said Sharp, R-Shawnee. “He will be a strong leader for the Department of Public Safety and we look forward to seeing his vision for how to strengthen and continue to improve public safety in our state.”
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On Thursday, the Senate gave unanimous approval to legislation modifying child abuse reporting requirements. House Bill 2259, by Rep. Dell Kerbs and Sen. Ron Sharp, requires individuals, especially educators, to report suspected child abuse or neglect of those 17 years or younger immediately to the DHS Child Abuse Hotline and those 18 years or older to law enforcement.
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On Thursday, Sen. Ron Sharp filed legislation to modify several Virtual Charter School laws in Oklahoma. The 40-year retired educator said his bills are an effort to increase virtual charter school accountability and oversight.
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Following public outcry about school funding and concern over high administrative salaries, Sen. Ron Sharp filed legislation Friday to make superintendent salaries a completely local decision. Senate Bill 60 would require superintendent salaries and fringe benefits to be paid with only district (ad valorem dollars) and dedicated local funds. The bill would stop any state appropriated dollars from being used for the salaries in order for them to be diverted to the classroom.
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On Monday, Sen. Ron Sharp filed three bills in response to the multi-county grand jury’s findings in May concerning the State Department of Health’s financial deception in recent years. The grand jury’s six month investigation found that the agency had been withholding financial information, including a $30 million “slush” fund, from the legislature for several years. The Shawnee Republican said his bills would put into action some of the grand jury’s seven recommendations in order to improve financial transparency among state agencies.
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Continuing his efforts to provide increased agency fiscal efficiency and accountability, Sen. Ron Sharp filed legislation Friday to require legislative oversight of state agency director salary increases. Senate Bill 247 would require approval of proposed agency director pay raises by the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees tasked with oversight of the director’s agency.
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Sen. Ron Sharp is continuing his push this session to save taxpayers from paying for special elections when state legislators leave office before their term is up. Senate SB 363 requires state Senators or Representatives who resign, are removed from office, or are expelled, to pay the remaining balance of their campaign fund to the State Election Board to offset the costs of the resulting special election.
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Legislation has been filed to bring Oklahoma’s poultry laws in line with U.S. Department of Agriculture standards. Sen. Ron Sharp (R-Shawnee) authored Senate Bill 995 to provide small farm exemptions from the Poultry Products Inspection Act, if the small farm abides by certain sanitary standards and only processes their own poultry.

Sharp said if the state fails to update poultry laws, it could jeopardize poultry famers from qualifying for federal funds and contracts.
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The Senate General Government Committee approved legislation Thursday to improve fiscal transparency and accountability of Oklahoma’s state agencies. Senate Bill 177, by Sen. Ron Sharp (R-Shawnee), requires state agencies to provide on their website, or on a general website, certain financial information as prescribed by the State Auditor and Inspector and the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES).
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