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Oklahoma Senate
Senators Frank Simpson, Patrick Anderson and Don Barrington announced their opposition Thursday to a Senate bill that would eliminate a tax benefit for volunteer firefighters, among other tax credits and deductions. Senate Bill 1623 filed by Sen. Mike Mazzei would, among other actions, eliminate a small tax credit for volunteer fire fighters as part of an effort to save the state money to help fund the lowering of the state’s income tax rate. The bill will be heard next week.
Lake Murray State Park could soon be getting a new lodge thanks to legislation filed by Sen. Frank Simpson and Rep. Pat Ownbey. Senate Bill 1913, which was approved by the Senate Rules Committee earlier this week, would authorize the Department of Tourism to utilize $15 million from the State Park Trust Fund to build the new lodge.
On Wednesday, state Senator Frank Simpson filed legislation to provide local communities more control over smoking standards. Currently, cities and towns cannot enact smoking ordinances that are more stringent than state law.
read more.State Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, issued the following statement regarding the lack of support by Senate leadership for Senate Bill 13, also known as the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act. Silk is the author of SB 13.
read more.OKLAHOMA CITY - State Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, issued the following statement in response to the letter recently published by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) stating its opposition to Senate Bill 13, or the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act. If enacted, this legislation would bring an immediate end to abortion in Oklahoma. Silk is the author of SB 13.
read more.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 Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a bill by Senators Roger Thompson and Wayne Shaw that would permit state agencies to enter into pay-for-success contracts with private entities if there is a public benefit to the state.
Senate Bill 210 sets out the conditions for pay-for-success funding models made between state agencies and private entities. Under the measure, pay-for-success contracts must identify performance targets and outcomes against which the program can be measured to determine quantifiable public benefits or monetary savings.
The full Senate has given bipartisan approval to a slate of common sense criminal justice reforms. The four measures, which were proposed by Gov. Mary Fallin’s Oklahoma Justice Reform Committee, would still hold criminals accountable, but represent a better approach to dealing with nonviolent offenders that will help reduce chronic prison overcrowding, reduce recidivism, and ultimately help save taxpayer dollars.
read more.The Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved four criminal justice reform bills aimed at addressing the state’s prison population while still ensuring public safety. The measures were touted by Governor Mary Fallin in her State of the State speech this year, and were proposed by her Oklahoma Justice Reform Committee.
Sen. Greg Treat, R-Edmond, is Senate principal author of three measures that would hold nonviolent offenders accountable while still ensuring public safety and saving millions of dollars each year.
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