State Sen. Greg McCortney won committee approval Monday for a bill renaming the closed Southern Oklahoma Resource Center in Pauls Valley. Under Senate Bill 7, the facility, long known as SORC, will be called the Washita Valley Complex.

The long-time institutional care facility provided residential care for adults with severe disabilities but closed in 2015 after the Department of Human Services decided to move residents to community-based services.
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The Senate Rules Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to send the legislation known as the Unity Bill to the full Senate for approval. Sen. Greg McCortney is the chair of the Rules Committee and Senate principal author of House Bill 2612, creating the safety and regulatory framework necessary for Oklahoma’s medical marijuana industry after voters approved State Question 788 last June. The measure has already been approved by the House.

The full Senate has given unanimous approval to Senate Bill 841, the Prescription Access and Affordability Act, by Sen. Greg McCortney. The Ada Republican said the legislation will give better consumer protections for Oklahomans and protections for local pharmacies who want to help customers save money on prescriptions.

SB 841 would expand consumer access to pharmacies and make it easier to understand how much they’re going to pay for prescriptions and additional information that would be helpful for them when purchasing prescription medication.
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The full Senate has given approval to a pair of bills dealing with a study of the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer—the sole water source for much of south-central Oklahoma. State Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada, is the author of the measures.

An earlier five-year study was undertaken in the mid-2000’s. It was the first comprehensive study of the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer and helped determine the maximum annual yield and establish the amount that private owners were entitled to access.

Legislation to add school nurses or other designated employees to those who can administer life-saving opiate antagonists has been signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt. Current law includes first-responders, such as emergency medical technicians, law enforcement and firefighters.

Former state Rep. Kevin Matthews was sworn in Wednesday as the newest Senator to represent Senate District 11 in Tulsa County. He began his legislative career when he was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2012. Matthews’ Senate oath of office was administered by the honorable Supreme Court Justice Tom Colbert.
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The 20th Biennial A. C. Hamlin Banquet, originally scheduled to be held Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, has been rescheduled to September 28, 2015. The reception begins at 6:00 p.m. and dinner is at 7:00 p.m. Please mark your calendars for the new date and watch for more information regarding ticket purchases.

The A. C. Hamlin Biennial Banquet is held in honor of Albert Comstock Hamlin, who was the first African American elected to the Oklahoma state Legislature (1908) and was the only black to serve until 1964.
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Statement from Sen. Kevin Matthews, Vice Chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus, concerning the fatal shooting of Eric Harris by Tulsa County reserve deputy Robert Bates on April 2. The incident took place in Senate District 11, which Sen. Matthews represents.
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Sen. Kevin Matthews released the following statement Monday afternoon following the resignation of Tulsa County Undersheriff Tim Albin. A 2009 internal review found that Albin had asked employees to modify reviews and training documentation for the reserve deputy, Robert Bates. Bates shot Eric Harris on April 2 saying he mistook his handgun for a stun gun. The incident took place in Senate District 11, which Sen. Matthews represents.
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Oklahoma’s first African American State Senator and civil rights leader, E. Melvin Porter, was recognized on Wednesday afternoon in the Senate chamber with a resolution authored by Sens. Anastasia Pittman, David Holt and Kevin Matthews. Senate Resolution 36 was presented on the Senate floor to Porter, who was accompanied by his family.
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