Oklahoma Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd issued the following statement Tuesday after Gov. Kevin Stitt and Republican legislative leaders announced details of five bills giving the Governor the power to directly hire and fire agency heads.

“The Senate Democrats are concerned about the latest Republican proposal to increase the executive power of the Governor. We believe agency directors should be experienced professionals, not political appointees accountable only to the Governor.

Three bills passed out of the Senate late Monday to better assist victims of sexual assault and address the backlog of untested rape kits in Oklahoma. The bills, which were recommendations from the 2017 Oklahoma Task Force on Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE), are authored by Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd who is a task force member.
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Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd (D-Oklahoma City) released the following statement regarding the Legislature missing the April 1st statutory deadline to fund public education:

“It is very disappointing that the Legislature has missed the April 1st deadline to fund public education in Oklahoma. Over the last two months we should have been working together in a bipartisan manner to invest in our schools. Last year, we demonstrated the Legislature is capable of passing education appropriations by April 1st if it chooses to make this a priority.

Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd (D-Oklahoma City) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to delay a cost of living adjustment for retirees:

The Governor signed legislation Monday to help Oklahoma law enforcement investigate sexual assault crimes by creating a statewide tracking system for sexual assault evidence collection kits. Sen. Kay Floyd (D-Oklahoma City) is the author of Senate Bill 967, and was a member of the 2017 Oklahoma Task Force on Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE).
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Legislation was signed into law Tuesday to allow school districts to stock inhalers for health emergencies. Sen. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, authored Senate Bill 381 at the request of constituents who lost a family member to a severe asthma attack at school.
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Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statement after the Oklahoma Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Beason v. I.E. Miller Services, Inc., ruling that caps on damages for pain and suffering imposed by the Legislature are unconstitutional.

A measure to provide additional training for law enforcement officers relating to sexual assault calls, response and evidence collection received final approval Thursday in the Senate. Senate Bill 971 is one of three bills filed this session by Democratic Leader Sen. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, to better serve victims and enhance the tools and training used by law enforcement to investigate and prosecute sexual assault crimes.
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The Senate gave unanimous final approval to legislation Tuesday which authorizes the use of one standardized sexual assault evidence kit by all law enforcement agencies statewide. Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, said she authored Senate Bill 975 to address the state’s backlog of untested rape kits and to get victims justice faster.

In 2017, the Oklahoma Task Force on Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) conducted an audit and found that there were more than 7,200 untested rape kits throughout the state. Floyd was a member of the taskforce.
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Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statement after Attorney General Mike Hunter announced Monday the state will receive a $2.4 million federal grant to help address Oklahoma’s rape kit backlog.

“This is an issue many of us at the Capitol and throughout the state have been working hard to address for the past several sessions. This grant means more Oklahoma women will have an opportunity to seek the justice they deserve. Just as importantly, by being able to identify and prosecute sexual predators, we can prevent future assaults.