OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate has given its approval to Senate Bill 608, the “Filmed in Oklahoma Act of 2021.”  The measure, by Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, and House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Finance, Revenue and Taxation Chair Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, establishes a $30 million cap on first-come, first-served rebates for TV and film productions in Oklahoma.

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Legislature paid tribute to retiring Higher Education Chancellor Glen D. Johnson on Wednesday, thanking him for his service to the state and wishing him well as he begins his next chapter.  Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, and House Chair of the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education Mark McBride, R-Moore, are coauthors of Senate Concurrent Resolution 10, honoring Johnson’s extensive service to the state. Johnson retires as chancellor Sept. 30, 2021.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, commended the full Senate for overwhelmingly passing Senate Bill 1080, which makes improvements to the Equal Opportunity Scholarship Act.

Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, a former public school teacher, released the following statement Tuesday following Senate passage of Senate Bill 1080. 

Today Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statement after Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Oklahoma will prematurely end the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program in Oklahoma.

Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd, Sen. Michael Brooks, Sen. Julia Kirt and Sen. J.J. Dossett met with media to provide an update on session.

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 13, 2021)— A state budget agreement reached Thursday maintains all state core service funding, provides tax relief to individuals and businesses, and makes targeted new investments in key priorities like education, economic development, health care and infrastructure.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate approved a resolution Thursday recognizing May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.  Senate Resolution 20 was authored by Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd. Leaders and members of the Asia Society of Oklahoma, Asian District Cultural Association, and Taiwanese Association of Oklahoma were present for the reading of the resolution.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Thursday, Senate Democrats called for sustainable use of the one-time $1.13 billion in funding available for state appropriations. This money would be in addition to the nearly $6.4 billion in federal funding coming to Oklahoma from the American Rescue Plan, of which $1.9 billion is going directly to state government. 

Monday, the US Treasury Department released guidelines for use of the American Rescue Plan dollars to:

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate each in bipartisan and overwhelming votes on Wednesday approved new legislative district maps.

By law, the Legislature must redraw its legislative and congressional district boundaries to reflect changes in population every 10 years immediately following the decennial Census. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, redistricting plans for state legislative districts must be completed by the end of this year’s regular session.