State Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statement on Monday on her decision to work remotely to better protect a family member following reports of further spread of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.

“Senate is in session today, but I will not be present. I wanted to take a moment to explain why my absence is leading by example.

OKLAHOMA CITY -The chairs of the Legislative Veterans Caucus and the Senate and House Committees on Veterans and Military Affairs are expressing their condolences after the passing of Staff Sgt. Marshal D. Roberts, of Owasso. The 28-year-old Oklahoma Air National Guardsman was killed in a rocket attack in Iraq on Wednesday, March 11.  

A measure designating the oldest highway to pass through Oklahoma as the Historic Jefferson Highway has been approved by the Senate and now moves to the House for consideration.

The Senate strengthened protections for the unborn Thursday with the passage of the Senate Bill 1859.  Sen. Paul Scott, R-Duncan, authored the bill to increase accountability of doctors administering abortions in Oklahoma. 

A bill to help Oklahomans strapped by the ever-increasing costs of prescription drugs has cleared the full Senate.  State Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is principal author of Senate Bill 940, creating the Prescription Drug Safety and Cost Reduction Pilot Program Act.  The bill was approved on Thursday.

The Senate has passed a measure that would prohibit law enforcement entities from requiring officers, justices or judges to meet traffic citation quotas. 

The full Senate has approved legislation to encourage and retain Oklahoma’s top educators.  Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is the author of Senate Bill 1127, the Teacher Retention Act of 2020.  

The Senate approved Senate Bill 1110 on Tuesday, which would amend the Governmental Tort Claims Act to include substate planning districts, regional councils of government and other entities created under the Interlocal Cooperation Act. read more.