OKLAHOMA CITY – A measure to provide increased transparency of local school districts’ spending on salaries was approved Wednesday.  House Bill 2009, by Sen. Jason Smalley and Rep. Michael Rogers, would require the State Department of Education, beginning with the 2018-19 school year, to annually publish on its website a report that lists all increases in wages, salaries, rates of pay or fringe benefits, and any changes to job class.  

OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Stitt recently signed legislation to help better address the state’s teacher shortage by extending the number of days substitute teachers can work each year.  Sen. Jason Smalley, R-Stroud, is the Senate principal author of House Bill 1050. 

Appointed Chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Jason Smalley was tapped by his colleagues for one of the Senate’s highest leadership roles recently when he was elected Majority Caucus Chairman.  The Stroud Republican began serving his second term last month and previously served two years in the House. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Greg Treat was honored Thursday by the Innocence Project for authoring several criminal justice reforms this session.

“I’m humbled to have been recognized by the Innocence Project,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City. “These bills will help lower incarceration rates and prison costs while still holding offenders accountable for their crimes and preserving public safety. These will also ensure that once nonviolent offenders pay their debt to society that they can go on with their lives, find employment and become productive taxpaying citizens."

Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is calling the 2019 legislative session the most productive of his tenure in the State Senate, in terms of both budgeting priorities and public policy that was signed into law.  Lawmakers were able to conclude their work a week before the constitutional deadline of May 31. 

This coming Friday evening Norman North and Tulsa Union will battle for the state 6A-1 championship, the largest football class in Oklahoma.  The two state senators who represent those schools have made a friendly wager on which team will take the championship.  Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, will be cheering for Norman North, while Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, is betting Tulsa Union comes out on top.  The senator whose school is defeated will donate $100 to the winning school’s education foundation.

State Sen. Rob Standridge has been elected to a top leadership position for the 57th Legislature.  During the 2019 and 2020 legislative sessions, Standridge, R-Norman, will serve as Majority Whip for the Senate Republican Caucus.

Sen. Rob Standridge said a total of 13 schools in the Norman, Little Axe, Noble and Mid-Del school districts are

now participating in the Junior Senator Reading Challenge.  The program, which Standridge sponsors, is currently in its fourth year and is aimed at encouraging children to read while providing libraries with additional resources to help students participate.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Two contracts were awarded recently for major I-35 improvements in Norman, Sen. Rob Standridge and Rep. Scott Martin announced.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Rob Standridge was recently named to a Senate leadership role after being elected as a Majority Whip.  This will be the Norman Republican’s second session as he was elected in November 2012.