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Senator Carol Martin announced the kick-off of a joint effort to educate citizens about the deadly connection between so called "club-drugs" and the financing of terrorism. The program, called Shoulder to Shoulder, is the result of a partnership between the Drug Enforcement Agency and National Foundation of Women Legislators. Senator Martin serves as a team leader for the project in Oklahoma.
read more.(Oklahoma City) Legislative leaders are urging Oklahoma tourism officials to use a new state law and other emergency measures at their disposal to address state park sewage problems, instead of requesting a costly and unnecessary special session of the Legislature to address the issue.
read more.Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor,
Senate President Pro Tempore
"We all agree that the state parks need to be fixed as quickly as possible and we are all working toward that goal. We simply believe that the best and fastest way to get them back into shape is to implement the short-term solutions suggested by DEQ and carry through with the bond issue authorized by SB 1271.
read more.Brooks Douglass announced on Monday that he would not seek another term in the Oklahoma State Senate. The Oklahoma City Republican was first elected to represent Senate District 40 in 1990, but now says he wants to turn his attention to private business opportunities as well as his career in the military.
read more. (Oklahoma City) Issues ranging from daycare staffing to rural 911 service will be the topics of a series of interim studies conducted by the Oklahoma State Senate in the coming months.
Senate President Pro Tempore Stratton Taylor announced the approval of the interim studies today, saying the special committee work will help lawmakers prepare for the 2003 legislative session.
A push to require municipalities to pay into two retirement funds for certain volunteer firefighters could severely undermine fire protection in small communities. That's according to Senator Kelly Haney, who has requested an Attorney General's opinion on that issue, as well as whether those same volunteers would have to meet the same physical and agility requirements as full-time fire fighters.
read more.Senator Frank Shurden is urging Governor Keating to sign a bill that would authorize chemical castration for certain sex offenders in Oklahoma. The Henryetta lawmaker said if this bill becomes law, it could prevent countless sex crimes against women and children.
"In Europe, countries that already allow castration of sex offenders have shown that not only is it an effective deterrent, but it has also resulted in a dramatic reduction in repeat offenses," explained Senator Shurden.
read more.Senator Frank Shurden said Governor Frank Keating's veto of a bill to allow castration of convicted rapists would cost Oklahoma taxpayers millions of dollars. That's because the governor said he'd rather see the sex offenders kept in prison for life even after he'd told Senator Shurden if the bill got to his desk, he would sign it.
read more.Legislative leaders announced they would appeal an Oklahoma County District Court decision handed down last month regarding the selection of Governor Frank Keating's plan for redrawing the state's congressional districts.
read more.Senate Bill 935, authored by Senator Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, had passed both houses unanimously before it was signed into law by Governor Keating this past week. The Norman Republican says that the sales tax at estate sales was a nuisance tax on Oklahoma families that needed to be removed.
read more.