Senator Charles Ford announced the dedication of another original painting commissioned by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund Inc. The painting, entitled Game Birds at Glass Mountain, was created by prominent regional artist Harold T. Holden of Enid, Oklahoma, and was unveiled during a ceremony in the Senate Chamber Wednesday afternoon.

Statement by Senator Cal Hobson,
Senate President Pro Tempore

"With the Senate approval of this proposal to take $25.5 million from the state rainy day fund, our public schools are one step closer to getting some relief in the face of this budget shortfall.

"However, this amount will simply reduce the size of the funding reductions our schools face. Education, health, public safety, transportation and every other area of state government still face dramatic cuts that could eventually touch every single family in this state one way or another.

Senator Keith Leftwich author of Senate Bill 276 cleared another legislative hurdle on Monday February 24th.

The Democrat from South Oklahoma City enabled passage of the bill on the Senate floor. The bill will prohibit notary publics from providing legal advice on any proceeding in relation to immigration or citizenship.

Oklahoma City In a straight party-line vote Tuesday, Senate Democrats stopped an effort by Republicans to fund the FY 2004 common education budget at levels recommended by Gov. Brad Henry.

Senate Republican Floor Leader James A. Williamson, R-Tulsa, stated, The Senate Democrat leadership continues to hold education funding hostage. The Senate had an opportunity to fund education first, and at Governor Henrys proposed levels. Republicans tried, but the majority Democrats had the votes to stop our effort.

Statement by Cal Hobson,
Senate President Pro Tempore

I regret the Republican Caucus once again proved they would rather look good than do good. They offered only non-answers to Oklahomas budget crisis. To extend a false promise for the funding needs of our public schools while ignoring the stark reality of the danger faced by our children without health insurance, the needs of our senior citizens and other critically important constituencies that we must address is at best, irresponsible.

State Capitol, Oklahoma City Senate Republicans welcomed medical doctors to the State Capitol Wednesday, where a rally was held to demand medical tort reform in the face skyrocketing medical malpractice insurance.

Senator Charles Ford announced the dedication of another original painting commissioned by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund Inc. The painting, titled "45th Infantry at Pork Chop Hill, Korea" by nationally recognized artist and Vietnam veteran R.T. Foster of Oklahoma City, was unveiled during a ceremony in the House Chamber this afternoon.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Two state legislators are working together in a bipartisan effort to keep sex offenders away from schools and parks. Representative Kevin Cox and Senator Jonathan Nichols have both filed bills that would criminally proscribe convicted sex offenders from either living near schools or entering the vicinity of schools or community playgrounds.

(Oklahoma City) Citing the state budget crisis and other pressing issues, the new leader of the Oklahoma State Senate is urging policy makers to put aside their differences in the coming legislative session and work together for the good of the state.

Senator Cal Hobson made those comments Tuesday afternoon after he was formally elected Senate president pro tempore during a one-day organizational meeting of the Oklahoma Legislature. The president pro tempore position is the top leadership post in the Legislature's upper chamber.

Given Oklahoma's ongoing budget crisis, Senator Frank Shurden wants a careful look at how much is being spent on professional service contracts and whether some of those could be eliminated to save state dollars.