State Capitol, Oklahoma City – On a straight party-line vote late Wednesday evening, Senate Democrats rammed through a controversial education bill that reverses important education reforms and reduces the control of local school boards over the state’s public education system, Senate Republicans said today.

“HB 1767 is very bad news for every Oklahoman who wants to improve our public education system, and is a sellout to the liberal OEA leadership,” said Senate Republican Floor Leader James Williamson, R-Tulsa. Williamson is a former teacher.

Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson said Tuesday that he has never suggested dismantling the state fund dedicated to cleaning up the environmental threats from leaking underground petroleum storage tanks.

Hobson, D-Lexington, said his only desire is to ensure proper stewardship of both the environment and the taxpayer’s money by reforming management of the Underground Storage Tank Indemnity Fund.

State Capitol, Oklahoma City – Thursday the state Senate adopted HB 1256 requiring zero-based budgeting for state government. Zero-based budgeting is a key Republican reform proposal that was part of the bipartisan budget agreement reached earlier this year.

“Zero-based budgeting will require state agencies to justify every dollar they spend from the first to the last, and will help the Legislature better analyze the effectiveness and performance of state agencies and programs,” said Sen. Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow. Pruitt is a leading Senate advocate for zero-based budgeting.

Senator Charles Ford announced the dedication of another original painting commissioned by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc. The painting, titled “Nathaniel Pryor and Sam Houston at Three Forks” by nationally renowned artist Mike Wimmer of Norman, was unveiled during a ceremony in the Senate Chamber this afternoon.

State Capitol, Oklahoma City – Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin, Senate Republican Floor Leader James Williamson, and House Republican Floor Leader Todd Hiett issued the following statement on the tort plan issued by Governor Henry’s medical liability task force on Friday:

There is a single purpose to passing medical lawsuit reform in Oklahoma: To lower the cost of skyrocketing medical malpractice insurance for doctors and medical providers, thereby lowering the overall medical costs for Oklahoma families.

State Capitol, Oklahoma City – A tort plan issued by Governor Henry’s medical liability task force “falls far short” of being reform, Republican leaders said Friday.

Democrats Support Hobson for Second Two-year Term as
President Pro Tempore

Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson confirmed Tuesday that he has secured unanimous support from fellow Democrats for a second two-year term as the leader of the Oklahoma State Senate. The Lexington Democrat said that every member of the Democratic caucus has provided him with an official pledge card, promising to support his election to the top Senate post in January 2005.

(OKLAHOMA CITY) The House and Senate of the Oklahoma Legislature have passed a concurrent resolution (SCR-23) for the establishment of the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Initiative (ONI).

(Oklahoma City) -- Senate Majority Whip Keith Leftwich has been appointed to a new commission dedicated to protecting Oklahoma’s military installations from being downsized or closed.

Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson, D-Lexington, announced Leftwich’s appointment to the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission Thursday.

“All of Oklahoma’s bases are absolutely essential to our state’s economy. We want to do all we can to make sure we keep them,” said Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City.

(OKLAHOMA CITY) The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has been given a reprieve in its management of the state fund created to pay for the cleanup of leaking underground petroleum storage tanks, a key State Senator said today.

But that doesn’t mean it should be business as usual within OCC’s Petroleum Storage Tank Division, Senate Energy Environment and Communications Committee Chairman Kevin Easley said.

Easley told Commissioners in a letter today that he intends to make sure the Petroleum Storage Tank Division follows state statutes.