OKLAHOMA CITY- Appropriations Chairman Johnnie Crutchfield said Tuesday that Senator David Myers needs to further explain his proposal to use across the board budget cuts to fund an increase for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Senator explained that due to skyrocketing energy prices, LIHEAP will need additional revenue this year to help the neediest Oklahomans stay warm this winter.

Praising him for his support of both the oil and gas industry and royalty owners, the National Association of Royalty Owners honored Oklahoma Senator Richard Lerblance Friday as the organization’s National Legislator of the Year.

Lerblance accepted the honor at NARO’s annual convention at Oklahoma City’s Cox Convention Center. Royalty owners from more than 30 states attended the annual meeting.

State Sen. Jim Wilson has filed legislation to allow Gov. Brad Henry to buy out tribal tobacco tax compacts that have given some smoke shops an unfair advantage over others.

Many smoke shops have been able to sell cigarettes using a 6-cent tax stamp, which is 80-cents less than the amount paid by most shops operating under new compacts. Some recent news reports have also alleged some tribes that are supposed to be using the higher tax stamp have illegally used the 6-cent per pack stamp. Either way, Sen. Wilson said the health of Oklahoma’s citizens suffers for it.

Senator Gilmer Capps, an Assistant Majority Leader in the Senate is calling on Republican Speaker Todd Hiett to bring members of the House of Representatives back to the Capitol for a special session to keep Oklahomans safe.
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State Senator Daisy Lawler said plans are underway for a series of hearings on a program known as Farm-to-School. Lawler said President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan had approved her request for the interim study and said she would begin holding hearings later this month.
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Veteran Senator Cal Hobson questioned Thursday why, if House Speaker Todd Hiett believes the Oklahoma prisons have been under-funded for 10 years, he is willing to wait until next year to address the critical staffing shortage in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
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Senator Kenneth Corn, (D-Poteau) Chairman of Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary, made the following comments in response to a statement by House Republicans John Trebilcock and Gus Blackwell concerning the public safety crisis in Oklahoma.

“Senate leaders are more than willing to meet anytime to work out a bi-partisan agreement with House leaders as soon as they are willing to address the emergency situation in a special session, and not simply talk about next year.
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Twenty-six survivors of the USS Oklahoma are returning to the Sooner State this week. State Sen. Jim Reynolds, who has been working with the group to secure a permanent memorial at Pearl Harbor, said the survivors held their reunion here in 2004 and voted unanimously to hold their 2005 gathering here as well.
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“If you care about quality healthcare in Oklahoma then you can be sure the tobacco tax approved by voters in last year’s election is successfully lowering the number of smokers in our state and providing millions of new dollars to help small business owners provide health insurance for working families throughout Oklahoma.

“For those that care only about selling more cigarettes which will lead to an unhealthy Oklahoma, then I guess you could say the tobacco tax is indeed flawed and is hurting the deeply lined pockets of big tobacco.

Constance N. Johnson Officially Takes Office November 26

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan announced Friday that the newest member of the Oklahoma State Senate, Senator-elect Constance N. Johnson, will serve as chairwoman of the Appropriations Sub-Committee for Select Agencies.

The Oklahoma City Democrat won a special election in September to succeed Senator Angela Monson, who is being forced from office by Oklahoma’s Constitutional term limits. Johnson will officially take office at midnight Saturday, November 26, when Monson’s term expires.