The State Senate has given unanimous approval to legislation that would make it harder for methamphetamine manufacturers to get ingredients needed to make the drug. Senator Dick Wilkerson is author of House Bill 2176. He called it the most proactive step the legislature has ever taken to address this growing problem.
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Oklahoma was embarrassed on the national television program “60 minutes” Sunday evening when commentator Andy Rooney ridiculed Oklahoma for its high rate of divorce.

“This is another national embarrassment for the State of Oklahoma. What makes this one really sting is that the Democrat leaders of the Oklahoma Senate have killed numerous bills to strengthen marriage in Oklahoma,” stated Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward.

A bill that would allow teachers and school administrators to post the National Motto, “In God We Trust,” in Oklahoma public schools is in trouble, the bill’s author and two members of the Senate Education Committee said at a press conference on Monday.

The Senate Finance Committee has voted in favor of a bill to let Oklahomans decide the fate of proposed fuel tax increase. Senator Robert Milacek, author of House Bill 2632, said the measure would increase gas prices 5 cents a gallon and diesel fuel taxes by 8 cents a gallon over a three-year period.

Senator Milacek said proceeds of the fuel tax increase would go to repair and maintain Oklahoma’s roads, bridges and highways. The Enid Republican called it one of the most serious problems facing the state.
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The Senate Finance Committee approved legislation Tuesday which may eventually allow Oklahomans to vote on a proposed increase in the state tax on tobacco products. The measure was reported “do pass” by the committee on a 12-0 vote.

House Bill 2660 currently does not include a tobacco tax increase, but Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson, Senate author of the measure, says he hopes to work out details in a Senate-House conference committee that will allow a statewide vote on a tobacco tax increase later this year.
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Representative Bill Mitchell, Chairman
Representative Jack Bonny, Vice Chairman

EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE
Debbie Blackburn, Chair
Mary Easley, Vice Chair
Neil Brannon
Kevin Calvey
Abe Deutschendorf
Dale DeWitt
Larry Ferguson
Terry Ingmire
Tad Jones
Ray McCarter
Doug Miller
Ray Miller
Fred Perry
Ron Peterson
Clay Pope
Larry Roberts
Barbara Staggs
Dale Wells
Susan Winchester

Education
Rozell, Chair
Coffee
Crutchfield
Ford
Milacek
Snyder
Taylor
Williams

One day after Governor Brad Henry signed the Fiscal Year 2005 General Appropriations bill into law, Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson and House Speaker Larry Adair officially appointed House and Senate members to the committee which will work out the remaining details of the FY 2005 budget.
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The Democrat leadership of the Oklahoma State Senate is refusing to allow a committee chairman to hear a landmark workers compensation reform bill, Senate Republican leaders said at a State Capitol news conference.

House Bill 2619 was assigned by the Senate’s Democrat leadership to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but they will not allow Judiciary Chairman Jerry Smith, R-Tulsa, to hear the legislation in his committee.

“The issue is a complicated one and Oklahoma has made more progress on addressing the costs associated with our system than almost any state in the nation in the last decade. I don’t think I need to remind Senator Pruitt that for a number of years he championed a completely different style of reform. He told us his administrative courts plan like those adopted in Texas and Florida – if we would just take his word for it and enact it – would solve all our ills. We chose instead to move cautiously in the area of reform and have made great strides."
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