With all the difficulties many older Oklahomans face each day, getting needed state services shouldn’t be so hard. That’s according to State. Sen. Debbe Leftwich, who announced plans for legislation to create a “one stop shop” for Oklahoma seniors.
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Gov. Brad Henry should regularly play the Oklahoma Education Lottery – and pledge to give his net winnings to public schools – to publicly show his support for the state-run gambling operation that is the cornerstone of his agenda.

“The governor should put his money where his mouth is and regularly play the Oklahoma Lottery,” stated Sen. Cliff Aldridge, R-Choctaw. “I am being consistent by not playing a lottery that I personally opposed. But the governor is being hypocritical by having pushed for the lottery and now refusing to play it.”
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State Senators Daisy Lawler and Charlie Laster said they were pleased with the second meeting held by the Senate's official legislative study on eminent domain. The two are co-chairs of the committee examining Oklahoma's current statutes on eminent domain as a result of last summer's Kelo v. City of New London Supreme Court case.
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Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan called on Governor Henry today to expand the call of the current special session to allow lawmakers to provide emergency relief from high gas prices for Oklahoma motorists.

Morgan, D-Stillwater, proposed suspending the state’s gasoline and diesel fuel tax for the final three months of the year to help Oklahomans cope with the shock of the sky-rocketing price of gas.

Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee said Tuesday his caucus members might support a proposal to temporarily eliminate the tax on gasoline – but said they have concerns about tapping the Rainy Day Fund to do it. Coffee also said Senate Republicans are ready to support a supplemental funding bill for the Centennial Commission if some specifics are included.

GASOLINE TAX

State Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson is urging Oklahoma to consider scaling back planned expenditures on upcoming centennial celebrations in order to offer greater assistance to neighbors in need.
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Sen. Don Barrington has asked Senate staff to examine possible legislative and/or administrative solutions that would allow college and university students displaced by Katrina to relocate to Oklahoma schools.

“The short-term and long-term impact of Katrina is almost unimaginable. Many people may not realize that several major universities have been virtually destroyed. It may be years before they can be totally rebuilt, but their students can’t wait that long,” said Barrington, R-Lawton.
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Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan applauded the efforts of Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue today to “relieve some of the financial burden” being experienced by residents of his state by suspending the tax on gasoline there through September.

And Morgan renewed his call for Governor Brad Henry to act so that the Oklahoma Legislature could enact the Senate Democrats proposal to suspend the gas tax in Oklahoma for a three-month period.
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Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee said he was extremely proud of one Oklahoma church’s efforts to directly assist victims of Katrina. Victory Church in Norman was making its shelter ministry in Oklahoma City available to evacuees. As of mid-afternoon, the shelter at 1900 N.E. 36th Street was already providing housing to some two dozen evacuees and was preparing for the arrival of more than 80 additional refugees later in the day.
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State Senator Johnnie Crutchfield and State Representative Wes Hilliard are working closely with federal, state and local officials to ensure a smooth transition for Hurricane Katrina victims who will temporarily be placed at Falls Creek Baptist Camp in Davis.

“We don’t know exactly when the evacuees will be here,” Crutchfield said. “But we want to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible for these families who literally have nothing but the clothes on their back.”