Sen. Brian Crain is planning to introduce legislation limiting the circumstances local governments can use for taking personal property. He said last week’s Supreme Court decision was a serious blow to the rights of individual property owners.

“I support the use of eminent domain for roads, bridges and other kinds of infrastructure projects that clearly benefit the public. But I do not support selling eminent domain powers to the highest bidder. That’s what I’m afraid this Supreme Court ruling could do,” said Crain, R-Tulsa.

Senator Kenneth Corn and other members of the Senate stood outside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary (OSP) in McAlester this afternoon and vowed to continue fighting for adequate funding for Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) and promised to work diligently to bring a comprehensive solution to a funding problem that plagues the department year after year.

Sen. Debbe Leftwich said she’s working to ensure Oklahoma families and individuals don’t lose their homes in government land grabs after a recent Supreme Court decision on eminent domain. The Oklahoma City Democrat said she has requested legislation to restrict government property seizures.

“Owning your own home is the American Dream. It is shocking to think that dream could be shattered because a big business has enough clout to take what you thought was yours,” Leftwich said.

Oklahoma is now the third state in the nation to have an official caucus to help develop and pass legislation dealing with cancer research, prevention and treatment. Rep. Kris Steele, R-Shawnee and Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-OKC are co-chairs of the newly formed caucus.

Citing his constitutional authority Monday, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan presided over the Oklahoma State Senate while standing beside his desk on the Senate floor, reaffirming his control over the day-to-day business of the legislative body after Lt. Governor Mary Fallin’s second failed attempted to hijack it.
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Democrats violate State Constitution

In flagrant disregard of the Oklahoma Constitution, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan ignored Lt. Gov Mary Fallin’s presence in the presiding officer’s chair of the Oklahoma Senate Monday.

Senate Democrats continued to ignore the Oklahoma Constitution Tuesday in their effort to protect trial lawyers from real workers’ compensation reform.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan and Senate Democrats again ignored Lt. Gov Mary Fallin’s presence in the presiding officer’s chair of the Oklahoma Senate Tuesday – but Fallin gaveled down Morgan, whom she ruled out of order, as the Democrat leadership ordered her microphone to be turned off.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan said Wednesday that he was able to reach a resolution to the stand-off with Republican Leader Glenn Coffee and Lt. Governor Mary Fallin by keeping the lines of communication open.

Under the agreement that ended the stalemate, Morgan consented for Fallin to preside over a single vote during Wednesday’s session before handing him back the gavel.
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Senate dispute ends

State Capitol, Oklahoma City – Senate Democrats backed down Wednesday from their efforts to keep Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin from presiding over Senate proceedings and avoid a vote on real workers’ compensation reform.

Democratic Senator Daisy Lawler called on House leaders today to pass House Bill 1686, the historic pro-life measure that passed off the Senate floor more than a week ago.

“I am not sure what the hold up is in the House,” Lawler, a Democrat from Comanche said. “This bill could already be sitting on the Governors desk awaiting his signature if the House would simply allow the bill to be heard.”
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