Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee said Democrat State Sen. Daisy Lawler is a “late-comer” to the pro-life movement at the state Legislature and should stop her criticism of pro-life House Republicans, who have a long history of promoting and supporting pro-life legislation.

“Sen. Lawler is a latecomer to the pro-life movement at the Capitol, and she has very little credibility to criticize anyone on the life issue given her voting record,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

Members of the Senate and the House will represent their respective chambers as the two sides go head to head for the second annual House vs. Senate baseball game. About half the members of each chamber have signed up to play in the Tuesday afternoon event. State Sen. Scott Pruitt, Managing General Partner of the Oklahoma RedHawks, said all are welcome to cheer on the team of their choice.
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A bill that would bring an end to so called “drown nights” is on its way to Gov. Brad Henry. Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-OKC, is principal author of the measure, which won final Senate approval on Monday. The House author of Senate Bill 518 is Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman.

Drown nights are special events that allow customers to purchase unlimited amounts of 3.2 beer for a flat rate or for a sharply discounted price. SB 518 would bring an end to those promotions.
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Senator Jeff Rabon stated today that Oklahoma’s retired educators need legislative support to ensure the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System and the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) do not have their funds depleted.

Legislation to help keep better tabs on registered sex offenders has won final Senate approval and is now headed to Gov. Brad Henry. Sen. Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland, is the author of Senate Bill 631, named “Jessica Lunsford’s Law,” after a Florida girl who was molested and murdered. The suspect in that case is a convicted sex offender. Wyrick said the bill, which was approved unanimously, would require registered sex offenders to wear Global Positioning System (GPS) monitors so that law enforcement can better track their locations.
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Senator Tom Adelson and Representative Thad Balkman announced Tuesday that work has been completed on the budgets for the state’s health and social service agencies by the respective sub-committees in the House and Senate.

Appropriations and budget limit bills for the six agencies could be ready for consideration by the General Conference Committee on Appropriations and votes by the full Senate and House next week. read more.

For the second straight year, the Oklahoma State Senate has proven why it is, in every way, the “upper chamber” by rallying to defeat the House in a 13-7 win at the SBC Bricktown Ballpark. The Senate was able to overcome a House lineup that somehow managed to send its best hitters to the plate every inning.
An early lead by the Senate was fueled by Republican Leader Glenn “Coffee Can” Coffee’s triple into the left-field corner.
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Democratic Senator Daisy Lawler said she is pleased that House Republican leaders finally understand they should no longer delay a floor vote on HB 1686, the historic pro-life legislation that passed out of the Senate two weeks ago.

“I really didn’t understand what the delay was on their part,” Lawler said. “It makes no sense to me why a party that claims to be so committed to life would let a bill that has received so much praise from groups such as Oklahomans for Life to just sit over there for two weeks and do nothing about it.”
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The Senate author of historic pro-life legislation on its way to the desk of Governor Brad Henry said Thursday’s belated approval of the measure in the House of Representatives was a “victory for all Oklahomans.”

House Bill 1686, by Senator Daisy Lawler and Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, passed the Senate on a 44-4 vote on April 27 and passed the House 95-3 Thursday.
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Senator Jim Wilson, Representative Debbie Blackburn and Representative Joe Eddins stated today that the current round of Oklahoma tax cuts being considered by both house of the legislature will only prove to be devastating to future programs and needs of Oklahomans.

The legislators stated that the tax cuts, which are phased in over a period of four years, seem like a good plan, but in the end will only end up costing Oklahomans more grief and problems.