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.

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 16, 2005) – State leaders today unveiled a bipartisan agreement to provide significant new investment in Oklahoma’s roads and bridges without raising taxes.

The plan would gradually increase annual road and bridge spending to a sustained level of $170 million – using surplus revenue in state coffers without raising taxes. The plan will phase in at $34 million each year until the $170 million figure is reached in Fiscal Year 2011.

The full Senate has given final approval to a measure creating the Youthful Offender Task Force of 2005. Senator Nancy Riley, R-Tulsa and Rep. Lucky Lamons, D-Tulsa, are co-authors of the measure. Riley said Senate Bill 458 would help lawmakers scrutinize how Oklahoma deals with juveniles in state custody.

Sen. Randy Brogdon said a handful of lawmakers speaking out against $58 million in tax relief on Monday were simply using scare tactics when they said the cuts would harm education, roads and other state-funded entities.

“What we want to do is make sure Oklahomans keep more of their own money to reinvest in businesses and services across our state. That’s the kind of investment that will really help our economy grow as opposed to overtaxing our citizens to fund bigger government,” said Brogdon, R-Owasso.

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction will begin receiving the state Sex Offender Registry this summer for distribution to school districts thanks to a bill signed into law Monday.

Senate Bill 440, by Sen. David Myers, R-Ponca City, will help improve Oklahoma school districts' ability to check potential employees, as well as current ones, by giving them direct access to the state registry.
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A bill to require high-tech monitoring for convicted sex offenders has been signed into law. Sen. Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland, principal author of the measure, said Gov. Brad Henry signed SB 631, “Jessica Lunsford’s Law” on Tuesday at the State Capitol.
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Governor Brad Henry, House Speaker Todd Hiett and Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan Tuesday announced an agreement on the funding level for public schools.

The agreement provides an increase of $145 million in funding for common education.

What started as a rally for support for the thousands of Oklahoma grandparents raising their grandchildren back in September of 2004, has turned into a law strengthening the rights of those grandparents. Senate Bill 733, authored by Senator Daisy Lawler, was signed into law today by Governor Brad Henry as a host of grandparents and bill supporters stood in the Governor’s Blue Room to witness the ceremonial bill signing.
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Rural Republican state senators Wednesday pledged their support for a proposed $150,000 state appropriation to provide vital assistance to increase the delivery of water to southwest Oklahoma’s Lugert-Altus Irrigation District.

Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward, the chairman of the Senate Republican Rural Caucus, said the appropriation to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board would be earmarked for vitally important projects to stretch water supplies in the region.

State Republican and Democrat leaders today announced a bipartisan health care reform plan, including a new system for prescription drugs assistance and model legislation to make health care more affordable using health savings accounts.