State Senator Debbe Leftwich, D-OKC has won full Senate approval for a measure that would ban campaign contributions inside the State Capitol. Leftwich said the measure passed unanimously.

“I think this is an important day for ethics in Oklahoma. I am very happy that everyone in the chamber agreed that this is the right thing to do,” Leftwich said.
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A measure that would have required candidates for office to pickup their campaign signs along state road and highway right-of-ways with 15 days of an election failed in the State Senate Wednesday morning.

“The state spends $4 million a year picking up trash on roadsides. State lawmakers, other elected officials and candidates shouldn’t be contributing to that problem,” said Senator Kenneth Corn, author of Senate Bill 603.
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“I am thrilled that Speaker Hiett has agreed to serve as House author of Senate Bill 745, which contains the Higher Education bond package created by the presidents of the state’s colleges and universities.

“He has promised to grant the bill a hearing the House. As House author, he has the ability to move it through the process quickly and send it to Governor Henry’s desk with the same unanimous support it received in the Senate.

“As part of an agreement with Speaker Hiett, I have also signed on as author of his Higher Education bond proposal.
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The second phase of a study of women inmates in Oklahoma has just been released by the Commission on Children and Youth. The study focused on women inmates with children.

Senator Debbe Leftwich was principal author of SJR 48, which called for the study. Leftwich said while not surprising, the findings were nothing short of “disturbing.”
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The Oklahoma State Senate approved a measure Wednesday to clarify language of how juveniles are to be handled in the drug court system.

Senate Bill 740, authored by Senator David Myers, creates the Juvenile Drug Court Act which allows juvenile drug courts to function within the current juvenile system.
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The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Senator Randy Bass, said a bill providing a $250,000 life insurance policy for Oklahoma guard members cleared another legislative hurdle today as it passed out of the Senate with bi-partisan support.

The State Senate has approved a bill to provide Oklahoma nursing homes with postings of sex offender notifications. Senator Debbe Leftwich is principal author of the SB 870. Leftwich said the bill was designed to give families greater peace of mind.
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A pair of bills aimed to lower prescription drug costs for Oklahomans cleared a legislative hurdle today, said Senator Tom Adelson.

Adelson, A Democrat from Tulsa and author of the two measures, said the vote was an important step forward in the battle to reduce prescription drug costs.

State Senators overwhelmingly approved legislation Friday aimed at enticing more doctors to open medical practices in rural Oklahoma communities.

“The availability of healthcare is a very real concern in a lot of smaller communities across our state,” said Senator Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau. “The passage of Senate Bill 335 offers a true financial incentive for doctors to provide much needed medical services in places that are currently under-served.”

SB 335 is authored by Senator Gilmer Capps, D-Snyder.

"Like Governor Henry, it is my hope that Speaker Hiett will move quickly to consider the Higher Education bond plan developed by the college presidents and State Regents. Each time interest rates tick up -- even the slightest bit-- it costs us millions of dollars in additional interest on the bonds. For example, one day earlier this week, a slight increase in interest rates cost the state $10 million.

"As the House author of Senate Bill 745, Speaker Hiett can move it through the House quickly and can ensure the same kind of unanimous support it received in the Senate. read more.