Senator Nancy Riley has once again filed legislation that will increase the amount an individual serving in the Armed Forces can take as an income tax deduction.

Under current law, the $1,500 of the salary an individual receives from any component of the military may be taken as an income tax deduction. Provisions of Senate Bill 46 would increase the tax deduction amount to $3,000, if the bill passes the legislative hurdles during the upcoming session.
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Statement by Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson

“First, I want to put an end to the spread of false information. I never agreed to a moratorium on further lawsuit reform last year and I was never asked to sign any such agreement. I have said repeatedly that in the coming session Oklahoma will become the first state in the country to address lawsuit reform for the third consecutive year

“We can still improve our system of civil justice, in particular, by focusing on the repeat offenders in both the medical and legal communities.
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Statement by Senate Appropriations Chairman Mike Morgan

“Governor Henry’s proposal does more than just continue the advancements we made last year when we fully funded health insurance premiums for our teachers and agreed to increase their salaries to the regional average.
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The Oklahoma State Senate is once again leading the way in utilizing the latest technology for more open government and better public service. President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson has announced the Senate is now officially Oklahoma’s newest wireless internet hot-spot.

“We’re very excited about this latest innovation. It means that visitors to the Senate will be able to have full internet access through their wireless laptop computers. They’ll be able to access legislation, streaming and digital audio, web-based email and more,” Hobson said.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Ted Fisher
“We heard today, for the third straight year, from a governor who believes in Oklahoma. We agree with him. Oklahoma is a great place to live, work and raise a family and we are proud to join Governor Henry as we build on the great strides we have made in the last two years.
“Supporting our teachers, our students, our men and women in the military, small business and working families remain at the center of the governor’s agenda and our agenda because we believe it is truly an agenda for Oklahoma.”

Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee of Oklahoma City made the following statement following the State of the State address by Gov. Brad Henry:

“Senate Republicans are pleased to hear that Gov. Henry has adopted so many longtime Republican proposals – from workers’ comp reform to tax relief to rigorous standards and accountability in our public schools. We are also pleased to hear his acknowledgement that real lawsuit reform is still needed in Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma State Senate adopted a resolution Monday honoring one of America's favorite sons and the 40th President of the United States, President Ronald Wilson Reagan.

The passage of Senate Resolution 2 was one of the first orders of business for the Senate on the opening day of the 50th Legislative Session. The resolution authored by Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee designates February 6 to February 12, 2005 as "Ronald Reagan Week" in the state of Oklahoma.
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Saying the ranks of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol will be greatly depleted by retirements over the next 18 months, Senator Kenneth Corn called Tuesday for funding back-to-back Highway Patrol Academies in Fiscal Year 2006.

“It’s a matter of safety. We need to be ready by June of next year to put 100 new troopers into the field to ensure the safety of Oklahoma families. Since the last academy in 2002, we’ve had 40 troopers retire, resign or be killed in the line of duty. Over the next year and half we will lose as many as 60 more troopers to retirement,” said Corn, D-Poteau. read more.

The tax cut package sponsored by Democrats in the Oklahoma Senate cleared its first legislative hurdle Tuesday (Feb. 8).

The Helping Oklahomans Prosper Economically Plan – or HOPE – is contained in Senate Bill 958 by Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant. The Senate Finance Committee approved the measure Tuesday on a bipartisan vote.

Gumm, Senate assistant majority leader and chair of the Finance Committee, said the bill would lower taxes on working families, attract new jobs to the state, and protect Oklahomans’ investment in critical programs.
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Coffee: Votes Show Dems Don’t Trust Henry’s Lottery Predictions

Senate Democrats on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education defeated a pair of GOP amendments that would have provided a back-up funding source for the proposed $500 million higher education bond issue.