Pole Road will continue to serve as an entrance to Crossroads Mall from Interstate 240 in South Oklahoma City, transportation officials have informed Sen. Debbe Leftwich, who fought to keep the Pole Road exit open when a new highway interchange design threatened to make shoppers drive a mile out of their way.

- Senate Democrat leaders refuse to allow debate and a vote on GOP amendment for real lawsuit reform

By a 21-25 vote Monday, a watered-down tort bill authored by the State Senate’s Democrat leadership was defeated by a bipartisan majority.

All 21 Republican senators present, joined by 4 Democrat senators, voted against the watered-down measure, Senate Bill 1874.

Statement by Senator Charlie Laster

“Senator Coffee could have filed a so-called ‘meaningful’ tort reform bill before the session, but he didn’t. Instead, he plopped a 124-page amendment to my bill on the desk this morning in hopes we would all abandon the bill that had been heard in committee in favor of one nobody has had time read.
“It’s not like he had a bill that wasn’t heard in the Judiciary Committee. The truth is that he only filed a one-page shell bill and never asked me to hear a committee substitute dealing with tort reform. read more.

Senator Susan Paddack, a Democrat from Ada, said she is pleased a measure that will enhance the accountability in Oklahoma classrooms won the approval of the full Senate today.

“If we want Oklahoma to be even more successful, we must offer our children the best education possible,” Paddack said. “And that means making Oklahoma classrooms more accountable through end of instruction testing and through additional support for students to achieve their maximum potential.”

State Senators Monday approved a measure to reduce the flow of methamphetamines into Oklahoma by cutting off the cash flow that allows drug dealers to smuggle “Mexican Ice” into the state.
Senate Bill 1664 by Assistant Majority Leader Jay Paul Gumm passed the Senate by a 47-0 vote.
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Senator Debbe Leftwich, chair of the Business and Labor Committee says Oklahoma residents should have the opportunity to decide on what type of county government they believe will help move Oklahoma forward.

Leftwich, (D-Oklahoma City), expressed frustration Monday that her amendment concerning county home rule government hit a roadblock in the legislative process when a procedural motion failed to receive enough votes to allow an up-or-down vote on the measure by the full Senate.
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SB 1747 Could Be Signed into Law in Matter of Days

A bill that will bring greater financial responsibility and accountability to state government won the approval of the full Senate today.

The Senate author, Senator Kenneth Corn, said Senate Bill 1341 requires independent performance audits of state agencies to determine if the agencies are adequately carrying out the mission they have been assigned by the Legislature.
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With the family of Caitlin Wooten sitting in the Senate gallery this morning, the Senate unanimously approved The Caitlin Wooten Act with bi-partisan support. The author of Senate Bill 1037, Senator Susan Paddack, said with the bills approval by the Senate, it now awaits action in the House of Representatives.
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An original painting depicting the first president of the University of Oklahoma was unveiled in the Oklahoma State Senate today. Painted by Norman artist Mike Wimmer and sponsored by OU President David Boren, his wife, Molly Shi Boren, and Senator Cal Hobson, the original artwork portrays David Ross Boyd planting one of the first trees on the university campus.
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