Legislation has been introduced by State Senator Don Barrington, R-Lawton, that will help protect the jobs of volunteer firefighters who are called to duty while at work by offering tax incentives to businesses that hire these individuals.
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After working closely all summer with corrections officials, and even convening a special session to deal with Oklahoma’s public safety crisis, the Oklahoma State Senate passed a $24 million supplemental appropriation for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) today. read more.

A key plank of the Senate Democratic agenda to strengthen small business won the approval of a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee today, making access to affordable healthcare one step closer to becoming a reality for all Oklahomans. Senate Bill 1294, authored by Senator Tom Adelson, expands the Insure Oklahoma program to include small businesses with 50 or fewer employees. The program, created by Democrats, allows small business owners the opportunity to provide health insurance to their employees at affordable rates.
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State Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson is touting legislation she says could generate an additional $2 million a year in savings for college. Wilcoxson’s measure, Senate Bill 1307, would offer employers a tax credit for contributing to an employee’s savings account. She said the idea behind the bill, was to help more Oklahomans earn college degrees.
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Sen. Daisy Lawler said she was very pleased that her Farm-to-School legislation had passed its first challenge in the legislative process. Senate Bill 1515 won approval by the Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Regulatory Services this week and will next be heard by the full Appropriations Committee.
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State Senator Debbe Leftwich, chair of the Senate Business and Labor Committee is sponsoring a bill aimed at amending the state’s lineal estate tax law to include collateral heirs.

Senate Bill 1391 would modify the current law and allow collateral heirs to have the same exemptions that lineal heirs have.

Under current law, lineal heirs have an exemption of up to $1 million on estate taxes, but there is no exemption for collateral heirs.

- Sen. Leftwich’s proposal ‘nibbles around the edges’

State Sen. Owen Laughlin, Assistant Republican Floor Leader, said Friday that Oklahoma’s death tax needs to be fully eliminated, and said a proposal by Senate Democrats to amend the death tax law is inadequate.

Bills Author Says Merit Pay Plan Promotes Greater Accountability in Oklahoma Classrooms

State Senator Mary Easley (D-Tulsa), vice-chair of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee said she was pleased that her funeral picketing bill was approved by the full Senate on Monday.

Senate Bill 1020, known as the “Oklahoma Funeral Picketing Act” would make it a misdemeanor to picket within 500 feet of a cemetery, mortuary or church from one hour before the scheduled commencement of funeral services until one hour after the actual completion of the funeral services.

The House co-author is Rep. Wade Rousselot (D- Waggoner).
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In a party line vote Monday, Senate Democrats blocked a Republican senator’s proposal to reward teachers who earn a National Teacher Certification status and act as mentors to other teachers.

The amendment, authored by Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Moore, would have provided $10,000 national teacher certification bonuses each year for nationally certified teachers who act as a mentor to at-risk teachers and participate in performance evaluation research.