Statement by Senate Appropriations Chairman Johnnie Crutchfield

“It is irresponsible of our friends in the minority to stoop to fear tactics when discussing budget negotiations. Because they have never had to write a budget and don’t have a clear grasp on governing I am not surprised at all by their behavior. Sadly their irresponsible grandstanding does nothing to help the people of Oklahoma.

A Democratic senator's session-long battle to ensure that repeat child molesters face the death penalty ended in victory today as Gov. Brad Henry signed Senate Bill 1800 into law.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm originally introduced a bill to impose the death

penalty on those predators who have proven they will continue to prey on Oklahoma's children.

"This bill will stop them, and send a powerful message that in Oklahoma, we will protect our children with the most severe punishment we have."

Governor Brad Henry this week signed a measure to strengthen Oklahoma’s teacher and public employee retirement systems.

Sen. Mike Mazzei, author of Senate Bill 1894, said the reforms contained in the measure would not only strengthen public retirement systems, but eventually save the state millions of dollars and improve Oklahoma’s bond rating, allowing for better financing of capital improvement projects.

Just 19 days remain until obstruction by Senate Democrats leads to a shut down of state government, the Senates GOP leader said Monday. And, a Democrat state senators statement at a candidate forum last week is the latest evidence that Senate Democrats may have been planning to force a government shutdown all along.

Assistant Majority Leader State Sen. Gilmer Capps said Oklahoma's aerospace industry took a major step forward Tuesday with the approval of an operator's license for the Oklahoma Spaceport in Burns Flat.

It creates the first inland spaceport in the nation and allows the Oklahoma Spaceport/Clinton-Sherman Airport to serve as a site for the launch and recovery of sub-orbital reusable space vehicles.

State Capitol, Oklahoma City – The public’s safety will be put in jeopardy if Senate leader Mike Morgan and the Senate Democrats shut down the state government because of their refusal to compromise with Democrat Governor Brad Henry and Republican House Speaker Todd Hiett in budget negotiations.

“The public’s safety will be put at risk if Sen. Morgan and Senate Democrats continue their obstruction and shut down the state government in 18 days,” stated Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee said he is disappointed that Senate leader Mike Morgan and the Senate Democrats have refused to consider a Senate GOP proposal that could prevent a government shutdown from occurring on July 1.

“It is very disappointing that Sen. Morgan and Senate Democrats have refused to consider our proposal to pass a stand-still, stop-gap budget bill to prevent a government shutdown if a final budget agreement is not in place by July 1,” Coffee said.

State Senator Jim Wilson, Chair of the Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee said Oklahoma’s state parks and resorts will be open for the July 4 weekend even if there is a state government shutdown.

Wilson (D-Tahlequah) said there is enough generated revenue to keep them open.

“I want to make it clear to everyone, including the lieutenant governor, that Oklahoma’s state parks and resorts will be open during the July 4 holiday weekend,” Wilson said. “There will be no shutdown. It will be business as normal.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan said Friday that the tax cut and budget framework agreed to by state leaders is an historic victory for working and middle class families in Oklahoma.

The agreement includes raising the Oklahoma standard deduction to the level of the federal standard deduction over the next four years – a provision that will historically and dramatically change the tax structure in Oklahoma.

Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee of Oklahoma City commented on the budget agreement by House Speaker Todd Hiett, Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan, and Gov. Brad Henry.

“Thankfully Senate Democrats have backed down from their obstructionism that brought us to the brink of a government shutdown. If Republicans ran the State Senate, the state budget would have been completed on time and this costly special session would not have been necessary,” stated Coffee.