A state senator said he was very surprised when he first heard Senate Democrat leaders taking credit for an increase in the state’s standard deduction, because for years Senate Democrats have blocked Republican efforts to raise the standard deduction for Oklahoma taxpayers.

“Senate Democrats killed my bill to increase the standard deduction during the 2006 regular legislative session, so I was surprised to hear them take credit for this issue in the historic tax cut agreement,” stated Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond.

The Oklahoma Senate on Friday approved historic legislation to completely eliminate the state’s estate tax over a three-year period. House Bill 1172 was amended to contain language originally authored by Senators Mike Mazzei and Glenn Coffee in Senate Bill 334. In addition to eliminating the tax over a three-year period, the amendment provides immediate estate tax relief to non-lineal heirs such as nephews and nieces, treating them the same as lineal heirs such as children and grandchildren.

Mazzei said the approval of the legislation is a victory for Oklahoma taxpayers.

On Friday, State Senate Democrats killed a Republican amendment to speed up the elimination of the death tax.

“This vote is a clear indication of where senators stand on eliminating the death tax,” stated Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee, the amendment’s author. “Senate Republicans want to provide family farms and small businesses with relief from the death tax more quickly, while Senate Democrats want to make them wait until the year 2010 for this unfair tax to be eliminated.”

State Senators gave final approval Friday to the largest tax cut in state history, a measure that will lower taxes for state residents by more than $600 million when fully implemented.

Over the next four years, House Bill 1172 XX will lower the top income tax rate and phase in an increase of the Oklahoma Standard Deduction to the federal level – a provision that will mean 45,000 working Oklahoma families will never again have to pay state income tax. The tax package also includes an elimination of the estate tax over the next three years.

Statement by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan

“Governor Henry’s signature of the budget and tax cut bills approved by the Legislature during last week’s special session is a victory for all Oklahomans.

Statement by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan

“Under the direction of Chancellor Paul Risser, Oklahoma’s higher education system has been on the move.

“Chancellor Risser led the effort to create Governor Henry’s EDGE (Economic Development Generating Excellence) project, focusing Oklahoma’s economic development future on research and the high-tech industry.

“His vision to strengthen Oklahoma’s research capacities will make our state a key player in today’s growing global economy.

State Sen. Cal Hobson said he was pleased the Council for Bond Oversight had approved a request by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to refinance about half of its $1.2 billion debt. Hobson authored legislation during the 2006 session to authorize such a move. Hobson said the Council could not have taken that action without the passage of HB 2474.

A Republican state senator said GOP Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin and new Sen. Mike Schulz of Altus both deserve credit for the decision by the Senate’s liberal Democrat leadership to reverse their decision and allow a vote on a GOP-authored pro-life bill Thursday.

“Gov. Fallin had indicated privately through Republican leaders that she was willing to take the chair as Senate President to force a vote on pro-life SB 1742. Plus, the math changed this week when Mike Schulz was sworn in, giving Republicans a 23rd vote in the Senate,” stated Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward.

The State Senate has given unanimous approval to a bill targeting Internet ''phishing." House bill 2473, by Sen. Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Fred Perry, R-Tulsa, would outlaw the increasingly common scam in Oklahoma.

"When we say we're against phishing, we're not talking about the fishing you do at the lake," explained Coffee. "Phishing is a scam used by identity thieves to lure Internet users into providing financial and personal information."

The State Senate unanimously approved a measure recently to give deaf and hearing impaired students in Oklahoma better access to specialized education. House Bill 1646 would modify the Education Open Transfer Act to allow students to transfer to school districts with specialized deaf education programs at any time during the school year. The legislation is authored by Chickasha republicans, Senator Ron Justice and Representative Susan Winchester.