Members of the Oklahoma Senate unanimously voted to strengthen the “Oklahoma Funeral Picketing Act” originally passed last year.

That law was passed as a response to a group from a church in Topeka, Kans. that travels the nation to protest at military funerals. Under the 2006 law, picketing is illegal beginning one hour before the funeral until one our after it, and the picketers have to be at least 500 feet away from the ceremony or cemetery.
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A bill to clarify county election questions that would result in a tax increase was approved Tuesday by the full State Senate. Sen. Anthony Sykes is the author of Senate Bill 1019. Sykes said confusion over a ballot title in a Stephens County election in 2004 had prompted him to file the legislation.
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Classifying animal waste as nonhazardous is critical for the State of Oklahoma and its livestock industry. That's according to Sen. Ron Justice, R-Chickasha, author of Senate Bill 709 which declares manure as a nonhazardous material.

"This bill is critical to the State of Oklahoma because we have such a large livestock industry. It’s approximately a $5 billion industry,” said Justice, R-Chickasha. “If this were to be classified as a hazardous material then it would not only affect all of the livestock producers but it would affect people all across the state.”
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Legislation to ensure that Oklahoma will keep its promise to pay the college tuition for thousands of deserving scholarship recipients was approved by the full State Senate Wednesday.
Senate Bill 820 creates a permanent dedicated funding source for the Oklahoma’s Promise Scholarship Program.
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Senator Jay Paul Gumm’s effort to end forever the concept of forced school consolidation is two small steps away from a vote of the people with an overwhelming bipartisan vote on the Senate floor this morning.

Senate Joint Resolution 1 would give Oklahoma voters a chance to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to prohibit any school from consolidating unless approved by a majority of voters in each of the affected school districts. In short, Gumm explained, the measure would prevent “politicians, judges or bureaucrats” from forcing any school district to consolidate.
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The full Senate has approved a bill that would ban the sale of cough medicine containing dextromethorphan (DXM) as well as spray paint to anyone under the age of 18. State Sen. Charlie Laster is author of Senate Bill 951.
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The Senate has voted to approve legislation that would ban smoking at zoos in Oklahoma. Sen. Cliff Branan is the author of Senate Bill 473, which was approved on Wednesday.

“We already have laws on the books banning smoking in public places, but those places are defined as being indoors only,” said Branan, R-Oklahoma City. “SB 473 will address that loophole by specifically extending that ban to zoos, including both indoor and outdoor exhibit spaces. No other outdoor venues would be impacted by this legislation.”
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A measure that would prohibit state employees from being discriminated against on the basis of their religion was passed by the full Senate on Wednesday.

Senate Clark Jolley said Senate Bill 793 was intended to correct a problem that emerged last year when employees at a state agency were notified they could be discharged for referencing prayer or saying “Merry Christmas” during the holiday season.

Legislation to make human trafficking a felony in Oklahoma has won unanimous approval from the State Senate. Senate Bill 7, by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, would set a mandatory minimum of five years for engaging in human trafficking, and a minimum of 10 years in prison if the crime involved trafficking children 14 years of age or younger.
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The full State Senate gave approval Thursday to legislation that will provide access to quality health care for more of Oklahoma’s uninsured children.

Senate Bill 424 is a major part of the Senate Democrats’ 2007 Legislative Agenda, but the measure was presented on the floor by Republican Senator Brian Crain. Crain co-chairs of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Health and Social Services with Democrat Tom Adelson, author of the measure.

The bill passed on a 28-14 vote with six Republicans joining 22 Democrats in favor of the measure.