Legislation to crack down on caller ID spoofing is one step closer to becoming law after winning approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Sen. James A. Williamson is the author of Senate Bill 712, which would create the “Anti-Caller ID Spoofing Act.” Williamson said criminals are using this technology to commit identity theft and other kinds of fraud.
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In an effort to make Oklahoma courtrooms safer, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a measure Tuesday to allow judges to carry firearms while performing their duties.

Senate Bill 145, authored by Senator Brian Crain, would allow for the carrying or use of weapons in courtrooms by district, associate district and special district judges.
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Sen. Kenneth Corn on Tuesday said he plans to call for the creation of a Joint Task Force on Corrections to address lingering problems with Oklahoma’s jails and prisons.

Oklahoma currently has one of the highest per-capita incarceration rates for both men and women. Additionally, a crumbling infrastructure and understaffing in the Department of Corrections places an even greater strain on Oklahoma’s corrections system, Corn said.

History was made in the Oklahoma Senate Tuesday when Republican Senator Glenn Coffee presided over the Oklahoma State Senate’s session.

It was the first time a Republican presided over the evenly-divided Senate as part of the power-sharing agreement adopted last January.

Coffee serves as the Senate’s Co-President Pro Tempore.

Democrats had controlled the Senate since statehood until the 2006 elections, when Republicans gained two seats to create a 24-24 tie in the chamber.

While African Americans represent 13 percent of the nation’s population, they account for nearly half of the new cases of HIV. That’s according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Organizations across the country are hoping to bring attention to the epidemic with events marking February 7, 2007, as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. In order to help raise awareness in Oklahoma, Sen. Constance N. Johnson authored a resolution to help bring attention to the issue. Senate Resolution 6 was approved on Wednesday.

Legislation has been introduced by Sen. Kenneth Corn that would provide a significant increase in pay and benefits for Oklahoma teachers.

Senate Bill 80 would increase the minimum salary schedule for Oklahoma teachers, while Senate Bill 58 would provide all education employees with 75 percent of their dependant coverage.

The Legislature was successful last year in passing a $3,000 across-the-board pay increase for teachers, but Oklahoma needs to keep pace with an increasing regional average, Corn said.

Thanks to the generosity of one Oklahoma couple and the talents of an Oklahoma artist, another original painting entitled "Arcadia Round-Up" by artist Linda Tuma Robertson was dedicated in the Oklahoma House Wednesday afternoon. The work, sponsored by Oklahoma County Commissioner and former State Representative Ray Vaughn and his wife, Suzanne and commissioned by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund.
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The Oklahoma State Senate passed a resolution Wednesday designating February 14, 2007 as "County Government Day" in Oklahoma. Senate Concurrent Resolution 5 is authored by Senator Earl Garrison and Representative R.C. Pruett.

"County governments play a vital role in Oklahoma's economy and governmental structure, and it's imperative that all levels of government - federal, state, county and municipal - work together for the
betterment of our state," said Garrison, D-Muskogee.
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The Senate Health and Human Resources Committee has given its approval to a bill that would ban smoking at zoos in Oklahoma. Sen. Cliff Branan is the author of Senate Bill 473, which was approved on Thursday.

“Right now there’s a loophole in the state’s law banning smoking in public places, because those places are defined as indoors only,” explained Branan, R-Oklahoma City. “This legislation will close that loophole and better protect the health and safety of the public—particularly children who visit zoos.”
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In an effort to better protect Oklahoma workers, a Senate committee has given approval to a measure that would make it illegal for companies to require implanted microchips as a condition of employment. Senate Bill 47, by Sen. Brian Crain was approved by the Health and Human Resources Committee on Thursday.
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