The Oklahoma State Senate approved legislation Tuesday that encourages school districts to include a special emphasis on autism as part of any professional development program on special education that may be provided to teachers in the district.

Senate Bill 1686 is authored by State Senator Mary Easley, D-Tulsa, and will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senator Easley said she is particularly passionate about this piece of legislation because autism personally touches her life every day through interaction with a special family member.

The Oklahoma State Senate approved legislation Tuesday encouraging schools to increase its physical fitness activities to help ensure a healthy start in life for Oklahoma school children.

Having already been successfully amended to a bill approved by the Senate last week, legislation that would provide qualifying Oklahoma students with at least two years of college tuition was successfully added to two additional measures by the state Senate on Tuesday.

Bass Bill Adds Cost of Books and Fees to Oklahoma's Promise Scholarship Initiative

A bill aimed at giving greater opportunities for Oklahoma's school children to realize their dream of a college education won approval from the full senate on Tuesday. The measure, called the OHLAP Enhancement Act, by Senator Randy Bass (D-Lawton) is part of the Senate Democratic "Vision for Oklahoma: Opportunity and Responsibility" 2008 legislative agenda.

A bipartisan majority of State Senators voted today for Sen. Andrew Rice’s plan to convert Oklahoma’s government vehicle fleet to alternative fuels.

For Rice, D-OKC, it is his second amendment adopted by the Senate in two days that will reduce energy costs and consumption by public institutions in Oklahoma. His amendment to a public schools auditing bill yesterday will encourage public school districts in the state to reduce their electric energy consumption by five percent per year for six years beginning in 2009.

County Commissioners may soon have the authority to declare burn bans in their counties thanks to a measure that passed the Senate Tuesday. Senate Bill 1816 is authored by Sen. Don Barrington and Rep. Don Armes.

The State Senate has approved a measure that could help slow property tax hikes. Senate Joint Resolution 59, by Sen. Jim Reynolds, was passed on Wednesday. If approved by the House, SJR 59 would let Oklahoma voters decide whether to lower the current property tax cap of five percent to three percent.

“This legislation came straight from my constituents who are begging for relief from increases in property taxes,” said Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City. “This is an especially burdensome tax for many low-income and older people in my district and throughout Oklahoma.”

By a vote of 32 to 14, the Senate approved a measure Wednesday to help Oklahoman families save money on school supplies. Senate Bill 1149, by State Sen. Don Barrington and Rep. Don Armes, would extend Oklahoma's Back to School sales tax holiday to include school supplies to the list of items already exempt from sales tax during the first weekend in August.
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The State Senate honored the life of one of Oklahoma's great civic leaders and philanthropists this week. Senate Resolution 56, by Sen. Cliff Branan, commended Jeannine Rainbolt for her tremendous contributions and support of the arts, higher education, college athletics and cancer research in the state.
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A measure to better protect elderly and incapacitated Oklahomans passed the Senate this week. Senate Bill 1600, by Sen. Ron Justice, strengthens the Elderly and Incapacitated Persons Act by making abuse against these individuals a felony.