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.

The full Senate has given approval to a bill that would enable the public to find out which legislation was requested by a state agency or lobbyist. Senate Bill 1962, authored by Senator Anthony Sykes, was approved unanimously on Thursday. The Moore lawmaker said this is an enhancement of the Taxpayer Transparency Act approved last year to enable the public to track how all their tax dollars are appropriated through the Internet.
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A Democrat-authored insurance mandate bill would force insurance companies to pay for abortions, gutting a key reform that was adopted as part of a landmark 2007 pro-life law.

Sen. James A. Williamson, who authored the 2007 law, called on pro-life legislators in both parties to oppose a motion to reconsider Senate Bill 2114, which failed last week to garner the 25 votes needed for passage. Democrat leaders in the Senate have said they plan to bring the bill up for reconsideration this week.

“I have to wonder why it took Senator Williamson so long to bring the concerns he has on Senate Bill 2114 to light.

“I wish Senator Williamson would have brought his concerns to me personally, or brought them up in debate on the floor last Thursday rather than through a press release five days after the bill was brought up for consideration.

On Monday the State Senate overwhelming passed a major piece of the Senate Republicans’ plan to improve funding for roads and bridges.

Senate Bill 1396, by Senator Brian Bingman, removes a 3% growth trigger on roads and bridges that has prevented increased transportation funding the past two years. It also redirects existing motor vehicle taxes from the general revenue fund to roads and bridges over a 5 year period.

Senate Bill 2114, a key component of the Senate Democrats’ 2008 legislative agenda, would force insurance companies to pay for sex change operations and cosmetic surgeries for any patient who could get a “health care professional” to declare the procedure is “medically necessary.”