With the Oklahoma Restaurant Association and the American Cancer Society supporting a proposal to lift exemptions on public smoking bans, State Sen. David Myers is hopeful Senate Bill 1875 will receive a favorable hearing when it is considered by the Business and Labor Committee on Monday.

“The facts are simple. Tobacco is Oklahoma’s leading cause of preventable death,” said Myers, R-Ponca City. “Every year, 5,800 Oklahomans die because of tobacco, and secondhand smoke exposure kills another 700 of our citizens. Too many people are dying because of smoke and secondhand smoke.”

A House bill protecting insurance companies from legislative mandates is a “sellout” to a special interest and a “stake in the heart” of Oklahomans who are often victims to arbitrary insurance policy rules that deny them access to quality health care, Oklahoma State Senator Andrew Rice, D-OKC, said today.

A bill that would establish the Oklahoma Health Care Workers and Educators Assistance program passed out of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education this week.

Senator Susan Paddack (D-Ada), author of Senate Bill 1687, said the proposed law is designed to encourage Oklahomans to enter the nursing and healthcare profession and help those prospective students through financial assistance. Paddack said the bill would give more Oklahomans an opportunity to follow a career path in the healthcare industry as well as represent a smart investment for the future.

An aggressive marketing ploy by tobacco companies is putting private information and public health of Oklahoma young adults at risk. That’s according to State Sen. Randy Bass who has authored legislation aimed at the use of driver license scanning.

“These Symbols of Pride Should be Made in America”

OKLAHOMA CITY- State Senator John Sparks, a Democrat from Norman, said today a bill he filed will require state agencies and public school districts to purchase American and Oklahoma flags manufactured solely in the United States. Senate Bill 2070 passed the General Government Committee and will go to the full Senate for a vote.

State Sen. David Myers said he was extremely pleased to win the support of the Business and Labor Committee on Monday. His legislation, Senate Bill 1875, would lift exemptions included in the 2003 law banning smoking in public places.

“I know this is just one step, and we have a long way to go, but this is a good start,” said Myers, R-Ponca City. “Too many Oklahomans are facing unnecessary health risks because of secondhand smoke. It kills hundreds of our citizens every year. They need our help.”

The Senate Education Committee on Monday unanimously approved a measure designed to make Oklahoma schools among the safest in the nation.

Authored by Sen. Todd Lamb, the Oklahoma School Security Act is a comprehensive proposal to combat bullying, reduce school violence and involve school administrators in the process of making their facilities safe for Oklahoma children.

Having been law enforcement’s most outspoken supporter in the state Senate since his election in 2000, Sen. Jonathan Nichols was recently honored by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) with the Director’s Award for Exemplary Service.

Nichols has been the author of numerous measures that have given the agency the tools necessary to fight crime more effectively and provide a more rapid response to crimes against Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens.

State Capitol, Oklahoma City – Lawton State Senator Don Barrington’s bill to expand Oklahoma’s back-to-school sales tax holiday to include school supplies was approved by the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday.

Under current law, the sales tax holiday on the first weekend in August exempts clothing and shoes from sales tax.

Barrington’s Senate Bill 1149 expands the list of tax-exempt items to include school supplies beginning in August 2009. The bill was drafted so it would not impact the upcoming budget year.

OKLAHOMA CITY- A bill proposing the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) to protect domestic abuse victims passed out of the Judiciary Committee today. Senator Debbe Leftwich, author of Senate Bill 2163, said the bill makes smart use of available technology.

Leftwich, a Democrat from Oklahoma City, said it is a responsible to employ all available technology to protect Oklahoma citizens.