The state Legislature approved legislation Tuesday recognizing the many contributions of cowboys to Oklahoma’s culture and economy. House Concurrent Resolution 1025, by Rep. Danny Morgan and Sen. Harry Coates, proclaims July 2009 as Oklahoma Cowboy Heritage Month and designates July 25, 2009 as Oklahoma Day of the Cowboy.

"Senator Justice is correct that Senate Democratic members did “find the problems” with the Republican leadership’s budget proposal that completely gutted funding for REAP and would have required furloughs of state troopers.

Senate Democrats understood doing so would have jeopardized the public safety of all Oklahomans and left rural Oklahoma in the dust.

The Senate Republican Rural Caucus announced Tuesday the accomplishments and advances made for Rural Oklahoma this session.

Senator Ron Justice, R-Chickasha, Chairman of the Republican Rural Caucus commended his fellow caucus members for working together to achieve a quality reform policy agenda.

The Oklahoma State Senate has honored the crew of Apollo X with a resolution commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the first mission ever to achieve lunar orbit.

The crew included astronauts, Eugene A. Cernan and John W. Young, along with Weatherford, Oklahoma native, Thomas P. Stafford. Sen. Clark Jolley authored the resolution which was approved unanimously on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Senate recognized an Oklahoma soldier for his service to his country as well as his humanitarian efforts to help needy Iraqi families and those of deployed soldiers. Senate Resolution 41, by Sen. Harry Coates, Don Barrington and Randy Bass, commends Colonel William J. Finley
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State Sen. Jonathan Nichols said cold cases involving some of the worst crimes in Oklahoma will now have a better chance of being solved. Nichols praised Gov. Brad Henry for signing Senate Bill 1102, also known as “Julie’s Law” on Wednesday. The legislation, written by Nichols, R-Norman, would add new misdemeanor crimes to those that can result in the harvesting of DNA. The DNA would only be collected upon conviction of those crimes.
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On Wednesday, the State Senate honored one of America’s heroes, Colonel Perry Bill Woolridge. Sen. Earl Garrison, Woolridge’s nephew, authored Senate Resolution 58 commending the Oklahoman’s military career which spanned five decades and included service in both the U.S. Army and the Oklahoma National Guard.
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Gov. Brad Henry signed legislation Wednesday that will help the children and spouses of military personnel killed in action further their education. Senate Bill 721, by Sen. Don Barrington, will allow Oklahomans to donate part or all of their income tax refund to the Folds of Honor Scholarship Program.

The Oklahoma State Senate approved House Joint Resolution 1014 late Wednesday, which prevents outside interests groups from mandating certain government funding and allows for taxpayer dollars to be spent efficiently and a budget to be balanced in a bipartisan fashion.

The Senate has given final approval to a measure aimed at reducing drunk driving in Oklahoma. Sen. Don Barrington, R-Lawton, is the principal author of Senate Bill 1185. The measure allows those convicted of drunk driving on a second or subsequent offence to retain their license if they agree to install an ignition interlock device on their vehicle. This device prevents the vehicle’s engine from starting if the driver is intoxicated.
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