Sen. Mary Easley has authored legislation amending the definition of child endangerment to include parents or guardians knowingly letting their children ride in vehicles operated by people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved Senate Bill 1138 Wednesday.

President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee announced Thursday that he is appointing Bob McKinney as a new Ethics Commissioner.

McKinney and his wife Marguerite have been married for 21 years and have three sons. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Finance. McKinney has served as Senior Executive Vice President at RCB Bank in Claremore since 2002, with over 41 years of banking experience.

McKinney is a community leader in Claremore, including Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Claremore Regional Hospital.

The full Senate is the next stop for legislation cracking down on unlicensed drivers who hurt or kill someone while behind the wheel. State Sen. Debbe Leftwich is the author of Senate Bill 1170, which increases the penalty for a person who causes the injury or death of a person while driving with a license that has been suspended, revoked, canceled or denied. The measure was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

Senators Constance N. Johnson, Judy Eason McIntyre and other members of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus announced at the state Capitol on Wednesday that the group has filed a complaint of discrimination against the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

The group’s letter to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation cites substantial evidence of past and continuing discrimination against racial and ethnic minority owned, and socially and economically disadvantaged businesses and contractors.

The federal stimulus package will soften the effects of the recession on Oklahoma's budget for fiscal years 2010 and 2011. That's according to Senate Appropriations Chairman Mike Johnson following a committee briefing for the full Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

State Sen. Randy Brogdon has received unanimous approval for a measure linking drug testing as a condition of eligibility for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits. The measure was approved by the full Senate on Wednesday. Brogdon, R-Owasso, said the measure would ultimately strengthen families by getting those addicted to drugs into treatment.
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Legislation that would create Oklahoma’s first-ever Children’s Cabinet moved one step closer to becoming law when the state Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 697 on Wednesday.

The measure would streamline services for state agencies and organizations serving Oklahoma children. Gumm said the Cabinet would ensure state agencies are maximizing the resources at their disposal to provide improved services.

More Oklahoma students could qualify for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) under legislation approved Thursday by the Senate. SB 354, by Sen. David Myers, would modify the state tuition program by allowing the income requirement to be based on a family’s yearly salary or a three-year average.
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Legislation by Sen. Randy Brogdon calling for the end of federal mandates and programs that usurp states’ rights is gaining national attention. The Owasso Republican said Senate Joint Resolution 10 has struck a chord, not only with Oklahomans, but with people from around the country. The Washington Post, Washington Times, the Boston Globe and Reuters are among the many news organizations that have interviewed Brogdon about SJR 10. Brogdon said Congress has overstepped its powers as outlined in the U.S. Constitution and eroded the sovereignty of individual states.

State Senator Steve Russell has won support in the Senate for a bill to create more uniformity in adoptions and ensure full disclosure of fees. Senate Bill 1029, by Sen. Steve Russell, was approved unanimously Thursday. Russell, R-Oklahoma City, is an adoptive parent, and said the measure could actually result in lower costs for private adoptions.

Russell noted that a grand jury investigation had exposed instances of financial exploitation of Oklahomans who were seeking private adoptions.
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