Gov. Brad Henry has signed a bill into law that will ensure Oklahoma taxidermists are not stuck with the expense of preparing trophies should hunters not pick up the mount.

The measure, Senate Bill 1275, was written by Senator Jay Paul Gumm after a local Bryan County taxidermist contacted him about the problem. Rep. John Carey, who also represents Bryan County, was the House sponsor of the measure.
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The State Senate gave final passage Wednesday to legislation addressing the state’s transportation funding needs. Senate Bill 1941, by Sen. Bryce Marlatt, will create the Innovative Funding for Oklahoma Roads Task Force.
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A new law will go on the books this year to give Oklahomans the option of listing their post office box number or other mailing address on their driver license instead of their physical address. Sen. Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa, introduced the measure at the request of a citizen from his district.

The Senate on Thursday honored one of its own, Assistant Secretary of the Senate Currie Ballard for his many accomplishments and life of public service.
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Sen. Kenneth Corn on Monday issued the following statement regarding funding for Oklahoma’s senior nutrition centers.

“The failure of Republican legislative leadership to provide less than $2.5 million needed to restore full funding to senior citizen meal programs statewide for the rest of the fiscal year is the main reason I voted against emergency clause legislation today that was designed to solve the state’s budget crisis.

In a partisan move, Senate Democrats put political posturing over jobs for employees in the Departments of Corrections, Highway Patrol, and common education today, as well as other vital state services today, in direct opposition to Governor Henry, who negotiated the bipartisan budget agreement which they opposed today.

The Senate approved legislation Tuesday that would save the state millions of dollars each year. Senate Bill 1658, by Sen. David Myers, would make the State Insurance Department a non-appropriated agency.

State Sens. Anthony Sykes and Randy Brogdon on Tuesday criticized the approval of a proposal to give the Oklahoma Insurance Department the ability to raise fees without accountability to the legislature or citizens.

Sen. Constance N. Johnson (D-Oklahoma County) on Wednesday issued the following statement regarding the controversy that unfolded in the Legislature this week over whether to restore funding to Oklahoma’s senior nutrition system, after funding was cut by the Human Services Commission last summer:

An agreement on the fate of Oklahoma’s senior meals programs means the critical initiatives that feed more than 60,000 elderly Oklahomans will continue to be funded next year, Sen. Kenneth Corn said Wednesday.