Today the Oklahoma Legislature held a Fourth Joint Session of the 53rd Legislature in Honor of Oklahoma’s 45th Infantry Division of the Oklahoma National Guard. Governor Mary Fallin along with the legislature officially recognized April 12th as Oklahoma’s 45th Infantry Division Day.

Sen. Dan Newberry (R-Tulsa) today issued the following statement regarding the closing of the Lloyd E. Rader Center in Sand Springs:

“The state of Oklahoma has been facing severe budget issues for the past few years. The closing of the Rader Center is an unfortunate casualty of the budget shortfalls. However, this unfortunate circumstance is an opportunity for Sand Springs to capitalize on a national movement of companies coming to Oklahoma.

Sen. Dan Newberry today praised an agreement between Gov. Mary Fallin and legislative leaders to establish an Oklahoma-based, free market health insurance network built on conservative principals.

The Oklahoma Health Insurance Private Enterprise Network will broaden access to affordable healthcare and prevent the establishment of a federal health insurance exchange in Oklahoma. The agreement stipulates that Oklahoma will not accept the $54 million Early Innovator Grant from the federal government.

Governor Mary Fallin today joined other state leaders in announcing that Oklahoma will establish a Health Insurance Private Enterprise Network to prevent the establishment of a federal health care exchange in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma has taken another step toward addressing the $16 billion in unfunded liability facing the state’s public pension systems. House Bill 2132, which was authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman and presented by Senator Mike Mazzei, chairman of the Select Committee on Pensions, was approved Tuesday on a bipartisan vote of 33 to 13.
read more.

Legislation to modify the Uniform Athletes Agent Act passed the full Senate today. Authored by President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, and Rep. Todd Thomsen, R-Ada, HB 1586 will hit agents that break the law with stricter penalties. Bingman was encouraged to see the bill supported by a majority of Senators, 47 to 0.

Loved ones attending funerals will have more protection from protesters thanks to legislation signed into law Monday. Sen. Josh Brecheen was the author of Senate Bill 406 which lengthens the time and distance that protesters must stay away from services.

Recent efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency to mandate new air quality regulations in Oklahoma will kill jobs and competitiveness if not aggressively challenged at every turn, according to Senate President Pro-Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa.
read more.

The full Senate has given its approval to a bill expanding community sentencing programs and GPS monitoring for nonviolent offenders. Senate author Patrick Anderson said House Bill 2131, which was approved Wednesday with a bipartisan vote of 44 to 3, would save taxpayer dollars while ensuring the state’s most dangerous criminals are kept behind bars. Anderson said Oklahoma currently spends $500 million on adult corrections.
read more.

Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus applauded Sen. David Holt for his leadership Wednesday in garnering Senate approval for a House bill which will provide support to the Oklahoma agency that oversees the administering of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
read more.