Financial relief could soon be on its way to over 2,500 widows of disabled veterans thanks to legislation approved Monday by the full Senate. Senate Bill 46, by Sen. Don Barrington, would extend a portion of the sales tax exemption given to 100% disabled veterans to their spouses.

Barrington, a Vietnam Veteran, explained the sales tax exemption for disabled veterans is Oklahoma’s way of acknowledging and thanking veterans for their tremendous sacrifice that ultimately left them unable to work.

State Sen. Clark Jolley won full Senate approval Monday for legislation to end social promotion in Oklahoma’s public schools. Senate Bill 346 was approved on a vote of 36 to 8. While critics of the bill said holding children back would stigmatize them, Jolley countered promoting children who cannot read is a recipe for failure.
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Sen. Ralph Shortey on Monday successfully amended a measure to require that presidential primary candidates provide proof of natural-born United States citizenship upon filing with the state election board.

Shortey added the provision to Senate Bill 91, which would require candidates for public office to provide photo ID and proof of eligibility to hold office.

The full Senate gave approval to a bill that will allow the Senate President Pro Tempore and the Speaker of the House to adjust per diem rates given to legislative members.

A bill to reduce Oklahoma’s drunk driving fatalities has cleared the Senate and is on its way to the House of Representatives. Dixie and Keith Swezey, of Edmond, and other family members watched from the Senate Gallery as lawmakers voted unanimously for Senate Bill 529, the Erin Elizabeth Swezey Act. The bill is named for the Swezeys’ 20-year-old daughter, Erin, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2009.

The Senate unanimously approved legislation last week to better protect citizens from domestic violence. Senate Bill 447 would require a court to schedule a full hearing on a protective order petition within 14 days of the filing rather than twenty, which is current law.

The Senate gave unanimous approval to Senate Bill 251 Monday, which would make college more affordable for members of Oklahoma’s National Guard and Oklahoma Reserves who live in surrounding states. The measure, by Sen. Steve Russell, creates the “Armed Services Tuition Fairness Act”.

The full Senate has taken a major step toward addressing Oklahoma’s $16 billion unfunded pension liability with unanimous approval Wednesday of a major reform measure.

State Sen. Mike Mazzei is the author of Senate Bill 891 and chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Pensions. He said the biggest part of that $16 billion in unfunded liability is in the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System (OTRS), with $10 billion in unfunded liability.
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Today the Oklahoma Senate approved a bill that will give businesses and individuals the opportunity to play a role in providing quality education for Oklahoma children. Known as the “Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act,” Senate Bill 969 by Senator Dan Newberry, R-Sand Springs, passed with bi-partisan support by a vote of 30 to 14.

Sen. Ralph Shortey has won full Senate approval for Senate Bill 908, which would establish criminal forfeiture provisions for crimes related to illegal immigration.