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Oklahoma Senate
After seeing recent media coverage of the discovery of long-lost light fixtures from the Senate chamber, a Norman man finally understood the significance of the large floor lamp he had been storing in his barn.
Coy Green said he purchased the lamp at an Oklahoma City swap meet approximately 40 years ago for about $25. When Green saw a picture of the Senate chamber in 1918, along with a story about the discovery, he knew he had something special. On Tuesday, Green delivered the lamp to the state Senate.
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Sen. Patrick Anderson, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Select Agencies, today announced the release of a report on the committee’s activities in the 2013 legislative session. Senate leadership this year reinstituted the committee, which had been dormant for many sessions.
“Our committee spent three months meeting with the 42 non-appropriated state agencies that Senate leadership asked us to review. I appreciate the time the agency employees, committee members and committee staff put into this project. It was certainly worth the time spent.
read more.Thousands of Oklahomans who have access to health care through Insure Oklahoma will lose that coverage at the end of 2013. Two state lawmakers say that deadline means the Legislature can’t wait until the 2014 session to address the issue. The state was notified in May that federal funding for Insure Oklahoma would end as of December 31, 2013, unless changes were made to the program as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Doug Cox, M.D., R-Grove, said the pending loss of insurance coverage for 30,000 Oklahomans should be addressed in a special session. read more.
STATE CAPITOL –State Sen. Kyle Loveless announced plans to file a series of bills that would restore some of the 2009 lawsuit reform measures struck down by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday. The Court ruled 7-2 that the Comprehensive Lawsuit Reform Act of 2009 violated the state constitution’s single-subject rule.
read more.State Senate Democratic Leader Sean Burrage, D-Claremore, announced the following appointees to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Citizen Advisory Panels on Wednesday:
Janice Hendryx - DHS Citizen Advisory Panel for Children and Family Issues
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Beginning November 1st, Oklahoma consumers will enjoy legal "Black Friday" and other low-price sales for the first time since the 1940s. Senate Bill 550, by Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Tom Newell, R-Seminole, has been signed by Gov. Mary Fallin after passing the Senate, 29-16, and the House, 65-15 in the closing days of the 2013 session.
read more.“This is an important ruling for Oklahoma and for other compact states as well. The justices agreed that Texas cannot force Oklahoma to sell them water. This ruling hopefully will set the stage for all parties on the other water lawsuit and enable Oklahoma City and the Tribes to work together to reach an amicable resolution. read more.
Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman issued the following statement in reaction to Thursday’s ruling by the United States Supreme Court siding with Oklahoma in a water dispute with Texas. The court ruled unanimously that the four state Red River compact did not entitle Texas the right to purchase water from Oklahoma without the state’s consent.
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State Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, served as co-chairman of the Joint Legislative Water Committee formed in 2011 to explore the state’s long-term water needs. Crain issued a statement following Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling against Texas in a lawsuit aimed at forcing Oklahoma to sell water from within its borders.
read more.State Sen. Bryce Marlatt is being honored for his efforts to promote and encourage investment in the state’s oil and gas industry. Marlatt was named “Legislator of the Year” by the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (OIPA) during the organization’s annual meeting.
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