The Oklahoma State University Museum of Art today packed 55 pieces from the Oklahoma State Senate art collection for transportation to the University’s new Postal Plaza Gallery in downtown Stillwater. The paintings will be featured in the University’s upcoming exhibition entitled Framing History: Highlights from the Oklahoma State Capitol Senate Collection.

The 15,000 square foot gallery is Oklahoma State University’s first dedicated museum facility. The public exhibition will run from July 7, 2014, to Oct. 25, 2014. read more.

Oklahoma’s incarceration rates, especially for nonviolent offenders, have grown significantly in recent years filling prisons to capacity and costing the state millions of dollars. To address this growing problem, Sen. Josh Brecheen and House Speaker Jeff Hickman authored Senate Bill 1720, which was recently signed into law. The act will strengthen community supervision requirements of offenders to ensure proven behavior modification methods are used to lower the state’s high recidivism/incarceration rates and help these individuals become productive, self-sufficient citizens.
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OKLAHOMA CITY Citing conflict of interest, Sen. Ralph Shortey said Friday the chairman of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board should resign. Shortey, R-Oklahoma City, points to a clear conflict of interest involving John Harrington of Edmond, who currently serves as the chairman of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, while at the same time serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Funds for Learning, LLC, a company that he owns that performs e-rate consulting services for Oklahoma public schools.

Sen. Ralph Shortey today said the House of Representatives sent a message that they are serious about protecting the Second Amendment rights of Oklahomans by overriding the governor’s veto of House Bill 2461.
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Under legislation signed by the governor this week, Oklahoma taxpayers will be able to better understand where their tax dollars are being spent.

Senate Bill 1980, authored by Senate Minority Leader Sean Burrage, will require the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to include a taxpayer receipt feature on the existing Open Books website. The function will allow a taxpayer to enter data on the amount of taxes they have paid, and see how those funds were allocated under statutory apportionment provisions.
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In order to avoid a budget shortfall in the Department of Corrections (DOC), the Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget has approved a $13 million supplemental appropriation. Senate Bill 2126 was approved by the committee Monday afternoon.

Senate Appropriations Chair, Clark Jolley said DOC had actually needed $27 million, but had worked to identify ways of reprioritizing funds within the agency. Jolley praised DOC director Robert Patton for his fiscally conservative approach and leadership.
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A bill to make sure caregivers are kept informed about when a patient is being discharged and given follow-up care instructions is now on its way to the governor’s desk for her signature. House amendments to Senate Bill 1536, by Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Harold Wright, R-Weatherford, were approved by the full Senate on Monday.

SB 1536 allows hospital patients to designate a lay caregiver upon formal admission. The hospital must also notify the designated caregiver of the patient’s discharge and consult with the caregiver about aftercare.
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A measure to help get more public safety officers on the streets was signed into law Tuesday. Senate Bill 1372, by Sen. Josh Brecheen and Rep. Jon Echols, will lower the age limit for commissioned officers within the Department of Public Safety from 23 to 21 years of age and provide educational credits to those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
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State Sen. Dan Newberry, R-Tulsa, issued the following statement today regarding the governor’s signing of Senate Bills 1431 and 1433, which strengthen penalties for human trafficking.

President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman issued the following statement after the Senate voted on Thursday 39-0 to override the governor’s veto of HB 2461. The legislation requires a sheriff or chief of police to execute any request for documents relating to the purchase of firearms defined by the National Firearms Act within 15 days if the purchaser is not prohibited from possessing a firearm. With the Senate joining the House in the override, HB 2461 will now become law.