Senate President Pro Tempore-designate Mike Schulz on Wednesday announced committee assignments for Republican members of the Oklahoma State Senate.

Republicans hold 42 seats in the 48-seat Senate, the largest majority held by either party since 1965, when the Senate went from 44 seats to 48.

Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore-designate Mike Schulz on Thursday announced his appointment of Sen. AJ Griffin as chair of the Senate Rural Caucus.
The Rural Caucus chair is a member of Senate Leadership. Sen. Ron Justice, who left the Senate in 2016 due to term limits, served as chair of the Rural Caucus for 12 years.

Sen. AJ Griffin, R-Guthrie, issued the following statement Tuesday on statutory language she authored aimed at helping provide information to Oklahoma women on a range of public and private sector services available as an alternative to abortion and to improve the health and well-being of unborn and newborn babies. That information would be compiled by the State Department of Health and made available through its website, with notification of that information and website link posted in public restrooms.

Sen. AJ Griffin has filed legislation modifying how the State Department of Health will go about providing information on pre/postnatal services available through both public and private agencies. The Health Department will still be in charge of making that information available on its website, however, new language contained in Senate Bill 30 calls for the agency to publicize that information through social media rather than placing signs in most public restrooms.
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Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks on Monday said committee assignments for members of his caucus had been finalized. Each member will serve on multiple committees as well as serving on the Senate Appropriations Committee during the 2017 and 2018 legislative sessions.

When someone is diagnosed with diabetes, their life can change drastically. Those changes can be stressful, isolating, frightening and expensive. Its something Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, and Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, know about firsthand. Thompson currently serves as chair of the Legislatures Diabetes Caucus and Simpson serves as vice-chair. It was something both men wanted to do because of what their families have gone through after loved ones were diagnosed with diabetes
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Outgoing Senate Finance Chairman Mike Mazzei addressed the Incentive Evaluation Commission Thursday in support of a report that examined the cost versus benefits of the state’s Zero Emission Facility tax credit. The PFM consulting group determined the cost significantly exceeds the benefits of the program, and recommends that the credit termination date should be accelerated.

In a ceremony held on Oklahoma’s 109th birthday, 24 new and returning members of the Oklahoma State Senate were sworn into office at the Capitol Wednesday. Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, President of the Senate, presided over the ceremony. The oath was administered by the Honorable John Reif, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

For the second year in a row, Sen. John Sparks (D-Norman) and Sen. Kay Floyd (D-Oklahoma City) have filed legislation to resolve Oklahoma’s ongoing non-compliance with the Real ID Act of 2005.

State Sen. Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, issued the following statement after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled pro-life legislation approved in 2015 was unconstitutional because it covered multiple subjects. Treat was principal author of Senate Bill 642.
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