During the first week of the legislative session, civil asset forfeiture reform efforts continued to gain steam. The Oklahoma members of the National Federation of Independent Business released their annual legislative priorities Monday. Of all the topics, civil asset forfeiture reform garnered the most support.

“Civil asset forfeiture is not just a private property or liberty issue—it’s a business issue,” said Loveless, R-Oklahoma City. “I am pleased 93 percent of small-business owners polled support legislation to reform civil asset forfeiture.”

Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks comments on the governor's
State of the State address alongside his colleagues Sen. Kay Floyd and
Sen. J.J. Dossett along wtih House Democratic Leader Scott Inman.

“The budget situation we face this year gives us the opportunity to prove our commitment to the fiscally sound management of taxpayer dollars. I am pleased the governor today expressed a willingness to work together on bold reforms to address our current challenge and reduce the likelihood of future shortfalls.

“Both the Senate and the House have passed legislation approving the new English Language Arts and Mathematics standards. Additionally both resolutions included suggested improvements and instructions intended to assure that the State Department of Education provides assistance to educators in developing their curriculum, and review clarifications and comments.

The Senate unveiled a portrait Tuesday of the nation’s first African American Deputy Marshal, Bass Reeves.

Legislation to help families get assisted outpatient treatment for adult relatives with mental illness before a situation reaches a crisis has been approved by the full Senate. House Bill 1697, by Sen. AJ Griffin and Rep. Lee Denney, was approved unanimously by the full Senate on Tuesday. The legislation is named the Labor Commissioner Mark Costello Act. Costello’s adult son, Christian, who struggled with mental illness for years, is charged in his father’s 2015 death.

Senate president Pro Tempore Brian Bingman issued the following statement after the full Senate approved supplemental appropriations for Education and Corrections on Tuesday.

Governor Mary Fallin, Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman and House Speaker Jeff Hickman today announced an agreement to use about $78.5 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to partially offset budget cuts to common education and corrections for the remainder of this fiscal year.

Under the agreement, the Department of Education is to receive $51 million and the Department of Corrections (DOC) is to receive $27.5 million.

A proposal to combine multiple state law enforcement agencies into one single agency received the stamp of approval today in the Senate. Senate Bill 1561, by Sen. Ralph Shortey and Rep. Mike Christian, would create the Oklahoma Department of Law Enforcement (ODLE), and bring three separate law enforcement agencies under one umbrella, merging them into four divisions reporting to a single superintendent who will have supervisory authority over the agency. The proposed legacy divisions are:

Sen. Mike Schulz, R-Altus, has won approval for a proposed constitutional amendment allowing most statewide office holders to remain in office 12 years, the amount legislators can serve, before being term limited. The measure was approved by the full Senate Wednesday on a vote of 32 to 12.