Legislation was signed into law this week to promote growth in Oklahoma’s third largest industry, tourism. Senate Bill 1206, by Sen. Eddie Fields and Rep. Gary Banz, authorizes the creation of an additional class of improvement districts within municipalities for tourism purposes including providing marketing services for public or private events, if those events can be reasonably expected to increase occupancy at a hotel or motel within the district.

Oklahoma is one of only seven states that doesn’t require insurance companies to cover treatment for children with autism. On Thursday, the full Senate joined the House in supporting a measure that would bring Oklahoma into line with the majority of states, helping thousands of families with autistic children finally get the help they need. House Bill 2962 was approved with bipartisan support 36 to 5.

The Senate Business and Commerce Committee Thursday approved a measure to close the pay disparity between men and women. Sen. Kyle D. Loveless (R-Oklahoma City) issued the following statement:

Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman released the following comment after the Senate Rules Committee approved a bill to reform the Judicial Nominating Commission:

“The current judicial nominating commission puts too much power and influence in the hands of the state’s trial attorneys. The anti-business tone of the court is a constant reminder of the need for judicial reform.

Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks, D-Norman, issued the following comments in response to the passage of the state’s fiscal year 2017 budget and the close of the legislative session.

Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, commented on the close of the 2016 legislative session:

Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, released the following comment after the Senate approved House Bill 3168, which will allow for the issuance of up to $125 million in bonds to continue the repair and restoration of the state Capitol:

The Senate has passed HB 2763, which creates the Revenue Stabilization Fund, with the intent of preventing future budget shortfalls like the one the state is currently experiencing. The authors are Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. John Michael Montgomery, R-Lawton. It passed the Senate 44-2 and now awaits the governor’s consideration.

Sen. AJ Griffin, R-Guthrie, and Rep. Scott Biggs, R-Chickasha, principal authors of House Bill 2398, issued the following statement on Monday after the full Senate gave final passage to the measure which closes a loophole in Oklahoma’s sodomy law. The legislation was written in response to an Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals discussion upholding a lower court’s dismissal of a sodomy case on the grounds that Oklahoma’s rape law covers people who are unconscious and unable to give consent, but didn’t specifically address sodomy under such circumstances.

The Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget voted Friday in favor of legislation aimed at protecting students and schools from federal overreach as the result of the president’s public school restroom directive regarding transgendered students. President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman is the principal Senate author. The bill passed 20 to 15.