Governor Keating should take a stand against an organization that is attempting to influence the decisions of Oklahoma judges, according to the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Brad Henry said there is an appearance that the Governor supports the initiative because Secretary of State Tom Cole's political consulting firm has been hired by the group.

Hog and chicken producers should be required to foot the bill for the cost of regulating their respective industries, according to the Senate author of the two main bills addressing the issue. Senator Paul Muegge is preparing to add fee schedules to SB 1175 and SB 1170 to accomplish that goal.

Two area state lawmakers are calling on Oklahoma's U.S. Senators to undo the damage caused by a recent political fight in the nation's capital and return $30 million in federal highway money to Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma.

Senator Stratton Taylor and Senator Kevin Easley are urging their counterparts in Washington, DC to be better advocates for improved roads than Congressmen Steve Largent and Tom Coburn have been. The federal highway bill is now before the U.S. Senate.

"Governor Keating's veto is disappointing, but it is certainly consistent with the shabby treatment he's accorded state employees, retirees and teachers throughout his administration. He had the ability to offset a devastating premium hike with a stroke of his pen, but instead he chose to pull the rug out from under thousands of families who are struggling to make ends meet. The fact that he's vetoed not one, but two bills on this subject speaks volumes about his attitude toward them.

OKLAHOMA CITY - State Senator Paul Muegge is calling on his legislative colleagues and other Oklahoma leaders to join him in support of policies to ensure the quality of the state's water supply.

"The establishment of standards and protections for water quality is an issue that touches the lives of every Oklahoman," said Senator Muegge. "I believe the recent controversy over confined animal feeding operations could result in the initiation of a positive water quality policy."

Two days after Governor Keating vetoed an effort to lower insurance premiums by pumping additional funds into the state health board, his finance office endorsed the legislative initiative to bulk up the reserves of the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB). The endorsement came in a letter from the Oklahoma Office of State Finance to the federal government.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Two highly publicized accidents resulting in the spillage of hog waste is prompting State Senator Kevin Easley (D-Wagoner Co.) to call for an independent evaluation of the spills.

Senator Easley serves as chairman of the joint legislative committee created to study the impact of large corporate hog farms.

The Department of Agriculture has already conducted an evaluation of the spills and their impact. However, Senator Easley believes an independent study would be beneficial to lawmakers who are writing regulatory legislation this year.

Citing conflicting statements from Governor Frank Keating, the leader of the Oklahoma Senate is asking for a clear, public statement from the Governor, reiterating his unqualified support for a one-year moratorium on new hog operations.

Oklahoma has one of the lowest tax burdens in the country, according rankings distributed by two national research organizations. The findings of the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Tax Foundation were released in an analysis by the Oklahoma Senate staff today.

Information obtained by a state legislator indicates the State Regents for Higher Education may have circumvented state open meetings and records laws in drafting their proposed shake up of Rogers University in Tulsa.