Two Tulsa legislators are asking the State Regents for Higher Education to delay a January 15th public hearing on the future of Rogers University, saying the Regents have yet to provide RU students and stakeholders with a specific proposal outlining their plans for Tulsa higher education.

Statement by Senator Cal Hobson,
Vice-chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee

"I'm disappointed because I think our Corporation Commissioners missed a golden opportunity to do something significant for the Oklahoma education system and our state as a whole."

Senate Republicans today questioned the authorization of a "Senate" report by the President Pro Tem, Stratton Taylor. "This is not a Senate Position, none of the Republican Caucus members have been contacted to participate in the study. This is a partisan justification for extortion at the expense of taxpayers." said Minority leader Mark Snyder.

Senate President Pro Tem Stratton Taylor, hired a legal consultant Rick Chamberlin to prepare an advocacy paper for the Senate claiming a regulated company's rates are "likely too high".

Statement from Senator Cal Hobson,
Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education

The leader of the State Senate is challenging Southwestern Bell to specifically detail what it alleges are "inaccuracies" in a report that is highly critical of the telephone company's bid to win new regulations for itself.

A new report indicates that Oklahoma consumers may ultimately be the big losers if Southwestern Bell succeeds in obtaining proposed regulatory changes now being deliberated by the State Corporation Commission. The analysis warns that the telephone company, not consumers, is likely to be the biggest beneficiary of the new regulations, preserving its monopoly status while gaining unprecedented authority to set rates for consumers without state oversight.

State Senator Larry Dickerson is calling for Governor Keating to apologize for remarks he made in a recent television interview, saying his comments were both inappropriate and offensive.

In an interview aired on KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City and KHBS-TV in Fort Smith, Arkansas this week, Keating said that methamphetamine is a "white trash drug" used "by the lower socio-economic element of white people." He also referred to crack cocaine as a "black trash drug."

Southwestern Bell's latest offer to give $30 million to education is "peanuts," according to a Senate budget leader who has been pushing for a much more substantial school investment from the telephone company.

Senate President Pro-Tempore Stratton Taylor called on Governor Keating and others to join Senate leaders in their fight against a workers compensation rate increase approved in September by the Board of Property and Casualty Rates.

"I understand the Governor and others have unveiled a workers' compensation proposal, but I have not seen the details about this plan. Obviously, this is something for the legislature to consider next year," said Taylor.

On the heels of the first increase in workers compensation rates since 1992, a state lawmaker is considering legislation that would overhaul the rate review process in an effort to make it more fair to consumers, namely Oklahoma businesses.

"In this latest rate hearing, it seemed like all the cards were stacked against Oklahoma businesses and in favor of the insurance industry. The Senate was the only entity that spoke up on behalf of the consumers and it was barred from participating in the process. There has to be a better way," said Senator Brad Henry.