OKLAHOMA CITY - The full Senate has approved a measure aimed at making sure the state's sex offender registration list is a more accurate reflection of where Oklahoma's four-thousand convicted sex offenders actually live. That's according to Glenn Coffee, Senate author of House Bill 1351.

OKLAHOMA CITY - With only seven weeks remaining in the 2001 legislative session, Senate Appropriations Chairman Kelly Haney says he is still working to restore critically needed funding to agencies such as Agriculture, Commerce and the Oklahoma Arts Council. That's after Governor Keating vetoed budgets for those agencies.

Federal funds originally earmarked for local drug prevention and school safety programs ended up in the pockets of a controversial Oklahoma City political consultant and entertainer Bill Cosby, thanks to a sole source contract executed by Health and Human Services Secretary Jerry Regier, according to state records.

Contract information indicates that Regier used the federal grant money to pay Mary Myrick to organize a one-day Safe and Drug Free School Summit in Oklahoma City in February of 2000. The contract for Myrick's public relations firm totaled $450,000.

Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor,
Senate President Pro Tempore

"I applaud Sen. Dunlap for his endorsement of the Texas Plan. When he originally announced his opposition to the initiative two weeks ago, I was concerned, but didn't question his decision."

At a capitol news conference Senate Republican Floor Leader Jim Dunlap said he was looking forward to studying President Pro Tempore Stratton Taylor's proposal to convert Oklahoma's tax system to that of Texas and commended him for realizing the need to eliminate the income tax.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Starting this July, Oklahoma drivers may have one less headache to worry about. That's after the State Senate approved legislation to end the state's mandatory vehicle inspections. Those inspections cost Oklahomans $5 a year for each vehicle they own.

House Bill 1081, authored by Representative Richard Phillips, R-Warr Acres and Senator Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, carries the amendment that would eliminate the inspections. Senator Coffee said it was time to end the yearly inspection requirement.

Oklahomans may be sweating out one of their last April 15th deadlines on state income taxes if the leader of the Oklahoma State Senate gets his way.

Senate President Pro Tempore Stratton Taylor pointed out that state income taxes, the April 15th deadline and tax audits would be a thing of the past if voters adopt his "Texas Plan" - an initiative that would replace the Oklahoma tax code with the Texas tax system. Texas levies no personal or corporate income tax.

Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor,
Senate President Pro Tempore

"I applaud Governor Keating for officially joining the Texas Plan team. From the beginning, I have advocated that this be a bipartisan effort. By working together on this historic initiative, we have an opportunity to do great things for the state of Oklahoma."

Teachers, farmers, state agencies and other business representatives recently showed their support and asked for the continuation of state funding for the weather monitoring system known as Mesonet at a Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee meeting at the Capitol in Oklahoma City, according to Senator Cal Hobson, D-Lexington. The Mesonet system was recently named one of 114 semi-finalists out of more than 700 entries submitted in the Stockholm Challenge, a worldwide-recognized program for innovative informational technology projects.

A controversial political consultant was awarded more than $1.2 million in state contracts without having to compete for the business, according to state records.

Documents show that Mary Myrick was either awarded the contracts on a "sole source" basis or was the only vendor who bid on the state business. All of the contracts were awarded through agencies overseen by Health and Human Services Secretary Jerry Regier.