Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, released the following statement on the passing of former Senator Roger Ballenger:

“I had the privilege of serving alongside Roger Ballenger early in my career in the Senate. He had a great intellect and was a skilled lawmaker. He served the people of his district and the state with pride, and I always respected Roger. My family sends our prayers and condolences to Roger’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
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Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Friday announced the appointment of Calvin Prince of Ada to the board of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

Prince currently serves as the administrator for the Pontotoc County specialty courts programs. Previously, he served as the director of marketing and community relations for Oklahoma Families First, Inc., and also as a school-based counselor for multiple school districts and colleges. He also consults with both local and state agencies on various topics relating to marriage, parenting, and drug and alcohol issues.

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Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Thursday announced his appointment of Sidney Ellington of Oklahoma City to the board of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.

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Oklahoma Senate Republican leadership commented Friday on the state Board of Equalization’s preliminary revenue certification.

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The Senate Appropriations Committee voted Wednesday in favor of a bill that would effectively stop another income tax cut from automatically going into effect based on revenue growth. Sen. Roger Thompson is the author of Senate Bill 170. He’s the chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance, where the bill easily passed its first hurdle Tuesday.
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(For digital audio, go to www.oksenate.gov and select Media)

The full Senate has given approval to a measure that would repeal an economic trigger that would lower the states top income tax rate from 5 percent to 4.85 percent. Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, is the author of Senate Bill 170 which was approved by a wide margin in the Senate on Monday.

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State Sen. Roger Thompson has scheduled an informational meeting to examine Oklahoma’s tax code at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 18, in room 535 of the state Capitol. Thompson said as chair of the Senate’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance, he wants to provide an opportunity to fellow senators to learn more about the state’s tax laws.
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State Sen. Roger Thompson is calling his just-concluded study on Oklahoma’s tax code a success. The second of two meetings, featuring in-depth presentations on state taxes, exemptions, credits and spending, concluded Wednesday with eighteen members of the Senate attending the final hearing. Thompson, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance, organized the hearings.
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Seven members of the Oklahoma State Senate have co-authored legislation aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in exactly how tax dollars are being used by the agencies receiving the vast majority of state appropriations each year. Senate Bill 875 would require the Legislature to approve line-item budgets for agencies appropriated more than $100 million in state funds.
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Senator Greg Treat, Majority Floor Leader and Republicans’ selection to serve as the next Senate leader, on Wednesday announced the senators who will round out his leadership team.

Treat said Senator Kim David, current Senate Appropriations Committee chair, will serve as the next Majority Floor Leader and that Senator Roger Thompson, current chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance, will serve as the next Appropriations Committee chair. David, the first woman to serve as Appropriations Committee chair, will be the first woman to serve as Majority Floor Leader. read more.