Press Releases

Against the recommendation of the state Water Resources Board staff last week, the agency's nine-member governing board approved Seaboard's application to draw underground water, and now State Senator Paul Muegge is questioning why the permit was approved in the first place.

OKLAHOMA CITY - With some 250 bills in conference committee still awaiting final action, and another 171 in various GCCA subcommittees, Republican lawmakers complain legislators simply will not have enough time to give careful consideration to each piece of legislation.

"When you take into account the number of bills remaining, and the fact that we only have two weeks left, we'll only have a few minutes to deliberate each of these measures. We know for a fact from past experience that this isn't the best way to run state government," complained Senator Carol Martin.

Saying his "sell out" strategy may not be in the best interest of the state, the leader of the Oklahoma Senate is questioning Governor Keating's plan to cash in the state's tobacco settlement share immediately for a discounted amount.

Under the national settlement, Oklahoma stands to receive $2.4 billion in tobacco funds over the next 25 years, but the Governor has proposed "selling" the state's share to New York bond dealers for an immediate pay off. Estimates indicate such a pay off would net Oklahoma only $1 billion.

Senator Lewis Long has authored a bill to help with the cost of replacing vehicles destroyed by the May 3rd tornadoes. Senate Bill 1 would give prorated credits on both the cost of tags and the excise tax for replacement vehicles. Early projections indicate 30 to 40 thousand vehicles may have been destroyed in the May 3rd tornadoes.

Governor Keating's failure to address the current funding needs of Oklahoma public schools will only exacerbate an ongoing budget crisis in common education, according to the leader of the Oklahoma Senate.

"We have schools that are cramming kids into overcrowded classrooms and onto rickety, old schools buses because they can barely make ends meet under their current budget. Instead of trying to address the needs we have, Governor Keating is pushing unfunded mandates like his 4x4 program that will only make the situation worse," said Senate President Pro Tem Stratton Taylor.

Four Senators who are drafting distribution plans for Oklahoma's share of the national tobacco settlement are adding another area to their list: child abuse.

Just two weeks ago, Senators Angela Monson, Ben Brown, Ben Robinson and Bernest Cain unveiled a proposal which would deposit half of the state's tobacco settlement in an interest-earning trust fund and distribute the other half to programs ranging from before and after school programs to expanded health care opportunities for the elderly, the disabled and the uninsured.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Victims of last week's deadly storms won't have to worry about being victimized again by those trying to take advantage of their situation. That's according to Senator Ted Fisher and Representative Mike Tyler.

The two Sapulpa lawmakers have authored the "Emergency Price Stabilization Act." SB 69 has cleared both the Senate and House, and is awaiting Governor Frank Keating's signature.

Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor, President Pro Tempore

Senator Taylor Comments on Keating Temper Tantrum

On Keating's Complaint about the "Do Nothing" Approach to his agenda:

A new joint legislative oversight committee is ready to get down to the business of cutting government waste and eliminating bureaucratic red tape.

Today, the Joint Committee on Accountability in Government (JAG) formally adopted the governing rules that will help it administer its oversight responsibilities.

"With a strong foundation of rules in place, we can move on to more important business, namely the process of making government as lean and mean as possible," said Senator Jeff Rabon, chairman of the JAG committee.

Many victims of Monday's tornadoes aren't receiving all the assistance they're entitled to because of coordination problems at the state level and the disaster scene, according to a lawmaker who represents one of the hardest hit areas in Oklahoma City.

"The state is trying to distribute information through the news media to people who don't even have a home where they can watch TV or receive a newspaper. We need people on the ground, in the disaster area, fanning out and making sure that everyone is getting every bit of help that is available to them," said Senator Dave Herbert.

Governor Keating's plan to close facilities for the developmentally disabled in Pauls Valley and Enid is getting bad reviews in a new investigative report released by a legislative committee.

The Senate Deregulation Committee has spent the past two months investigating and hearing testimony on the Governor's proposal to downsize the Southern Oklahoma Resources Center at Pauls Valley and the Northern Oklahoma Resource Center and Greer Center at Enid and move the residents to private care facilities in the community.