Press Releases

A lack of action by Gov. Brad Henry has gravely endangered the chances for meaningful lawsuit reform this session, Senate Republican leaders said Monday.

“We’re seeing what reformers have feared all along. The legislative Democrats are trying to come up with the most pro-trial lawyer bill possible, and Gov. Henry isn’t lifting a finger to stop them – despite all his rhetoric in support of Texas-style lawsuit reform,” stated Senate Republican Leader James A. Williamson of Tulsa.

State Senator Robert Milacek announced on Tuesday that legislation to let Oklahomans vote on a fuel tax hike for transportation is dead for the legislative session. The Enid Republican blamed high fuel prices for the decision.

“It’s disappointing, because we’ve been working on this a long time. I believe we had an excellent shot of passing the bill and getting it to a vote of the people—but no one could have predicted the gas prices we’ve been seeing,” Milacek said.
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

SECTION 1. The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, the following proposed amendment to Article II of the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma by adding a new Section 35 to read as follows:

Legislation to create an orderly election procedure in cases when a member of the Oklahoma Legislature reaches the constitutionally mandated 12-year term limit in mid-term is scheduled to be considered by both the House and Senate Thursday, Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson announced today.

House Bill 2663 calls on the governor to call for a special election in such instances. Speaker Larry Adair, D-Stilwell, and Senator Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau, are authors of the measure.

While praising Senate Republicans for stepping forward with an 11th-hour proposal Tuesday, Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson said today that he will support moving forward with Governor Brad Henry’s tobacco tax plan and health care initiative.

The Senate Republican plan, Hobson said, simply calls for too large of an increase in the per pack tax on cigarettes given the tobacco tax rates throughout the region.
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Senate Republican Leader James A. Williamson said he is “disappointed” that Senate Democrats have rejected the Senate GOP’s alternative to Gov. Brad Henry’s tobacco tax plan.

“The Senate Democrats’ rejection of our pro-growth, pro-health plan means Oklahomans will lose out on historic, job-creating tax relief, and it ensures that fewer youngsters will be deterred from smoking,” stated Williamson, R-Tulsa.

“The issue at hand is the health of Oklahomans. Our state is in the midst of a true health crisis and the facts are clear – smoking is one of leading reasons why Oklahoma is among the unhealthiest states in the nation."

“Governor Henry has shown extraordinary leadership to get us to this point. Now we must determine if a majority of the members of the Legislature will have the courage to stand up against those who want to continue to put profits from tobacco above the health of current and future generations of Oklahomans."
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State Sen. Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo, said he was outraged by a national ad sponsored by Cimarron Equality Oklahoma. The ad, printed in USA Today, discouraged businesses from locating in Oklahoma because of a proposed constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage.

“Any individual or group certainly has the right to disagree with a policy decision—but to run ads in a national newspaper that could do economic harm to our state is going to hurt everyone in Oklahoma, even those belonging to Cimarron Equality Oklahoma,” Rabon said. “They are waging economic terrorism.” read more.

Legislation to encourage more Oklahomans to purchase long-term care insurance has been signed into law. Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-OKC, is author of Senate Bill 1547, a measure aimed at helping Oklahomans meet their long-term care needs without forcing them into poverty.
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Tuesday, Senate Republicans offered an alternative to Gov. Brad Henry’s “last, best” plan to raise the tobacco tax to pay for various health care initiatives.

“The governor’s ‘last, best offer’ is not what’s best for Oklahoma, and it has little chance of obtaining a three-fourths majority in the Senate and the House,” said Senate Republican Leader James A. Williamson of Tulsa.

“The Senate Republican alternative makes it clear that Republicans support improving both the health and the prosperity of Oklahomans,” he said.

A national advertising campaign by a radical homosexual organization from Oklahoma is “outrageous,” Senate Republican Leader James A. Williamson said today.

“The advertising campaign by Cimarron Equality Oklahoma is consistent with the radical homosexual movement’s aggressive actions to promote the acceptance of homosexual ‘marriage’ in our society,” Williamson stated.

State Sen. Harry Coates applauded Gov. Brad Henry for signing Senate Bill 1561 and said it will help Oklahoma businesses and families alike. The Seminole Republican is principal author of Senate Bill 1561, which creates the “Fair Pay for Construction Act.” The bill ensures contractors working with the state will be paid in a more timely way.
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State Senate Appropriations Chairman Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, has kept his word—the state’s Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) will be fully funded in the 2004-2005 school year.

“Last November, Sen. Herb Rozell and I pledged this would be one of our top priorities for this session. The 9,000 Oklahoma students who are counting on these scholarships this fall can rest assured that promise has been kept,” Morgan said.

Rozell, D-Tahlequah, is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Education. read more.

Legislative leaders today announced plans to seek a statewide vote on the State-Tribal Gaming Act by introducing a new proposal that would repeal Senate Bill 553 and put the issue on the November General Election ballot.

Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson and House Speaker Larry Adair said new language will be inserted in Senate Bill 1252. The amended bill will combine Senate Bill 553 and provisions that had been slated for a trailer bill.
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COMMENT BY SENATOR MIKE MORGAN, D-STILLWATER
“What part of open doesn’t the minority party leadership understand? Weeks ago, I communicated to my Republican colleagues our intentions that this final version of the bill would be written by the committee in public. I guess they’d rather put out a press release than take ‘yes’ for an answer.”

Senate Republican leaders said the announced plan by Democrat legislative leaders to delay consideration of lawsuit reform legislation until the final week of the legislative session is “terrible public policy.” Republicans also demanded that the final version of the bill be written in an open conference committee, and made available for public review at least one week before the end of the legislative session.