Press Releases

State Sen. Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward, has filed legislation that seeks to reverse this week’s state Supreme Court ruling that makes counties liable for the cost of medical care for jail inmates even if the health condition existed prior to being jailed.

“This court ruling could literally bankrupt some county governments, especially in rural areas like my district, so it is imperative that the Legislature fix this problem,” said Laughlin, who represents northwest Oklahoma and the panhandle.

The State of Oklahoma has suffered another blow because of Gov. Brad Henry’s veto of bipartisan lawsuit reform legislation during the 2007 legislative session.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Judicial Hellholes report published by the nonpartisan American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) gives Oklahoma a “dishonorable mention.”

“America’s job-creators pay attention to the Judicial Hellholes report. This is very bad news for Oklahoma, and it is the latest in a long list of damaging publicity Gov. Henry created for our state with his veto.

The first step was taken Friday in a journey that could save Oklahoma families millions as Senator Jay Paul Gumm filed Senate Bill 1153, the “Freedom from Hunger Act.”

The measure would remove the state’s portion of the sales tax on groceries; if enacted, the bill would save Oklahoma families 4.5 cents on every dollar they spend at the grocery store. Families spending $500 per month on groceries would save $270 annually on sales taxes under the bill.
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Senator Jay Paul Gumm has filed legislation allowing Oklahomans to purchase license tags for their vehicles displaying the national motto of “In God We Trust.”

The legislation is modeled after a law passed in Indiana in 2006. During the first four months of availability, more than a half-million of “In God We Trust” license plates were sold to Hoosiers who wanted to display the nation’s motto.
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Sen. Harry Coates on Thursday addressed his decision to file legislation that would repeal portions of House Bill 1804, citing both economic and moral concerns with the sweeping immigration reform bill approved earlier this year by the Legislature.

Coates said the legislation is already having a negative impact on the Oklahoma economy, as employers in the agricultural and construction industries are beginning to see the first effects of a potential labor shortage. Coates filed Senate Bill 1143 on Wednesday which would repeal parts of the immigration bill.
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In response to recent announcements regarding a proposal to make English the official language of the state of Oklahoma, Sen. Jeff Rabon on Thursday stated he would do everything in his power to ensure such a measure would not win the approval of the Senate.

Rabon said he felt the state should be doing more to honor the fact that Oklahoma is home to numerous sovereign nations with unique languages and cultures that deserve the respect of the Legislature.

Over the past few years, the State Legislature has passed right to work and tort reform measures designed to make Oklahoma more attractive to business, but now the state has a law on the books that negates those efforts. That’s according to Sen. Harry Coates, Co-Chair of the Senate Business and Labor Committee and the only Republican in the Legislature to vote against HB 1804. Coates announced he would file legislation to repeal portions of the bill approved during the 2007 session aimed at illegal immigrants.
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With the holiday shopping season underway, Oklahoma State Senator Glenn Coffee and Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) president Patricia E. Vance today unveiled a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign to explain and encourage parents to use video game ratings.