Press Releases

An agreement on the fate of Oklahoma’s senior meals programs means the critical initiatives that feed more than 60,000 elderly Oklahomans will continue to be funded next year, Sen. Kenneth Corn said Wednesday.

The state Senate on Wednesday approved legislation increasing penalties for individuals who assault an employee of the Department of Corrections (DOC) or the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA). Senate Bill 2242, by Sen. Dan Newberry, would add a six-month sentence for assault and battery against a DOC or OJA employee in the performance of their duties.

Sen. Constance N. Johnson (D-Oklahoma County) on Wednesday issued the following statement regarding the controversy that unfolded in the Legislature this week over whether to restore funding to Oklahoma’s senior nutrition system, after funding was cut by the Human Services Commission last summer:

State Sens. Anthony Sykes and Randy Brogdon on Tuesday criticized the approval of a proposal to give the Oklahoma Insurance Department the ability to raise fees without accountability to the legislature or citizens.

The Senate approved legislation Tuesday that would save the state millions of dollars each year. Senate Bill 1658, by Sen. David Myers, would make the State Insurance Department a non-appropriated agency.

The Senate approved a bill Tuesday which would help give local school districts more flexibility in their spending. Senate Bill 1784, by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, would allow them to use state textbook allocations for instructional expenses in years of revenue decline.
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Sen. Kenneth Corn on Monday issued the following statement regarding funding for Oklahoma’s senior nutrition centers.

“The failure of Republican legislative leadership to provide less than $2.5 million needed to restore full funding to senior citizen meal programs statewide for the rest of the fiscal year is the main reason I voted against emergency clause legislation today that was designed to solve the state’s budget crisis.

In a partisan move, Senate Democrats put political posturing over jobs for employees in the Departments of Corrections, Highway Patrol, and common education today, as well as other vital state services today, in direct opposition to Governor Henry, who negotiated the bipartisan budget agreement which they opposed today.