Press Releases

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate approved a bill Monday that will help provide citizens in southern Oklahoma with more higher education opportunities.  House Bill 1227 will merge the existing Ardmore Higher Education Center into a four-year branch campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SOSU).  Sen. Frank Simpson is the principal Senate author of the bill. 

Sen. Dan Newberry (R-Tulsa) today issued the following statement regarding the closing of the Lloyd E. Rader Center in Sand Springs:

“The state of Oklahoma has been facing severe budget issues for the past few years. The closing of the Rader Center is an unfortunate casualty of the budget shortfalls. However, this unfortunate circumstance is an opportunity for Sand Springs to capitalize on a national movement of companies coming to Oklahoma.

Governor Mary Fallin today joined other state leaders in announcing that Oklahoma will establish a Health Insurance Private Enterprise Network to prevent the establishment of a federal health care exchange in Oklahoma.

Sen. Dan Newberry today praised an agreement between Gov. Mary Fallin and legislative leaders to establish an Oklahoma-based, free market health insurance network built on conservative principals.

The Oklahoma Health Insurance Private Enterprise Network will broaden access to affordable healthcare and prevent the establishment of a federal health insurance exchange in Oklahoma. The agreement stipulates that Oklahoma will not accept the $54 million Early Innovator Grant from the federal government.

Today the Oklahoma Legislature held a Fourth Joint Session of the 53rd Legislature in Honor of Oklahoma’s 45th Infantry Division of the Oklahoma National Guard. Governor Mary Fallin along with the legislature officially recognized April 12th as Oklahoma’s 45th Infantry Division Day.

Today, State Senator Anthony Sykes, author of State Question 755, the “Save Our State” Amendment that banned the use of International Law and Sharia Law in Oklahoma, responded to questions regarding the measure.

Portrait sponsors Howard and Billie Barnett and Charles Banks Wilson unveil Wilson's
portrait on the Senate floor Wednesday.


Artist Charles Banks Wilson was honored at the state Capitol Wednesday with the dedication
of his portrait. Pictured L-R: Billie Barnett, artist Mike Wimmer, Charles Wilson,
preservation fund president Charles Ford and Howard Barnett.


Artist Charles Banks Wilson thanks the Senate for their recognition and commends artist
Mike Wimmer for his good work on the portrait.

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Sen. Steve Russell was joined by his fellow senators, both Republican and Democrat, to voice
their concerns with the hard cap tort reform bill. Pictured L-R: Senators Charles Wyrick,
Judy Eason-McIntyre, Tom Ivester, Charlie Laster and Harry Coates.

According to President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, agents of college athletes need to be held more accountable for breaking rules when representing student athletes. House Bill 1586 will do just that, and Senate author Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, was glad to see it receive the support it did by a vote of 8 to 0. The legislation is a modification of the Uniform Athlete Agents Act.

The Senate Finance Committee has given approval to legislation designed to help Oklahoma better compete for major economic development projects and the jobs that go with them. House Bill 1953, by Sen. Mike Mazzei and Rep. Skye McNiel, has been a top priority this session for Gov. Mary Fallin.
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“The approval of this legislation sends a clear message to the people of our state: Oklahoma Republicans do not trust you to be fair and make good decisions in the jury box.”

“The Republicans’ bill even goes so far as to protect child molesters and drunk drivers.”

“I still believe Oklahomans are capable of understanding issues and acting fairly as members of a jury. It is fundamentally unjust for the Republican-controlled Legislature to conclude they are better equipped to determine justice than the people of Oklahoma.”
 

Today the State Senate passed what is the biggest piece of their lawsuit reform agenda. By a vote of 30 to 14, HB 2128 by Senator Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, gained full Senate approval.

Senate leaders have worked for weeks on a series of lawsuit reform measures. House Bill 2128 will place a cap on non-economic damages of $350,000. The bill allows the cap on non-economic damages to be lifted under certain criteria.

Sykes said that “This legislation will move Oklahoma forward and it is a vital piece of the Senate Republican jobs agenda.”
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The Senate has given approval to two measures aimed at improving public education in Oklahoma. House Bill 2139 would ensure the State Superintendent of Education has clearly defined statutory authority over the operation of the State Department of Education. House Bill 1380 would end the process known as trial de novo.
Senate Education Chair John Ford presented both bills on the floor Thursday. He said the legislation contains reform elements in Senate measures which have already been approved by the upper chamber.