Press Releases

OKLAHOMA CITY – The State Senate has confirmed the executive nomination of Lisa Storm of Kingfisher to serve on the State Textbook Committee, according to State Senator Darcy Jech. 

            Storm, a National Board certified teacher, has been teaching for seventeen years and is currently a 3rd grade teacher in Kingfisher Public Schools.  She also serves as a curriculum writer for Ag in the Classroom and is a certified instructor for Great Expectations teacher training seminars.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The State Senate has confirmed the executive nomination of Deanna LeGrand of Reydon to serve on the Oklahoma Conservation Committee, according to State Senator Darcy Jech. 

            LeGrand is a self-employed farmer and rancher who, along with her husband, manages and operates about 2,000 acres of small grain, cotton, hay and cattle.

            “I am pleased with the experience Ms. LeGrand brings to this position,” said Sen. Jech, R-Kingfisher.  “I am confident she will be an excellent member of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman on Friday issued the following statement on the governor’s signing of Senate Bill 839. The proposal, authored by Sen. Bingman (R-Sapulpa), would provide funding for construction of the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture, better known as OKPOP.

Sen. Eddie Fields on Friday said the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rules regarding what constitutes the Waters of the United States are another example of federal overreach from the agency.
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The Oklahoma State Legislature approved a resolution on the last day of the 2015 session calling on Congress to adopt a block grant proposal that would allow states more oversight of public assistance programs. The proposal was introduced in a June 2014 report entitled “Expanding Opportunity in America” by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget.

Sen. Rob Standridge, primary author of Senate Concurrent Resolution 31, said the federal proposal would make the delivery of public assistance more efficient for agencies and recipients.
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Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman on Tuesday issued the following statement on the passing of former state Senator Bill Gustafson. An El Reno Republican, Gustafson served two terms representing District 22 in the state Senate, from 1990 to 1998. In 1996, he was elected by Senate Republicans to serve as Minority Leader.

Millions of Americans have served in the U.S. Armed Forces over the years and many have unknowingly been exposed to toxins that have caused harmful side effects. Many children of veterans have been born with birth defects stemming from such exposure. Both the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense track toxic exposures and possible exposures but do not conduct follow-up research on the veterans and their offspring.
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OKLAHOMA CITY— Senator Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, was recently appointed to serve on the National Conference of State Legislature’s Education Committee.  Thompson was chosen to serve earlier this month by Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman.

The full Senate has given its approval to legislation modifying Oklahoma’s Reading Sufficiency Act (RSA). Senate Bill 630, by Senate Education Chair John Ford and Rep. Dennis Casey, was approved Friday unanimously.

“The most important thing we needed to do this year was fully fund our schools. But, yet again, we didn’t do that. We’re still kicking the can down the road when it comes to funding our schools appropriately.

“The teachers and parents who rallied here this Spring weren’t here to say, ‘You’re doing a great job! Keep doing what you’re doing!’ They came here to say, ‘Do your job! You’re not doing enough! We need help!’ But once again, the Republicans didn’t listen.

The Senate on Friday completed the first session of the 55th Oklahoma Legislature one week ahead of schedule.

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman said the session included numerous important achievements, including the following:

Even though Oklahoma requires adults to use child passenger restraints when their children are riding in vehicles, too many Oklahoma kids are not properly restrained, resulting in far too many injuries and deaths in our state. That’s according to Sen. Randy Bass, Senate author of House Bill 1847, which was approved Friday by the full Senate. The measure clarifies state law, with the aim of helping parents better understand the safest way to restrain their children when they’re riding in a car or truck.

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman on Friday issued the following statement after the House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 839, which would provide funding for construction of the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture, better known as OKPOP.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senator Kyle Loveless, R-Oklahoma City, today issued the following statement regarding the passage of the bill to fund the completion of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum.
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Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman on Thursday issued the following statement regarding the passage of House Bill 2237, which would authorize a $25 million bond to complete the museum facility, end the state’s ongoing appropriations for operations, and divest the state of the property.

The Oklahoma House and Senate have both given final approval to House Bill 1037 by Rep. George Faught, R-Muskogee, Rep. Ken Walker, R-Tulsa, Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Marty Quinn, R-Claremore. HB 1037 creates a framework in the Open Records Act for the handling of law enforcement videos captured by body-worn cameras. Last year, the Legislature passed legislation that made it explicitly clear that all law enforcement videos filmed by dash-mounted or body-worn cameras would be subject to the Open Records Act, with some common sense exceptions. read more.

Oklahoma’s reserve law enforcement officers would be required to complete additional CLEET certified training each year under a new bill passed in the Senate on Thursday morning, according to the bill’s author, Sen. Ralph Shortey.
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Legislative leaders Tuesday announced a $7.1 billion budget deal to fund Oklahoma government for fiscal year 2016.

“This budget reflects the priorities of the legislature,” said Sen. Kyle Loveless, R- Oklahoma City. “Education again received more than 50 percent of the appropriated funds, with nearly 35 percent going straight to common education. I am thankful for the leadership of Chairman Jolley as we continue to fund government in a way that is responsible with the taxpayers’ dollars.”

The state Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that would provide funding for construction of the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture, better known as OKPOP. Authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, Senate Bill 839 would provide a $25 million bond for construction of the museum, which will require no new state appropriations to fund operations.

The full Senate has given final approval to legislation that will end the five-year ad valorem tax exemption for new wind farms beginning January 1, 2017. Senate Bill 498, by Sen. Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, was approved unanimously on Friday. Mazzei said the bill will ultimately save approximately $500 million over ten years.
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