Press Releases

A measure to build a statewide aerospace training facility cleared both the Senate Education and the Appropriation and Budget committees this week and is now headed to the Senate floor.

Senate Bill 432, authored by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, authorizes the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education to acquire or lease property for the purpose of creating the statewide aerospace training facility. Under the measure, the State Board would establish admission standards and the curriculum requirements.
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The Senate Appropriations Committee gave unanimous approval on Wednesday to a bill that establishes a legislative watchdog office, advancing one of Senate Republicans’ key agenda items.

Senate Bill 1, authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, creates the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) to provide the entire Legislature with independent budget and performance data for lawmakers to use to write the budget and make policy decisions.
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The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday sent the constitutional carry bill to the governor’s desk. House Bill 2597, authored in the Senate by Majority Floor Leader Kim David, was approved with a bipartisan vote of 40-6.

The bill:
Permits Oklahomans age 21 and older to carry a firearm without a permit.
Permits veterans, active duty, and reserve military age 18 and over to carry without a permit.
Prohibits felons and those with domestic violence convictions or who have been adjudicated as having a mental illness from carrying a firearm.
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The Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday approved five bills from President Pro Tempore Greg Treat that would give the governor the authority to hire and fire the directors of five of the top appropriated state agencies.

Treat, R-Oklahoma City, said the measures are a simple, straightforward way to accomplish the policy goal of agency accountability consistent with the agenda of the Senate Republicans and Governor Kevin Stitt.
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The Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation Wednesday to stop schools from using state appropriations to reward school employees for teacher and student recruitment. Senate Bill 57, by Sen. Ron Sharp, prohibits public, charter and virtual charter schools from giving state-funded bonuses for recruiting individuals from other public, charter or virtual charter schools.
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The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday sent the constitutional carry bill to the governor’s desk. House Bill 2597, authored in the Senate by Majority Floor Leader Kim David, was approved with a bipartisan vote of 40-6.

The bill:
Permits Oklahomans age 21 and older to carry a firearm without a permit.
Permits veterans, active duty, and reserve military age 18 and over to carry without a permit.
Prohibits felons and those with domestic violence convictions or who have been adjudicated as having a mental illness from carrying a firearm.
read more.

On Wednesday, the Oklahoma State Senate passed House Bill 2597, which would restore 2nd Amendment Rights for law-abiding Oklahomans by enacting Constitutional Carry in Oklahoma. Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, released the following statement regarding passage of the measure.

Individuals in Oklahoma serve, on average, nearly 70 percent longer for property crimes and 80 percent longer for drug crimes than the national average. This is mainly due to the state’s “habitual offender” statute that can double and triple sentence lengths, and often increases the maximum term to life. Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, wants to address this issue by modifying convictions for second felony offenses of nonviolent offenders.
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The Senate voted Monday to protect county court documents by digitizing them. Sen. Jason Smalley, R-Stroud, is the author of Senate Bill 483, which assesses a $10 fee for filing a civil case to be deposited in the Court Clerk’s Records Management and Preservation Fund.
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The Senate gave unanimous approval to legislation Monday to allow notary publics to certify electronic documents. Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, is the author of Senate Bill 915 creating a Remote Online Notarization (RON) process in Oklahoma allowing notaries to perform their services online over secure audio video calls rather than in person.
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The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation Tuesday to help parents better understand judges’ rulings on child custody and visitation. Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, authored Senate 65 after hearing from numerous constituents who are frustrated with their custody or visitation arrangements and have gotten no clear explanation about the court’s findings.
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OKLAHOMA CITY – Court-appointed special advocates would be submitted to a child welfare records search under legislation approved unanimously by the Senate Monday.  Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, is the author of Senate Bill 722.

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved with an 11-4 vote a bill from President Pro Tempore Greg Treat that would prohibit abortion in Oklahoma when the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade or if the U.S. Constitution is amended.
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State Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, issued the following statement regarding the lack of support by Senate leadership for Senate Bill 13, also known as the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act. Silk is the author of SB 13.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat has filed legislation that would make abortion illegal in Oklahoma when Roe v. Wade is overturned or if the U.S. Constitution is amended.

If either condition is met, Senate Bill 195 would immediately prohibit abortion in Oklahoma – providing an exception to protect the life of the mother. The bill also would eliminate the statutes that currently regulate abortion, as they would no longer be necessary once Oklahoma law prohibits abortion.
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OKLAHOMA CITY - State Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, issued the following statement in response to the letter recently published by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) stating its opposition to Senate Bill 13, or the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act. If enacted, this legislation would bring an immediate end to abortion in Oklahoma. Silk is the author of SB 13.

The Shawnee Educational Foundation will induct Sen. Ron Sharp into their Hall of Fame Monday night at Oklahoma Baptist University. The Shawnee native is being recognized for his 38 years of dedication to growing the minds of Oklahoma’s youth.
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Sen. Paul Scott (R-Duncan) released the following statement regarding his decision to not pursue Senate Bill 40 dealing with the Soon-to-be-Sooners Program.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Kim David, Senate Health and Human Services Vice Chair
Greg McCortney, Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, Senate Appropriations Chairman
Roger Thompson and Senate Majority Caucus Chairman Jason Smalley discuss prolife bill,
budget and criminal justice reform.