Press Releases

The Senate has voted in favor of legislation requiring standardized investigations following the sudden, unexplained death of infants in Oklahoma.  Sen. Stephanie Bice is principal author of Senate Bill 1893, which was approved unanimously on Wednesday. 

A bill to repeal the requirement for threaders to obtain a cosmetology license passed unanimously in the Senate this week.  Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said Senate Bill 1540 will correct an oversight that is hurting small business owners while providing no training for the popular hair removal practice. 

The Senate has passed a measure that would prohibit law enforcement entities from requiring officers, justices or judges to meet traffic citation quotas. 

Authored by Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, Senate Bill 1264 would prohibit any political subdivision or agency of the state to maintain, require or suggest that employee evaluations, promotions, compensation or discipline may be based on issuing a certain number of traffic citations by law enforcement officers, or by the collection of a specified amount of revenue by a court justice or judge.

Two measures were approved Tuesday by the full Senate to protect the rights of nursing mothers who are state employees.  Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, is the author of the two bills.   

Senate Bill 1877 will require all buildings owned or leased by the state where state employees work to have a place other than a bathroom for breastfeeding or to express breast milk.

The Senate has given full approval to a measure to ensure 9-1-1 operators throughout Oklahoma have Telecommunicator Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (TCPR) training. Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, said Senate Bill 1845 directs the Oklahoma 9-1-1 Management Authority to develop a training program in TCPR for 9-1-1 operators by June 30, 2021. The bill received unanimous approval on Tuesday.

An Oklahoman dies every five days on average as a result of domestic violence according to the Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board.

Sen. Michael Brooks said he authored Senate Bill 1804 at the request of a district judge for clarification for those arrested for domestic violence and to better protect domestic abuse victims.

The Senate has passed a measure creating the Oklahoma Advanced Mobility Pilot Program to further state investment in innovative technologies. 

Authored by Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, Senate Bill 1688 would identify local communities for pilot programs for the adoption of advanced mobility technologies, and provide for two grants up to $500,000 each year. The program would become an entity of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

The Senate has approved legislation that would exclude pheromone lures, traps and monitoring system components and equipment from requiring a “registration for use” license under Oklahoma’s Combined Pesticide Law. 

Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, authored Senate Bill 1272 and said the measure is necessary to bring state law in line with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.

Legislation aimed at better supporting disabled veterans who work for the state has cleared the full Senate.  State Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, is principal author of Senate Bill 1434, which gives an additional 16 hours of sick leave each year for veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more.  The bill was approved on Monday.

A program to encourage Oklahoma children to become better readers is one step closer to becoming a reality.  Senate Bill 1803, by Sen. John Haste, creates the framework for Oklahoma to have its own Imagination Library, a program to get free books in the hands of children.  Haste said the goal is to encourage a love of reading and improve education outcomes.  The bill, modeled after a program founded by entertainer Dolly Parton in her home state of Tennessee, was approved on Monday.

Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson issued the following statement on Monday after Attorney General Mike Hunter responded to Thompson’s request for a legal opinion as to whether Gov. Kevin Stitt could deposit state revenues from tribal gaming exclusivity fees in escrow while awaiting the outcome of federal litigation over gaming compacts between the state and tribes.

Legislation to clarify qualifications for a $5,000 tax credit originally approved to help attract and keep aerospace engineers in Oklahoma has been approved by the full Senate and is on its way to the House for further consideration. 

Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is the author of Senate Bill 1461, which he filed after an interpretation by the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) resulted in notifications being sent to aerospace engineers saying they didn’t qualify for the credit and must repay the state the $5,000 credit plus penalties and interest.

The full Senate voted in favor of legislation strengthening laws dealing with violence against people who work in hospitals and health care facilities.  Senate Bill 1290, the Medical Care Provider Protection Act, by Sen. Darrell Weaver, was approved on Thursday and now moves to the House of Representatives.

The Senate approved the Unborn Person Wrongful Death Act Thursday to address the pain and suffering of family members of babies whose lives are ended through abortion.  Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, is the author of Senate Bill 1728, which modifies provisions relating to awarding damages resulting from wrongful death in cases of abortions performed under fraudulent circumstances. 

The Senate has approved a measure that would modify the calculation of sales tax applied to vehicles.

When a vehicle is purchased under current law, a sales tax of 1.25 percent is levied on the full price of the car. Senate Bill 1619, authored by Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, would modify this calculation so the sales tax would be based on the difference between the actual sales price of a vehicle and the value of a trade-in, if applicable. This tax calculation is used in 38 states.

The Senate approved Senate Bill 1110 on Tuesday, which would amend the Governmental Tort Claims Act to include substate planning districts, regional councils of government and other entities created under the Interlocal Cooperation Act. Bill author Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, said the measure adds clarification that these entities are political subdivisions of the state.

A bill requiring the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) to establish resources focused on human trafficking training for law enforcement officers has been approved by the Senate.

Senate Bill 1569, authored by Sen. Wayne Shaw, R-Grove, outlines that trafficking training would include resources to help with identification, understanding the effects of trauma and victimization, and effective screening protocol.

The Senate unanimously approved legislation Wednesday to make school enrollment easier for military families transferring to Oklahoma and to stop fraudulent use of the disabled veterans sales tax exemption.        

State Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, honored the legacy of former United States Sen. Tom Coburn Wednesday with the passage of Senate Joint Resolution 41, which calls for an Article V Convention of States to amend the U.S. Constitution. Coburn is a staunch advocate for a convention and has said it is the only way to halt the overreach of power by the federal government. 

Home-based bakeries and other types of food businesses are one step closer to being able to continue growing their small business without having to rent or buy a commercial property. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said he authored Senate Bill 1714 to allow these types of small business owners the freedom to decide when they are ready to move into a larger commercial location rather than the state forcing them.