Press Releases

OKLAHOMA CITY – The governor signed two bills into law this week to help provide better mental health services for Oklahoma’s law enforcement members and their families. Senate Majority Floor Leader Kim David, R-Porter, said she authored the bills after hosting an interim study last fall where law enforcement officials from various agencies around the state shared about the ever-growing mental health needs in the public safety community.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s high school students will soon be able to join thousands of others from around the country in taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test under legislation signed into law earlier this week. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, is the author of Senate Bill 642 to provide youth further career guidance.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A commission of top state law enforcement and state officials will soon be convened following the signing of Senate Bill 371 this week. Senate Majority Floor Leader Kim David, R-Porter, is the author the measure creating the Unified State Law Enforcement Commission to consider ways to unify the state’s three public safety agencies to increase efficiency and better serve the public.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation to protect the sales tax exemption provided to Oklahoma’s 100% disabled veterans was signed into law Wednesday. Senate Bill 415’s author, Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, who serves as the chair of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, said the bill was desperately needed to stop the fraudulent use of the benefit for Oklahoma’s heroes.

Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, released the following statement regarding final passage of House Bill 1775 on Thursday. The measure prohibits state colleges and universities from requiring gender or sexual diversity training or counseling. It further prohibits school employees from incorporating certain messages about sex and race into any course instruction. The bill will next be considered by the governor. If signed, the measure will go into effect July 1, 2021. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – The governor has given final approval to Senate Bill 736, which will allow county health departments across the state to share resources in an effort to improve public health in Oklahoma.

Authored by Sen. Chris Kidd, R-Waurika, the measure allows county health departments to form “health districts,” comprised of multiple member counties, with the goal to pool resources to enhance health outcomes for the member counties.

OKLAHOMA CITY – This session, Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, wanted to even the playing field for high school sports fans by ensuring access to broadcast streams, and Governor Stitt made it happen Monday by signing Senate Bill 302 into law. The measure grants visiting teams in all regular high school athletic competitions the same rights to video stream as is already provided for radio and television broadcasts beginning in the upcoming school year.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma is now among those states officially calling for an Article V Convention of the States.  Authored by Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, and House Majority Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, Senate Joint Resolution 23 was approved by Gov. Stitt on Tuesday.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate has given final approval to a bill ensuring payment parity for physicians who care for patients using telemedicine.  Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada, is the principal Senate author of Senate Bill 674. The measure was approved on Thursday.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. David Bullard said Oklahomans will not have to worry about their church being shut down during future state or national emergencies after the signing of Senate Bill 368 into law this week.

OKLAHOMA CITY – More elderly and frail inmates in Oklahoma’s prisons could soon qualify for medical parole under legislation signed into law Tuesday. Senate Bill 320, authored by Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan,

will allow those offenders deemed medically frail or vulnerable to be considered for medical parole, also known as compassionate release.  

OKLAHOMA CITY – Two Senate bills to help manage huge spikes in energy costs after February’s historic winter storm will protect seniors, families, small businesses and Oklahoma’s economy.  That’s according to Sen. James Leewright, R-Bristow, chair of the Senate select committee created to study the issue.  Both Senate Bills 1049 and 1050 were recently signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation was signed Tuesday strengthening penalties for those who knowingly sell or provide alcohol to minors. Senate Bill 283 by Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma City, will require those convicted of such offenses to attend a victims impact panel program, along with other current penalties.

Brooks explained that the legislation was originally requested by a government class at Oklahoma City’s Southeast High School, who had participated in the Generation Citizen Project.   

OKLAHOMA CITY – Two bills protecting the leave of state employees during governor-declared state emergencies are now law. Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, authored the bills after learning of the hundreds of hours of annual and compensatory leave accrued during the pandemic, and state employees not being able or allowed to take it by the end of the year.         

OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill to ensure Oklahomans are informed about the costs associated with a state question and where that funding could come from is now law.  Senate Bill 947, by Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, was signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma is officially a Second Amendment Sanctuary State after the governor signed Senate Bill 631 into law on Monday.

Authored by freshman Senator Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, the measure preempts the entire field of legislation by any agency or political subdivision of the state to infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of Oklahoma citizens.

OKLAHOMA CITY – On Monday, Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, and Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, filed a formal complaint with Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat regarding violations of Senate Rules by Senator Nathan Dahm. A copy of the complaint is included below:

The Honorable Greg Treat
President Pro Tempore
Oklahoma Senate

April 26, 2021

Dear President Pro Tempore Treat:

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, issued the following statement on Friday regarding comments made by Sen. Nathan Dahm about Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday.

OKLAHOMA CITY – A measure to better protect victims of domestic violence from harassment through social media was approved Thursday in the Senate. Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, is the principal Senate author of the measure and said House Bill 1007 is needed to bring victim protection laws in line with new technologies and communication platforms.

OKLAHOMA CITY –Legislation to help law enforcement better aid victims of domestic violence has now been approved by both chambers and will next be considered by Gov. Kevin Stitt.  Senate Bill 17, by Sen. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Carol Bush, R-Tulsa, received overwhelming bipartisan support from legislators.  The measure enhances Oklahoma’s Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) used by law enforcement investigating domestic violence crimes.