Senate Republicans Unveil Legislative Agenda for 2006 Session

Republicans of the Oklahoma State Senate unveiled their legislative agenda for the 2006 legislative session Wednesday at news conferences in Lawton, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City.

“Today Senate Republicans are unveiling a positive plan for Oklahoma to make our state a better place to live, work, start a business, get a quality education, and raise a family in health, safety and security,” stated Senate Republican Floor Leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

“After 100 consecutive years of Democrat-party control of the State Senate, it is time for your state government to start working as hard as you do. We need new leadership that will allow fresh and innovative ideas to flourish. Senate Republicans are here today unveiling our positive legislative agenda that provides the leadership and good ideas to get our state moving forward again,” Coffee said.

Key components of the Senate GOP’s legislative agenda include:
o Growing the economy and attracting good jobs.
o Controlling spending and funding our state’s priorities.
o Keeping education as the top budget priority – and expecting results.
o Making law enforcement, corrections, and public safety a priority.
o Fixing our roads and bridges.
o Standing up for Oklahoma families.
o Making healthcare more available and affordable.

2006 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

GROW THE ECONOMY & ATTRACT GOOD JOBS
o Help save small businesses and family farms by eliminating the death tax.
o Reduce the tax burden on Oklahomans by reducing the state income tax.
o Pass meaningful lawsuit reform to curb frivolous lawsuits.
o Complete workers’ comp reform.

CONTROL SPENDING & FUND PRIORITIES
o Reign in out-of-control spending so the state budget doesn’t grow faster than the family budget.
o Fund our state’s needs before our wants. This means giving priority to education, public safety, and transportation.

KEEP EDUCATION AS THE TOP BUDGET PRIORITY – AND EXPECT RESULTS
o Senate Republicans want to keep education as the number one priority in the state budget – including funding education first as state law requires.
o Ensure all Oklahoma students are prepared to successfully enter the workforce.
o Improve the amount of education dollars going to the classroom.

MAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT, CORRECTIONS & PUBLIC SAFETY A PRIORITY
o Pass the Republicans’ comprehensive public safety plan, which enhances funding for law enforcement, prosecutors and prisons.
o Provide additional resources to reduce child abuse in the State of Oklahoma.

FIX OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES
o Pass the Republican plan for roads and bridges, which provides $300 million in new money for road and bridge repair and maintenance over the next five years.
o The GOP transportation plan immediately creates a $100 million emergency bridge repair fund.
o The GOP transportation plan significantly increases funding for county roads and bridges.

STAND UP FOR OKLAHOMA FAMILIES
o Senate Republicans will continue to strongly support the sanctity of human life by promoting and supporting pro-life legislation.
o Incorporate the Theory of Intelligent Design into the science curriculum in Oklahoma classrooms.
o Protect children by removing homosexual-themed books from the children’s sections of public libraries.
o Support heating assistance to the needy through private sector programs, faith-based initiatives, and, if necessary, state funds.
o Protect private property rights in Oklahoma from the U.S. Supreme Court’s eminent domain standard under the Kelo decision

MAKE HEALTHCARE MORE AVAILABLE AND AFFORDABLE
o Senate Republicans support free-market health care reforms that encourage personal responsibility and reduce costs.
o The state’s Medicaid program should be reformed to make it more efficient.

Senate Republican Leadership Assistant's Office- (405) 521-5654