Oklahoma Senate
Sen. Adam Pugh’s Press Releases
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.
An important criminal justice reform measure made it out of committee late Wednesday and will next be considered by the full Senate. Sen. Adam Pugh is the author of Senate Bill 1456, which directs the Department of Corrections (DOC) to annually review its inmate rehabilitation case plans with all parole-eligible inmates.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Universal Occupational Licensing Recognition Act Wednesday night. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, authored the bill to help attract more professionals to move and work in Oklahoma.
Social media has allowed at-home food business owners to reach larger numbers of potential customers, but Oklahoma’s strict regulations have kept many from growing and succeeding. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, wants to remove unnecessary regulations for these small business owners with his Senate Bill 1714, the Homemade Food Freedom Act, which passed unanimously Monday out of the Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee.
The Senate unanimously approved legislation Tuesday to help get more teachers into Oklahoma classrooms. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, is the author of Senate Bill 1125 directing the State Board of Education to issue a teaching certificate to anyone who holds a valid out-of-state teaching certificate, with no other requirements except a criminal history record check.
As work continues to reform the state’s criminal justice system, Sen. Adam Pugh has filed two bills to ensure inmates are better prepared to re-enter society. The Edmond Republican said his plans will improve community relations, protect public safety and lower recidivism rates by providing offenders with a plan of action and the tools needed to become independent, productive citizens.
Oklahoma STABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts for eligible individuals with disabilities. They have similar features to normal banking accounts but allow disabled individuals to save and invest money without losing eligibility for public benefits programs like Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income.
“Even with the historic pay raises and budget increases, we’re still facing a teacher shortage. We’ve got to figure out a way to increase the potential pool of teacher applicants, and attracting out-of-state teachers is one way we can do that,” Pugh said. “However, we need to get rid of some of the roadblocks that are keeping out-of-state teachers from continuing their careers in our classrooms.
“This was an oversight in our law that needed to be addressed to ensure law enforcement and DHS are aware of who sex offenders are living with when it comes to minors,” Pugh said.
