Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson has won full Senate approval his bill aimed at moving district court funding from fees to appropriated funding through the Legislature. Senate Bill 1458 would eliminate a slate of fines and fees currently charged upon conviction. Thompson, R-Okemah, said the objective of the bill is to take the weight of…
Parents in the Stillwater school district report that students have been allowed to select bathroom facilities based not on their biological gender, but on the identity the student professes that day—even though the district has single-occupant bathrooms for gender-nonconforming students. That has left parents feeling frustrated and powerless in the face of what they view…
The Senate approved Senate Joint Resolution 17 by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, to submit a state question to voters to amend the state constitution to extend the definition of an abortion and personhood to ensure the unborn have the same rights to life as other people. “Life starts at conception, and Oklahomans have made it…
Following the largest single day illegal marijuana bust in state history last month, House Republicans advanced a 12-point medical marijuana policy plan to stop illegal grows and foster a safer, fairer free market for the product. “Illegal marijuana grows end now. The black market isn’t a free market,” said House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols,…
House Speaker Charles McCall was overwhelmingly re-elected speaker-designate for the 59th Oklahoma Legislature by the House Republican Caucus. First elected speaker in 2016 for the 56th Legislature, McCall, R-Atoka, is already Oklahoma’s longest-serving Republican speaker and is now on track to become the longest-serving speaker in state history. The 59th Legislature will be seated after…
The chairman of the Senate Energy Committee said he supports a ban on Russian oil and other petroleum products, saying such a prohibition would further hold Vladimir Putin accountable for its illegal and unlawful attack on Ukraine. Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro, said the United States is indirectly funding the Putin regime and its ruthless attack…
The Senate approved Senate Bill 1139 to find may ways to compensate Oklahoma teachers. Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, said the ongoing teacher shortage is evidence that additional reforms must be made to keep professionals in the classroom. “For almost two decades, I taught in schools where good teachers were shorted on good pay while average…
The full Senate has approved Senate Bill 1544, which would prevent public, charter or virtual schools across the state from partnering with an individual or entity that performs, induces, or provides abortions. Authored by Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, the measure aims to prevent organizations, like Planned Parenthood, from instituting curriculum and normalizing sexual activities, behavior,…
The House passed bills to empower district attorneys to investigate election fraud. House Bill 2974, authored by Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, requires the State Election Board to perform an annual query to determine how many individuals are registered at the same residential address. If more than ten registered voters share a single residential address, the…
The House approved two bills repealing the franchise tax and updating the interest rate for delinquent taxes. House Bill 3131 repeals the franchise tax and was authored by Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus. Corporations pay a tax on retained capital, and the tax is assessed whether the corporation makes a profit or not. Currently, the franchise…