The full Senate gave approval to Senate Bill 1096 to add pastors, ministers, spiritual advisors and other religious leaders to the approved list of visitors for patients hospitalized during a declared health emergency. The measure modifies the No Patient Left Alone Act, which was signed into law last spring and allows patients to designate a…
A new open-transfer law that allows students to shift from one public school to another has been touted as a significant expansion of opportunity for Oklahoma children. But a review of public data, conducted by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), shows a significant share of the slots available through open transfer are in…
State Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, has filed Senate Bill 676 to prohibit anyone under the age of 21 from undergoing gender reassignment medical treatment in the state. The measure would make it illegal for a person under the age of 21 to undergo gender reassignment medical treatment; for a parent or guardian of a child…
Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, was elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Hilbert was formally elected with 82 votes. Joined by his wife Alexis and their daughter Addison, he was sworn in by Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Darby. Hilbert, who represents House District 29, is the youngest Speaker Pro Tempore…
State Sen. Warren Hamilton has filed Senate Joint Resolution 30, which would give a voice back to rural Oklahomans and transform how state questions are passed in the state. Hamilton, R-McCurtain, says allowing state questions to pass by a simple majority undermines rural Oklahoma and ensures only the major cities have a voice in hot-button…
The Senate Education Committee gave unanimous approval to a bill to allow children of school support employees to transfer to their parent’s employing district. Senate Bill 1112 is authored by Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, who said the bill was requested by school superintendents and the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA) “Our public schools…
With tensions still high following questions regarding the 2020 election cycle, Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, wants voters to decide if Oklahoma should conduct random audits following each general election. Senate Joint Resolution 47 would submit a constitutional amendment to a vote of the people to require post-election audits in 10 randomly selected Oklahoma counties at…
Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy, and Rep. Kevin West, R-Oklahoma City, agreed with Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor’s response to the legality of disciplinary actions against doctors who use off-label therapeutics to treat or prevent COVID-19. In his statement, O’Connor said that the Attorney General’s office finds “no legal basis for a state medical licensure board…
After successfully protecting law enforcement officers from doxing last session, Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, has filed legislation to extend those same protections to retired law enforcement members. Senate Bill 1522 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously Tuesday. “It’s unimaginable that anyone would try to harm our brave law enforcement officers by posting their addresses or…
Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, congratulated Gov. Kevin Stitt for a successful State of the State address to open the second regular session of the 58th Legislature. Stitt specifically mentioned his support for Treat’s Senate Bill 1647, the Oklahoma Empowerment Act. “I appreciate the governor’s support of the Oklahoma Empowerment Act,…