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The Tulsa Beacon

 

Legislative Update

Anti-indoctrination bill

Tulsa Beacon

Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, filed two bills addressing the growing concern for Oklahoma parents – the indoctrination of their children in school classrooms and on college campuses. The first deals with sexually-graphic books in public schools, public charter schools, and school libraries while the second tackles diversity course requirements in colleges and universities. “The purpose…

Teacher vacancy assistance

Tulsa Beacon

As school districts around the state continue struggling to fill teaching positions, Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, has filed legislation to help adjunct and highly-qualified substitute teachers fill the void. SB1119 would remove the 270-hour limitation adjunct teachers may teach per semester in a classroom. SB 1144 would let substitute teachers with a valid, lapsed, or…

Organic or GMO? Experts explain different food definitions

Tulsa Beacon

STILLWATER – As Oklahomans start a new year with new nutrition goals and eating habits, they’re faced with an overwhelming amount of industry diet terms and food lingo. Experts from the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center at Oklahoma State University clarified some of the most common references. Organic The difference between conventional…

Gas prices jump 17.8 cents

Tulsa Beacon

Average gasoline prices in Tulsa have risen 17.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.98/gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 321 stations in Tulsa. Prices in Tulsa are 10 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 99.3 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. According to GasBuddy price…

Resolution to mourn legalized abortion

Tulsa Beacon

Since the U.S. Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade on January 22, 1973, more than 62 million abortions have been performed. To mourn the loss of those lives, Sen. Jake Merrick, R-Yukon, and Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, have filed Senate Concurrent Resolution 14. “It’s a common practice in our country to have special days…

Special session to fight vaccination mandates

Tulsa Beacon

House Republicans support convening a special session to pass legislation addressing federal vaccine mandates facing court injunctions due to major constitutional concerns. “President Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandates are already under court injunctions secured by House Bill 1236 legal challenges,” said House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka. “The injunctions are positive developments, but they are not permanent…

Bill would protect workers from Biden’s mandates

Tulsa Beacon

Sen. Blake Cowboy Stephens has filed Senate Bill 1128, called the “Employee Liberty and Freedom Act,” to ensure current employees are exempt should employers institute new mandates for vaccines or other medical treatments. Stephens, R-Tahlequah, said he was particularly concerned about loyal workers suddenly being faced with a new requirement that could force them out…

Reforming the excise taxes on Oklahoma vehicles

Tulsa Beacon

Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami, has filed legislation for 2022 that would reconfigure how the base excise tax is determined when a vehicle is transferred and would allow a trade-in deduction allowance on the purchase price of a vehicle in Oklahoma. “Letting individuals to keep the money they’ve earned allows them to make their own decisions…

Improving the finances for public school districts

Tulsa Beacon

Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, has filed legislation to help further improve accountability and transparency of local school district funding. Senate Bill 1126 would remove the carryover caps for school district general funds and require those carryover amounts be reported to the State Department of Education (SDE). “It bothers me that our school funding formula penalizes…

Park changes would go through the Legislature

Tulsa Beacon

Sen. George Burns, R-Pollard, has filed a bill to require legislative approval on decisions by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission that would affect a property’s status as a state park. Burns pointed to the Commission’s decision in 2013, removing the state park status of Hugo Lake Park—a decision he said negatively impacted local economies…