The Senate gave unanimous final approval to legislation which authorizes the use of one standardized sexual assault evidence kit by all law enforcement agencies statewide. Rep. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, said she authored Senate Bill 975 to address the state’s backlog of untested rape kits and to get victims justice faster. In 2017, the Oklahoma…
The Senate approved Senate Bill 446 to better prepare teachers and other school employees to deal with the growing mental health needs of Oklahoma public school students. Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, and Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, authored the legislation requiring the State Department of Education and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse…
Oklahoma’s more than 4,100 foster families will soon get some financial relief following the signing of Senate Bill 893. Sen. Paul Scott, R-Duncan, and Rep. Rande Worthen, R-Lawton, authored the bill, which will provide a $5,000 state income tax exemption for anyone contracting with a child-placing agency for taxable years beginning on or after January…
A bill allowing law enforcement to use cameras on school buses to track down drivers who illegally pass stopped buses was signed into law last week. House Bill 1926, by Rep. Dell Kerbs, R-Shawnee, and Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, requires a minimum ticket of $100 for drivers who break this law. It also requires 75…
Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed legislation into law to protect the confidentiality of undercover law officers. Senate Bill 679 was authored by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore. “As the former Director of the Bureau of Narcotics, I recognized the roll of the undercover, covert agent in our state is different than a uniform patrol officer. The…
Governor Kevin Stitt announced today five appointments to the State Board of Corrections – including former Tulsa First Lady Kathy LaFortune. “I am pleased to welcome five new members to the State Board of Corrections,” said Stitt. “They will each bring a diverse perspective to the Department of Corrections in order to implement needed change…
Governor Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency for 52 counties – including Tulsa, Wagoner, Rogers, Washington, Creek, Osage and Okmulgee – due to severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding that began April 30. Those counties are: Adair, Atoka, Bryan, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Craig, Creek, Delaware, Garvin, Grady, Haskell,…
Speed limits on Oklahoma turnpikes will jump from 75 to 80 miles per hour and on certain state highways from 70 to 75 miles per hour following passage of House Bill 1071. Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, is the House author of House Bill 1071. Sen. John Michael Montgomery, R-Lawton, is the Senate author. Pae, serving…
Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued a report on the progress has made during his first 100 days in office. Stitt signed into law legislation that forces five of the 12 largest state agencies to answer to the executive branch. Past governors have produced blue-ribbon studies showing that responsibility and power are spread so far and…
The Senate advanced a measure to modernize the Oklahoma Supreme Court district boundaries in order to increase the pool of qualified applicants eligible to fill judicial vacancies in the future. Gov. Stitt signed the bill. House Bill 2366, by Senate principal author Julie Daniels, modifies the boundaries of the Supreme Court district map to align…