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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…

Lt. Col. Michael Coloney

Lt. Col. Michael Coloney is honored for his heroism

Tulsa Beacon

The Oklahoma Air National Guard held a ceremony December 5th celebrating the heroic airborne acts of Lt. Col. Michael Coloney of Tulsa during a Taliban attack on U.S. and Afghan Special Forces in Afghanistan on April 30, 2018. Originally from Georgia, Coloney joined the Oklahoma Air National Guard in October 2005, married his wife Courtney…

Three inches of highway to be named after Lincoln Riley?

Tulsa Beacon

Following the sudden and unexpected departure of the University of Oklahoma’s former head football coach that left the Sooner Nation and other football fans in shock, Sen. Bill Coleman has requested legislation to properly “honor” Lincoln Riley. The bill request asks to name the last three inches of the westbound lane of State Highway 325…

Fraudsters targeting seniors during the Christmas season

Tulsa Beacon

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tis the season to be jolly and for seniors to beware of fraudsters who target the elderly this time of the year. What makes older folk more susceptible to becoming targets for scammers during the holiday season? The consensus is that the older we get the more charitable we become, said the…

Decisions affect Independent voters

Tulsa Beacon

Every odd-numbered year, recognized political parties in Oklahoma are required to notify the Secretary of the State Election Board whether or not the party will allow registered Independents to vote in its primary elections. State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax announced today that he has been notified by the Oklahoma Democratic Party that it will…

OBA has art and writing contests

Tulsa Beacon

The Oklahoma Bar Association is celebrating Law Day with its annual art and writing contests for all Oklahoma students. The theme for this year’s contest is “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change,” and the deadline  is Jan. 14. “This is the 46th year for this fun, educational contest,” said Norman…