The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a measure to prohibit law enforcement agencies from releasing audio or video showing an officer dying in the line of duty unless a court rules the material should be released in specific cases. Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, is principal author of Senate Bill 968. Haste said his legislation has…
The Oklahoma House of Representatives Appropriations & Budget Committee passed legislation by Rep. Lonnie Sims, R-Jenks, to update the statutory income qualifier to claim an additional homestead exemption. The qualifier has not been raised since 1997. House Bill 1009 increases the statutory income qualifier to claim an additional homestead exemption from $20,000 to $25,000. The additional homestead…
A bill to clarify and strengthen penalties for those who commit crimes during violent riots is now on its way to the full Senate. Senate Bill 806, creating the Oklahoma Citizens’ Protection Act, by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, was approved on Wednesday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Peaceful protest is a right under our Constitution,…
A bill that will increase the amount of death benefits for any firefighter, paid or volunteer, or law enforcement officer who is in the pension system and passes away, was referred for an actuarial analysis by a vote of 8-0 in the House Banking Committee. The actuarial analysis will determine the fiscal impact of the…
The Senate Rules Committee approved Senate Bill 253, authored by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, which would modify declaration of candidacy forms for citizens seeking to hold public office. The measure would require candidates to provide the date they registered as a voter of the political party they are running for as well as his or…
A bill to protect businesses from being attacked by ransomware has unanimously passed the House Judiciary-Criminal committee with a vote of 8-0. House Bill 1759, authored by Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, updates language in the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act to better reflect modern technology and subsequent threats to computer security through updated definitions and penalties….
During times of unrest in America, gun sales have historically spiked, and a new study analyzing 20 years of data shows the pandemic in 2020 led to a record-breaking year for gun sales in Alabama, nationally and in 39 states – including Oklahoma. Annual sales figures had been relatively steady in Oklahoma for the first…
The Republican Women’s Club will meet on March 9 for lunch at 11:30 a.m. The guest speaker will be Oklahoma’s First Lady, Sara Stitt. For more information, go to www.rwctulsa.com.
The February winter weather and resulting blood drive cancelations severely impact the supply of life-saving blood and Oklahoma Blood Institute is alerting potential donors that new eligibility rules allow more people to donate. Many veterans, healthcare workers and other individuals who were disqualified in the past are now cleared to donate again. Due to the…
Oklahoma has the eighth highest youth obesity rate in the country, with an estimated 150,000 children who are classified as overweight or obese. To help reverse this trend, the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) is launching Swap Up, a media campaign focusing on youth obesity prevention across the state. The Swap Up campaign launched…