OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate has given unanimous approval to a bill that would make it easier for teachers in military families to resume their careers after being transferred to a new state. Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, is the principal author of Senate Bill 467, creating the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact (ITMC) Act….
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, has won unanimous Senate approval for legislation strengthening protections for consumers. Senate Bill 871 would make it a violation of the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act to pose as a state agency representative in a letter or advertisement to scam citizens. “It’s called an imposter scam. A citizen…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, this week secured passage of House Bills 2589 and 2608 in the House. House Bill 2589 would allow county sheriffs or jail trust administrators to request an immediate transfer of inmates from their jails to the Department of Corrections. The Department would be required to schedule transport of…
Here in Oklahoma, we know all too well the damage flooding causes and the danger it presents. In May 2019, Oklahomans saw some of the worst flooding in history after 17 tornadoes struck the state in one day. The storm carried 5 to 6 inches of rainfall, causing the tragic loss of lives and significant…
Total Construction Employment Hits New Record High as Average Pay in the Sector Hits $33.57 an Hour, But Construction Officials Warn that Labor Shortages Will Make it Hard for Firms to Expand Further Construction firms added 24,000 employees in February, as hefty pay raises for hourly workers enabled the industry to increase employment more steeply…
ALTUS, OK – – Oklahoma Libertarian Party members gathered from across the state to hold their annual convention this past weekend, choosing Altus to host the event. In addition to usual party business of considering the by-laws and platform, new officers were chosen and attendees heard from Drew Cook of SHRED the Stigma, a non-profit…
Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but which of the 200 biggest U.S. cities really know how to celebrate the Celtic spirit? To mark Irish American Heritage Month, LawnStarter ranked 2023’s Most Irish Cities in America. We looked beyond green bloodlines — we also looked at access to Irish pubs, dance schools, and social groups…
In an effort to significantly increase voter turnout and input into local schools, lawmakers have advanced two bills that would shift school-board elections to a November general-election ballot. “I believe we need to increase voter turnout in school-board elections,” said state Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore. “And we all in our communities recently—two weeks ago—had those…
During discussion of legislation that would bar performing lewd or obscene acts in the presence of children, one Democratic lawmaker suggested public display of fetal images violates existing state obscenity laws. Senate Bill 503, by state Sen. David Bullard, would make it illegal for any political subdivision to “allow or permit a public display of…
A potent storm system—labeled by forecasters as “historic” and “unprecedented” for February — struck Oklahoma on Feb. 26 with the full fury and power of a classic springtime severe weather outbreak. At least 10 tornadoes were confirmed during the event, with that total almost guaranteed to creep higher with further investigation by National Weather Service…