Tag: Senate Bill

Stitt gets more authority

March 21, 2019

Passage of five reorganizational bills will give Gov. Kevin Stitt and future governors more authority to hire and fire agency leaders for the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority (SB 456), Oklahoma Department of Transportation (SB 457), Oklahoma Department of Corrections (HB 2480), Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (HB 2479), and Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance…

No to teacher bonus ban

March 21, 2019

A measure to prohibit the use of state funds for recruitment bonuses for teachers failed narrowly in the Senate, 22-20. Retired educator Sen. Ron Sharp said he authored Senate Bill 57 to stop the practice of virtual charter schools rewarding teachers financially with state appropriated dollars for successfully recruiting other teachers and students to their…

Bill expands governor’s powers

March 14, 2019

The Oklahoma Senate overwhelmingly passed two government accountability measures that are a part of a larger deal to give the governor the ability to hire the heads of five of the largest state agencies. Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat’s bills would give the governor the ability to hire and fire the head of the…

Student mental health bill

March 14, 2019

The Senate approved a bill to better equip educators to recognize and address the mental health needs of students. Senate Bill 446, by Sen. John Haste, would require the State Department of Education and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to develop educator training programs on student mental health. The Broken Arrow…

Aerospace training center

March 14, 2019

A measure to build a statewide aerospace training facility cleared both the Senate Education and the Appropriation and Budget committees and is now headed to the Senate floor. Senate Bill 432, authored by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, authorizes the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education to acquire or lease property for the purpose of…

Gun bill is signed, SB13 gets blocked

March 7, 2019

Governor Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 2597, which establishes “Constitutional Carry” in the state of Oklahoma. “Oklahomans are strong supporters of the Second Amendment, and they made their voice known as I traveled across all 77 counties last year,” said Stitt. HB 2597 establishes “Constitutional Carry,” allowing the concealed or unconcealed carry of firearms by…

Habitual crimes targeted by bill

March 7, 2019

Individuals in Oklahoma serve, on average, nearly 70 percent longer for property crimes and 80 percent longer for drug crimes than the national average. This is mainly due to the state’s “habitual offender” statute that can double and triple sentence lengths, and often increases the maximum term to life, according to Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca…

Accountability for state agencies

March 7, 2019

Senate Bill 177, by Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, requires state agencies to provide on their website, or on a general website, certain financial information as prescribed by the State Auditor and Inspector and the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES). The legislation was one of seven recommendations made by the multi-county grand jury last…

More clarity for custody hearings

March 7, 2019

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation to help parents better understand judges’ rulings on child custody and visitation. Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, authored Senate 65 after hearing from numerous constituents who are frustrated with their custody or visitation arrangements and have gotten no clear explanation about the court’s findings. “To judges, these individuals may just…

Online approval for state notaries

March 7, 2019

The Senate gave unanimous approval to legislation to allow notary publics to certify electronic documents. Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, is the author of Senate Bill 915 which would create a Remote Online Notarization (RON) process in Oklahoma allowing notaries to perform their services online over secure audio video calls rather than in person. Under…