Oklahoma State Senate
Senator Mike Morgan
President Pro Tempore
Senate District 21
Lincoln, Logan & Payne Counties

For Immediate Release: February 15, 2006

Senate Leader Pleased With Agenda Progress after First Two Weeks

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan said he’s pleased with the progress Senate Democrats have made in moving their 2006 Agenda of Personal Responsibility and Accountability through the legislative process in the first two weeks of the Second Session of the 50th Oklahoma Legislature.

Six of the Senate Democrats’ major proposals have been passed out of committee and will begin being heard on the floor next week when the full Senate takes up a measure to expand the income eligibility for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.

“OHLAP is one of the best examples of how the Legislature can help create a culture of greater personal responsibility and accountability in our state. Our goal this year is to advance legislation that will help Oklahomans who are willing to help themselves and measures that will hold individuals, corporations and government more accountable,” Morgan said.

In addition to the OHLAP expansion, key planks of the Senate Democrats agenda which will now move to the Senate floor include making more small businesses eligible for a program that provides state and federal funding to off-set the costs of employee health insurance benefits.

“The Insure Oklahoma program benefits small business owners and their employees if they each are willing to take on the responsibility for paying a small percentage of the overall health insurance premiums by making affordable health care available to more working Oklahomans,” Morgan said.

Morgan also lauded committee passage of the Lawsuit Responsibility Act of 2006, a bold proposal to increase teacher pay in Oklahoma, Caitlin’s Law and a back-to-school sales tax holiday.

“Our agenda offers teachers the opportunity to earn higher pay if they are willing to take responsibility for better equipping themselves to lead our classrooms. It will hold violent criminals more accountable for their offenses. It will give a needed tax break to middle class families and hold attorneys and plaintiffs more accountable when they file frivolous lawsuits,” Morgan said.

The Senate Leader said he expects other items in the Senate Democrats agenda to move the committee process next week with still others that will be subject to budget negotiations with the House.

For more information contact:
Senate Leadership Assistant's Office - (405) 521-5605