Morgan Says Democrats Remain Focused on Next Generation

Upper Chamber Completes Work on Senate Bills Ahead of Deadline

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan touted the accomplishments of Senate Democrats Wednesday saying that the first third of the 2006 legislative session has been a tremendous success.

“We came into this session with a vision for the future of Oklahoma. We vowed to look beyond the next election and focus on the next generation and we’ve done that,” Morgan said. “We’ve passed initiatives that will make Oklahoma safer; make state government more accountable; boost small business and empower the middle class.”

The Stillwater Democrat said he is most proud that the Senate passed a measure expanding the income eligibility for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program in the first month of the session

“Expanding OHLAP has been one of my major goals for this legislative session. I believe it is important for the state to reward personal responsibility and that it’s important that we as a Legislative body look past the next election and focus on the next generation. In the Senate, we made it clear that we are focused on creating a better tomorrow for our children,” Morgan said.

Senate Bill 1993 by Morgan increases the maximum family income eligibility level for OHLAP from $50,000 to $75,000, which would give 75 percent of Oklahoma high school students the chance to earn a college scholarship through the program. It passed the Senate on a 36-10 vote on February 28 and has been assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.

The Senate leader said passage of a $24 million supplemental appropriation for the Department of Corrections to help ease the public safety crisis created by a staffing shortage in state prisons was another of the session’s top accomplishments thus far.

“The Senate worked on this issue throughout the interim and though we would have liked to have reached an agreement in special session we are pleased that this agreement came so early in the session,” Morgan said.

He also pointed to an agreement with the House on a series of other supplemental appropriations, including a $100 million for state bridges and another $25 million for county bridges.

Other key components of the Senate Democrats agenda that have been sent to the House include:
A $339 million increase in public schools, including a $3,000 across the board pay increase for teachers;
A three-day Back-to-School sales tax holiday in August on school supplies and clothing;
Expanding Insure Oklahoma, the state’s innovative health insurance premium assistance program for small businesses, to include employers with 50 or fewer workers;
A program to offer state income tax credits to workers who seek to further their education and training;
Legislation providing for additional manpower at state investigative agencies;
A measure calling for a statewide inter-operable communications system that will allow emergency personal from different agencies to communicate with each other;
And a measure that requires independent third-party performance audits of state agencies to ensure that taxpayers are getting their money’s worth.

Morgan said he is also pleased that the Senate completed its work on Senate bills ahead of schedule and without any late night sessions.

He praised Majority Leader Ted Fisher, D-Sapulpa, for the efficient way he runs the floor

“Senator Fisher runs a tight ship and he certainly deserves the lion’s share of the credit, but he has to share that credit with the members of the Senate who have conducted themselves in a professional manner worthy of this body,” Morgan said.

The Senate adjourned for the week a day early, having completed its work on Senate bills before Thursday’s deadline. The legislative session is divided into three basic segments. The first six weeks are devoted mostly to bills in their house of origin. The second six weeks is spent considering bills from the opposite house. That leaves the month of May for reaching compromises on key issues and completing the state budget.

When the final gavel fell at the end of Wednesday’s session, the Senate had approved 534 Senate bills, 13 joint resolutions, 12 senate resolutions, eight concurrent resolutions and three house bills. Committee meetings on remaining House bills will begin Monday.