Press Releases

OKLAHOMA CITY – On Thursday, Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman appointed Sen. Frank Simpson to serve as Chairman of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.  The retired Navy veteran has served as vice-chair of the committee since getting elected in 2010. 

Members of the Senate will examine current seat belt laws for children and the state’s mandatory professional development training for educators this coming week at the state Capitol.

State Sen. Carri Hicks requested both interim studies. The Senate Public Safety Committee will hold the seat belt study this coming Monday, September 9 at 1 p.m. in room 419-C.

Sen. Ron Sharp, a member of the Senate Appropriation Subcommittee on Education, said Monday his recent correspondence with the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board (OSVCSB) verifies his concerns of further illegal enrollment practices by Epic Charter Schools in order to receive additional state funding. The state’s largest virtual charter school is currently under investigation for fraud and embezzlement.

Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, has filed Senate Bill 1602, also known as the Oklahoma Public Safety Unification Act of 2020, which would create the Oklahoma Public Safety Agency.

The new agency would unite state law enforcement and public safety agencies to more efficiently and effectively enforce public safety laws and deter crime. The following entities would become divisions within the new Oklahoma Public Safety Agency:

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson has filed a bill to reform the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act. Thompson, R-Okemah, said the legislation will create government efficiencies while modernizing state agency spending.

            State Sen. Brenda Stanley has been chosen for a new committee assignment for the 2020 legislative session.  Stanley, R-Midwest City, has been given a seat on the Senate Education Committee, tasked with addressing public policy legislation impacting education throughout the state. Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat announced Stanley’s appointment on Friday.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat recently announced the appointment of Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, to serve as the Assistant Majority Floor Leader for the Oklahoma State Senate during the Second Session of the 57th Legislature.

As Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Paxton will help the Majority Floor Leader determine the order of business for the Senate and aid in the flow of legislation through the Senate.

State Sen. Greg McCortney has been named chair of the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee.  McCortney, R-Ada, was appointed to the leadership post by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City, filed Senate Bill 1286, which would create the Oklahoma Commission on Race and Equality.

If passed, the commission would advise state agencies, communities, businesses and organizations that request help on equality issues relating to racial discrimination and bias. The commission would also monitor legislation and act as a resource for racial issues. 

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Friday announced leadership changes made necessary due to the recent resignation of a member of the Senate.

“With a new legislative session drawing upon us, I am making these changes so the Senate can seamlessly move forward with our role in the legislative process. I am very confident in the members stepping into these new leadership roles and know they will do a great job for the Senate and the people of Oklahoma,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma could soon join the growing number of states backing away from using Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to administer prescription-drug programs.  Sen. Paul Scott, R-Duncan, has filed Senate Bill 1901 to replace the state’s third-party PBMs with a direct-to-pharmacy payment system – a move he said could save the state millions and help significantly lower prescription drug prices for state employees.

As work continues to reform the state’s criminal justice system, Sen. Adam Pugh has filed two bills to ensure inmates are better prepared to re-enter society.  The Edmond Republican said his plans will improve community relations, protect public safety and lower recidivism rates by providing offenders with a plan of action and the tools needed to become independent, productive citizens.

Maternal mortality rates in the United States have more than doubled since 1987, while pregnancy-related deaths across the world have been in decline. Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City, wants to implement maternal mortality reporting in Oklahoma to address this concerning statistic.

Current Oklahoma law only requires children under the age of eight to be buckled up in the back seat of a car. AAA data shows car crashes to be the number one cause of death and injury for minors in Oklahoma as a result. State Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, says it’s time to buckle up.

Senate Bill 1303, by Pederson, would require every passenger 16 years and younger to wear a seat belt in the back seat. Current law requires everyone in the front seat of a vehicle to be buckled.

Oklahoma ranks 28th in the nation for human trafficking, and Sen. Wayne Shaw, R-Grove, wants to better equip law enforcement officers to recognize the signs of this illegal practice and protect trafficking victims. 

The last cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) Oklahoma’s state retirees received was in 2008 yet living expenses have continually increased. The Vice Chair of the Senate Insurance and Retirement Committee, Sen. Ron Sharp, said it’s time to find a funding solution. 

Just as doctors pronounce death when the heart stops beating and brainwaves are no longer detected, Sen. Paul Scott wants them to recognize life when they find fetal heartbeats and brainwaves. The Duncan Republican has filed Senate Bill 1859 to better protect the state’s unborn.

State Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, is inviting citizens to a special town hall meeting in Fort Supply.  The meeting will be held January 22 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Fort Supply High School Cafeteria, 302 Reservation Road, and is specifically to discuss concerns about the William S. Key Correctional Center being targeted for possible closure.

As part of his continued “Oklahoma First!” effort to encourage the promotion of Oklahoma businesses and products, Sen. Rob Standridge has filed legislation aimed at choosing textbooks produced in the state for use in public schools.

Senate Bill 1121 would direct the State Textbook Committee to give preference to books that have been produced in Oklahoma if the price, fitness, availability and quality are otherwise equal to textbooks produced out-of-state.

State Sen. James Leewright has been recognized by the Association of General Contractors of Oklahoma (AGCOK) for his efforts on behalf of the state’s construction industry.  Leewright, R-Bristow, was given AGCOK’s Legislator of the Year award at their annual banquet held recently in Tulsa.

Leewright, who chairs the Senate’s Committee on Business, Commerce and Tourism, said he was honored to be named Legislator of the Year.