Press Releases

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, today hosted the Oklahoma Legislature’s first-ever interim study on sports betting.

Senator Coleman hosted the study in the Senate Business and Insurance Committee, which he chairs, to bring stakeholders to the table to discuss reaching a consensus on a framework for legalized sports betting in Oklahoma.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, today encouraged members of the Legislative Compensation Board to reconsider their recent vote on pay for members of the Oklahoma Legislature.

Pro Tem Paxton’s comments follow the board’s decision to increase pay for legislative leadership positions but not for individual members of the House and Senate. A motion to reconsider the broader pay adjustment will potentially be discussed at the board’s next meeting on November 4.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senator Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, has been honored by the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council with the 2025 Bulldog Award for her leadership on legislation strengthening school safety and child-protection laws.

The award recognizes legislators who demonstrate determination and effectiveness in advancing public-safety policy. Thompson previously received the Council’s Liberty Bell Award in 2024.

OKLAHOMA CITY— Oklahoma Senate Aeronautics and Transportation Committee Chair, Senator Darcy Jech, joined the Oklahoma delegation participating in the annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention and exhibition in Las Vegas.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt made the following statement regarding the Oklahoma Ethics Commission lawsuit against Rep. Ajay Pittman.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senator Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, today released the following information and statement after the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to reduce staff within the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), specifically on the impact on states and local school districts that rely on federal guidance and oversight to serve students with disabilities.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, on Tuesday hosted an interim study to explore ways to eliminate parking fees at Oklahoma’s state parks.

Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department Director Sterling Zearley said two dozen of Oklahoma’s state parks charge fees for day-use visitors, with exceptions for veterans and seniors aged 62 or older.

More than 170,000 parking passes have been sold so far this year. The fees generate approximately $2.6 million annually for park maintenance and upgrades, Zearley said.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Right now, more than seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, including about 10 percent of Oklahomans over the age of 65. It’s one of the most common forms of dementia, leading to memory loss and the inability of patients to care for themselves, and ultimately is fatal.

OKLAHOMA CITY- Senator Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, was recently presented the Liberty Bell Award  by the Oklahoma District Attorney’s Association for his legislative efforts to protect Oklahoma’s children.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senator Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, has filed legislation to continue strengthening school safety measures across Oklahoma by extending the School Security Revolving Fund for an additional three years.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt led an interim study highlighting strategic ways the state can partner with municipalities to improve available housing so that every Oklahoman can afford a home in the community where they want to live and work.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senator Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow, and Senator Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, convened an interim study Wednesday before the Senate Local and County Government Committee to examine options for stabilizing municipal funding across Oklahoma.

The bipartisan study, approved by Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, brought together city officials, financial experts, and local government advocates to discuss long-term solutions for sustaining critical local services and infrastructure.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt led an interim study at the state Capitol looking at the increasing cost of homeowners insurance in Oklahoma. Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, said she requested the study because of the many calls and emails from constituents struggling with the high cost of insurance – especially folks on fixed-incomes. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen.

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City, will join the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (OK-CADP) on Thursday, October 9 at 10:30 a.m.

FAFSA Graduation Requirement Pushes Oklahoma Higher in National Rankings

OKLAHOMA CITY – State lawmakers who championed Oklahoma’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) graduation requirement are celebrating new data that reveals a sharp increase in student completion of forms that help families unlock federal financial aid.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, and Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, on Tuesday hosted a joint interim study to explore whether the use of technology and artificial intelligence in the classroom helps or hinders student learning.

The study, held before the Senate Technology and Telecommunications Committee, which Seifried chairs, comes after the two legislators passed a statewide “bell to bell” cellphone prohibition in schools for the 2025-2026 academic year.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senator Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, was recently presented with the Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association’s Oklahoma Legislative Career Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding vision, dedication, leadership, and commitment to supporting Oklahoma’s sheriffs.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, will lead an interim study in the Senate’s Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism Committee exploring the feasibility of statutory paid family leave in Oklahoma.