Around the State

Tulsa World, March 10, 2007
"GOP blames scholarship woes on lagging lottery"
Oklahoma's Republican Party on Friday blamed lacking lottery revenues for the shortfall in funding for a college scholarship program.
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education this week notified universities that OHLAP payments for the spring semester were being suspended.
The regents have asked lawmakers to provide $5.5 million in supplemental funding to pay for the spring scholarships.
[...]

Tulsa World, March 9, 2007
"House OKs bill to limit AG's power to sue over waste"
Country boys and city slickers wrangled on the House floor over a bill about animal waste Thursday, and the rural lawmakers won
A bill to limit the power of the attorney general and secretary of the environment to sue animal producers was approved 59-39. However, before the bill becomes law, it will be scrutinized again in the Senate.
"There's the cha-ching factor," said Rep. Don Armes, R-Faxon. "There is no reason to sue, unless it is for money."
[...]

Oklahoma House of Representatives, March 9, 2007
"House approves funding for free hunting/fishing licenses"
For years, lawmakers have voted to allow numerous groups and individuals to have free hunting or fishing licenses, which slowly slashed funding for the fee-based state Department of Wildlife Conservation.
State lawmakers voted this week to make up those losses.
[...]

Oklahoma House of Representatives, March 8, 2007
"Bill eliminating income tax for Oklahoma soldiers clears House"
Oklahoma military servicemen and women would be exempt from state income tax under a bill passed out of the House today.
House Bill 1446, by state Rep. Fred Jordan, would exempt all military pay of Oklahomans from state income tax. The bill applies to active duty personnel who are Oklahoma residents, as well as Reserve and National Guard members.
The bill would benefit nearly 20,000 Oklahomans serving in uniform around the world.
[...]

Oklahoma State Senate, March 8, 2007
"Senate approves economic development bill for military communities/tire manufacturers"
State Sen. Randy Bass has won approval from the full Senate on a bill to help growing military communities meet infrastructure needs. Senate Bill 751 would also extend the deadline originally approved in a 2002 bill designed to help two of the state’s largest tire manufacturing facilities, Goodyear and Michelin. Bass, D-Lawton, said both provisions were important to Oklahoma’s economy.
“Oklahoma’s military instillations have a $6 billion impact on our economy. We are going to see significant growth in our military communities as a result of the last round of federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) hearings—but with that growth comes increased infrastructure needs, including new schools and other facilities. Senate Bill 751 will help meet those needs,” Bass said. “Not only that, but it will help us be prepared for the next round of BRAC hearings which are only three years away. Losing even one of these installations would be devastating. By preparing now, we can prevent that.”
[...]

Oklahoma House of Representatives, March 8, 2007
"Property rights measure clears House floor"
A measure to protect Oklahoma property rights from changes in state law cleared the House of Representatives and now moves to the Senate for a hearing.
House Bill 1772, by state Rep. Mike Thompson, is called the “Property Rights Protection Act” and would give landowners the ability to amend an existing lease to either accept or prohibit certain activities that the Legislature or a constitutional provision could permit in the future.
[...]

Oklahoma House of Representatives, March 8, 2007
"Coalition backs 2007 Forever Land Trust Act"
Oklahoma could soon see more high-quality recreational areas, greenways and parks for the public under a measure supported by a coalition of conservation and health advocacy groups.
"Improving our quality of life and protecting natural resources in Oklahoma must be a part of our efforts to boost the state’s economy. Not only will increased outdoor recreational areas encourage healthier families that are more active, but we’ll also foster stronger communities with this measure," said Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah). "We need to do more to make Oklahoma a livable and attractive location so that we can recruit new businesses. We’ve made progress to improve Oklahoma’s quality of life over the past several years, but we can do more. My hope is that this measure will spur more permanent green space, parks and recreational areas across the state."
[...]

Oklahoma State Senate, March 7, 2007
"Senate approves bill banning sale of cough medicine/spray paint to minors"
The full Senate has approved a bill that would ban the sale of cough medicine containing dextromethorphan (DXM) as well as spray paint to anyone under the age of 18. State Sen. Charlie Laster is author of Senate Bill 951.
“If a person consumes a high quantity of simple cough medicine, it can be a powerful hallucinogen. Nationwide, we’re seeing increasing numbers of kids winding up in emergency rooms because of it,” Laster said. “It’s a growing problem here as well. The Oklahoma Poison Control Center reports that DXM abuse is on the rise, and we know that more kids are experimenting with inhalants as well. Some kids may think it’s a game, but they could be gambling with their very lives.”
[...]

Oklahoma House of Representatives, March 7, 2007
"Full House passes GOP immigration reform plan"
Lawmakers in the House on Wednesday approved an omnibus Republican immigration reform package with overwhelming bipartisan support, sending the measure to the state Senate for consideration.
"We’ve done the heavy lifting, and now it’s time for the Senate and the governor to work with us to pass real immigration reform for Oklahoma," said Rep. Randy Terrill (R-Moore), author of House Bill 1804. "We haven’t heard much publicly from the governor on this issue, but Oklahomans are rallying for the strongest reforms in the nation. It’s my hope that all parties can work together to enact this bill into law."
[...]