State

Legislation was filed Thursday to strengthen Oklahoma’s Heartbeat Informed Consent Act by providing a scientific definition of when life begins, with the first heartbeat. Sen. Paul Scott, R-Duncan, filed Senate Bill 710 to prohibit abortions if the embryonic or fetal heartbeat of the unborn child is audible. “I am pro-life and believe in the sanctity…

Sen. Paul Scott filed legislation Thursday to charge individuals a fee on international wire transactions who do not present valid personal identification. The Duncan Republican said he hopes the bill will cut down on the number of undocumented immigrants sending untaxed dollars out of the state as well as address drug money being funneled to…

State Sen. Micheal Bergstrom has filed a bill that would cap tax credits at $25 million statewide for electricity generated by zero emission facilities, including wind energy, and another that could use the savings to provide a graduated teacher pay raise over the next three years. Listen to the audio from Senator Bergstrom here. “Teachers…

There are four famous Charles Banks Wilson paintings in the rotunda of the Oklahoma Capitol that capture native son greatness. They are of Will Rogers, Jim Thorpe, Sequoya and Robert Samuel Kerr. The story of Robert S. Kerr is a genuine rags to riches one, and that of true Oklahoman. When seeking election to political…

Sen. AJ Griffin has filed legislation modifying how the State Department of Health will go about providing information on pre/postnatal services available through both public and private agencies.  The Health Department will still be in charge of making that information available on its website, however, new language contained in Senate Bill 30 calls for the…

Sen. AJ Griffin, R-Guthrie, issued the following statement Tuesday on statutory language she authored aimed at helping provide information to Oklahoma women on a range of public and private sector services available as an alternative to abortion and to improve the health and well-being of unborn and newborn babies. That information would be compiled by…

Sen. James Leewright has been named vice chair of the Senate’s committee on Business, Commerce and Tourism for the 56th Legislature.  Leewright, a former state representative, was the only new member of the Senate chosen for a vice chairmanship by incoming President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to put my House…

When someone is diagnosed with diabetes, their life can change drastically.  Those changes can be stressful, isolating, frightening and expensive.  It’s something Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, and Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, know about firsthand.  Thompson currently serves as chair of the Legislature’s Diabetes Caucus and Simpson serves as vice-chair.  It was something both men wanted…

OKLAHOMA CITY – Members of the Senate Health and Human Services met Tuesday to hear from local healthcare organizations about the importance of the health center uncompensated care fund (UCF) to the health and well-being of Oklahomans.  The Oklahoma Department of Health stopped distributing payments to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) for health care to…

A child abuse registry created in 2010 to help child care providers screen out potential employees with findings of abuse or neglect has glaring gaps that could leave many Oklahoma children at risk. That’s according to Sen. AJ Griffin, who requested an interim study to look at the issue. The Senate Health and Human Services…