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Oklahoma
State Senate For Immediate Release: May 28, 2010 SENATE REPUBLICANS STRENGTHEN OKLAHOMA WITH
With the passage of a major worker’s compensation reform; education reform measures including the expansion of charter schools and performance pay, local empowerment and internet-based education; and the successful negotiation of the FY 2011 budget in a challenging year, Senate Republicans are pleased with the work they did on behalf of the citizens of Oklahoma in the just-concluded legislative session. “We got a good start last year with lawsuit reform, and we are pleased with the passage of comprehensive worker’s compensation reform this year,” Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee said. “The theme of the Republican caucus this session was “jobs,” and with the reforms we enacted this year, we are pleased that we made that theme a reality. “With the comprehensive reform of our worker’s compensation system, we have created a climate that will generate more jobs in Oklahoma, while lowering rates for business and providing better care for injured workers,” Coffee continued. “Our education reforms will increase opportunity for Oklahoma’s young people and their families, as well as raising the standards for our state’s educators. “We campaigned on bringing long overdue reform and fiscal responsibility to state government, and while we’re not claiming to have finished the job, we believe we got a strong start in the past two sessions,” he concluded. Majority Floor Leader Todd Lamb concurred. “This session, our objective was to create policy that makes Oklahoma a place of opportunity. A significant portion of that goal was reforming a worker’s compensation system that often stifles small and large business growth.” “We enacted reform that will keep jobs in Oklahoma while still protecting the Oklahoma worker. “My colleagues in the Senate and the House have are committed to bring greater economic and educational opportunity to all Oklahomans, and we have made good on that commitment.” Lamb concluded. Coffee points to many Senate GOP Agenda bills that were passed into law, and others that will go to a vote of the people: Government Reform: ON GOVERNOR’S DESK… HB 3311 Senator Coffee Requires every bill to contain a separate
provision that SB 1973 Senator Coffee Comprehensive Workers’ Compensation Reform HB 1611 Senator Coffee HB 2650 Senator Sykes HB 2652 Senator Coffee The following are reforms in contained in these bills: - Amends the definition of “major cause” to mean more
than fifty percent of the resulting injury, disease or illness REFERENDA… SJR 59 Senator Newberry A constitutional amendment prohibiting
forced Health Care Reform: SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR… SB 1891 Senator Sykes Creates the Freedom of Conscience Act, which
protects SB 1902 Senator Jolley Relates to the regulation of the drug RU-486
(the HB 3075 Senator Justice Requires facilities that perform non life-threatening abortions to post a sign outside stating it is against the law for anyone to be forced to have an abortion SB 1890 Senator Lamb Prohibits a person from performing an abortion
solely LAW BY VETO OVERRIDE… HB 2780 Senator Sykes Requires an ultrasound at least one hour
prior to an HB 2656 Senator Crain States that in a wrongful life action or a wrongful birth action, no damages may be recovered for any condition that existed at the time of a child’s birth if the claim is that the defendant’s act or omission contributed to the mother’s not having obtained an abortion HB 3284 Senator Jolley Creates the Statistical Reporting of Abortions
Act, which VETOED BY GOVERNOR… HB 3290 Senator Sykes States that all qualified health plans offered
through the ON GOVERNOR’S DESK… SB 2046 Senator Brown Creates the “Health Care Choice Act,”
which allows Education Reform: SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR… SB 2129 Senator Stanislawski Creates the Statewide Virtual School Task Force ON GOVERNOR’S DESK… SB 1862 Senator Coffee Expands chartering authority and extends
charter HB 2753 Senator Coffee Provides for growth and reform in educating
Oklahoma’s SB 2033 Senator Coffee Includes forward thinking reforms designed
to provide SB 2330 Senator Ford Gives local empowerment to education professionals,
Public Safety Reform: ON GOVERNOR’S DESK… SB 738 Senator Coffee Provides a system of checks and balances
within the SB 956 Senator Lamb Gives Oklahoma the most stringent laws to combat
SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR… HB 2556 Senator Bingman Allow for further expansion of Oklahoma’s
statewide 911 SB 2239 Senator Russell Reduces the application time for concealed
carry permit Energy Reform: SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR… HB 3028 Senator Myers Creates the Oklahoma Energy Security Act
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