Critters win honors in state Senate 
Capitol Spotlight for weeklies for week of March 12, 2006
By Jim Campbell
OPA Capitol News Bureau
Assured that the Mexican free-tailed bat is not an illegal immigrant, Oklahoma senators embraced it as the "official state flying mammal." They gave the mountain lion, black bear and otter reason to find work elsewhere.
The Senate took time for the critter legislation during a headlong rush to meet its deadline for hearing bills in the house of origin.  House members were in a rush as well, advancing a number of high profile measures in committee and floor action.
Relentlessly pursing designation of a state dinosaur, Sen. Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo, successfully amended Sen. Owen Laughlin's bat measure as well as an editorial cartoon resolution to also honor the beast unearthed in his district. The dinosaur won Senate approval last year, only to be reburied in a House committee.
Asked if the bat is a legal resident, Laughlin, R-Woodward, explained that it breeds in the Selman Bat Cave at the Alabaster Caverns State Park near Freedom and later migrates to Mexico. 
"It's something city folks need to come and see," he said.
Shurden suggested the native flying squirrel would be a better honoree and Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, said Texas had already made the same bat its official flying animal.
"It may fly over Texas and it may drop something there, but it's a native of Oklahoma," Laughlin said.
"Do you know how thankful I am that Leadership Ardmore left before we did this bill?" asked Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore.
The vote was 42-2.

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The Wildlife Department could set a December open season on mountain lions as well as an open season on otters under a bill by Sen. Frank Shurden, D-Henryetta, approved 44-2 with the title stricken.
Rabon amended it to include black bears, which he said "are getting into trash dumps and becoming a problem" in southeastern Oklahoma.
Taking note of Shurden's annual bills to castrate sex offenders, Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa, suggested castration would effectively control mountain lions.
"If you catch 'em, I'll castrate em," Shurden replied.

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"Mr. Voter," the bow-tied, bald John Q. Public drawn by Jim Lange for more than half a century, was designated by the Senate as the official state editorial cartoon.
"Through the years, countless Oklahomans have been entertained and informed by Mr. Voter, in good times and bad," said Sen. Todd Lamb, R-Edmond, the author.
Lange, who has been away from his easel at The Oklahoman during an illness, said a special drawing taken aboard the ill-fated Challenger space shuttle flight was retrieved from the ocean and is on display at the Omniplex Science Museum in Oklahoma City.

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A measure protecting rural Oklahoma from forced school consolidation went to the House on a 43-1 vote and could find a spot on the November general election ballot should it be approved there.
Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, said his Senate Joint Resolution 35 calls for a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment that would forever end the concept of forced consolidation.
"In short, the resolution takes the decision on school consolidation away from politicians, judges or bureaucrats and places it where it belongs: in the hands of parents in school districts across the state," Gumm said.

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The Senate approved a back-to-school sales tax holiday, 42-5, and a House committee advanced a drastic reduction in the sales tax on groceries.
SB 1665 is part of the Democrats "Agenda to Empower the Middle Class" and supported by Gov. Brad Henry, said Gumm, the author. It would be effective the first weekend in August.
House Bill 2394 by Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman, would cut the sales tax on groceries from 4.5 percent to 0.25 percent by 2011. Oklahoma has been taxing groceries since 1933 and is one of only 12 states doing so, Balkman said.
He said it would save Oklahoma families $200 million a year when fully implemented.
A retirement income tax exemption and an education tax credit were also sent to the House.
SB 2016 raises the tax exemption for retirement benefits from the current $10,000 limit to an amount depended on by the source of the retirement income and a taxpayer's filing status, effective in 2007. For single retirees or married filing separately, the amount would be increased to $25,000. It would be increased to $50,000 for married retirees filing jointly. 
SB 1312 creates an income tax credit of up to $500 for amounts aid for higher education expenses.

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House Democrats complained that their proposals for assisting Oklahoma firefighters were effectively killed by failure to receive action before the deadline for reporting bills out of committee.
"These are important fire protection initiatives that have the potential of saving lives and property of Oklahomans," said Democratic Leader Jari Askins, D-Duncan.








 
 

 







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