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Capitol News

• Oklahoma Ethics commission facing furloughs November 21, 2009
  TULSA — The state agency charged with policing political campaigns will be furloughing staff right in the middle of the 2010 election cycle, if current budget projections hold up, Ethics Commission Executive Director Marilyn Hughes said Friday.Reporting to commissioners about her appearance before members of the Senate Budget Committee, Hughes said the Ethic […]
• Democrats move ahead on health vote November 21, 2009
  WASHINGTON — With no margin for rebellion, Senate Democrats pushed toward a crucial weekend test vote on their sweeping health care bill Friday, and wavering moderates appeared to be falling in line on President Barack Obama’s signature issue.One of three uncommitted centrists, Sen.Read more on NewsOK.com […]
• Ethics panel chides senator November 21, 2009
  WASHINGTON — The Senate Ethics Committee on Friday admonished Democratic Sen. Roland Burris for misleading investigators about his maneuvering to get Barack Obama’s old Senate seat from the Illinois governor who was ousted for trying to sell it.Burris was appointed by disgraced former Gov.Read more on NewsOK.com […]
• Health plans call for injection of cash from procedure tax November 20, 2009
  WASHINGTON — They call it the "Botax.”The White House and Senate Democrats have turned to a proposal to tax breast implants, tummy tucks, wrinkle-smoothing injections and other procedures as they search for ways to pay for costly health care overhaul plans.Vanity was an easy target as lawmakers scraped for cash for the nearly $1 trillion plan to expand […]
• Oklahoma Capitol Briefs: Artists needed for coloring book November 20, 2009
  ARTISTS NEEDED FOR COLORING BOOKRep. Anastasia Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, is looking for artists to help with a 100-page coloring book featuring black Oklahoma historical figures.Read more on NewsOK.com […]
• Oklahoma families urge change in care for mentally ill November 20, 2009
  Considering a person’s past medical illness diagnosis should be a factor in getting someone committed for emergency treatment, several family members told a legislative panel Thursday."We have to take into account people’s histories,” said Victor Wilkerson, director of inpatient care at the Jim Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center in Lawton and who […]
• Oklahoma Senate’s GOP is calling for December session November 20, 2009
  Senate Republicans want the governor to call a special session next month to deal with the state’s budget crisis instead of waiting until January as he suggested."It’s very clear that more reductions in spending are inevitable,” said Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, after Senate Republicans met in a closed caucus meeting.Read more […]
• Critic defends class-action status in Oklahoma Department of Human Services lawsuit November 20, 2009
  DENVER — A critic of Oklahoma’s foster child care system contends its reform will not be possible if an appeals court grants the state’s request to decertify a class-action lawsuit against top child welfare officials."You can’t get system-wide relief (unless a pending lawsuit applies to all 10,000 foster care children),” children’s advocate Marcia Lowry […]