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Capitol News

• 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 […]
• CareerTech to reduce its staff by about 30 November 20, 2009
  State Department of Career and Technology Education leaders estimate about 30 employees will need to take job buyouts to make up for expected budget shortfalls.The CareerTech board approved a buy-out plan Thursday that aims to trim $228,303 from this year’s budget and $2.4 million from the next fiscal year.The department oversees technology schools around th […]
• U.S. Senate approves veterans bill November 19, 2009
  WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate unanimously approved legislation Thursday to provide financial aid to caregivers of disabled veterans, ending a stand-off with Sen.Read more on NewsOK.com […]
• Oklahoma Senate Republicans ask Brad Henry for December special session November 19, 2009
  Senate Republicans today called on Gov. Brad Henry to bring legislators back next month into special session to deal with the state's budget crisis.The governor earlier this week suggested a special session in January to deal with this fiscal year's revenue shortfall."It's very clear that more reductions in spending are inevitable," […]