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Oklahoma Legislature: Bill updates

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:42:12 -0600

BILL UPDATES

HB 2188

At stake: House Bill 2188 would make it unlawful to transport castor beans in sacks weighing more than 50 pounds.

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Obama's proposed tax hikes at odds with GOP rivals

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:11:10 -0600

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama proposed tax increases on wealthy individuals and some corporations Monday, setting the stage for an ideological battle that won't be resolved until after the November election — if then.

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Update: Road conditions improve across Oklahoma but could still be treacherous in spots

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:03:08 -0600

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Ambulances responded to 27 wrecks in Oklahoma City Monday morning including a multiple vehicle crash on Lake Hefner Parkway.

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Jury selection begins Monday in Oklahoma political corruption trial

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:59:16 -0600

BY NOLAN CLAY nclay@opubco.com

Former Oklahoma state Senate leader Mike Morgan, lobbyist Andrew Skeith and prominent attorney Martin Stringer are on trial accused of bribery.

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Oklahoma City's attorney looks into election spending disclosure

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:08:06 -0600

BY MICHAEL KIMBALL mkimball@opubco.com

The Oklahoma City attorney is looking into what the city could do if the state Legislature allows it to control election spending disclosure rules.

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Oklahoma City received federal stimulus money for projects, but costs remain

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:43:11 -0600

BY MICHAEL KIMBALL mkimball@opubco.com

Oklahoma City received nearly $48.7 million in federal stimulus money during the recession. Most of it was spent on infrastructure and other things that required only one-time expenses, but some of the money was used to start projects that will be absorbed by the city budget if they are to continue.

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Oklahoma school, municipal elections at a glance

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:58:06 -0600

AT A GLANCE

School, municipal elections

set for Tuesday

Canadian County

• Piedmont Public Schools Board Member Office No.

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Oklahoma voters go to polls Tuesday

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:58:05 -0600

BY MEGAN ROLLAND mrolland@opubco.com

All but four counties in Oklahoma have school, municipal and county elections on Valentine's Day.

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Oklahoma lawmakers gifts at a glance

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:57:13 -0600

Lawmakers gifts at a glance

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Oklahoma lawmakers gift report

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:57:12 -0600

The most during 2011

Lawmakers reported as receiving the most in gifts and meals during 2011:

• Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa: $1,773.

• Sen.

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Lobbyists cut back spending on lawmakers

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:57:10 -0600

BY MICHAEL MCNUTT mmcnutt@opubco.com

Meals and other gifts given to lawmakers during 2011 are down 26 percent compared with the previous year, records show.

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Two Oklahoma legislative vacancies will be filled Tuesday

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:56:12 -0600

BY MICHAEL MCNUTT mmcnutt@opubco.com

Voters on Tuesday will elect a House member in southeastern Oklahoma and a senator in Oklahoma City. One position each in the House and Senate will still be vacant, to be filled in elections in April.

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Washington news in brief

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:32:10 -0600

Washington news in brief

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Voters in two legislative districts to narrow field

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:27:19 -0600

BY MICHAEL MCNUTT mmcnutt@opubco.com

Special primary elections Tuesday will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for a Tulsa House seat and the Republican nominee for a Senate post in north-central Oklahoma.

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Defense budget won't hit Oklahoma hard, Sen. Jim Inhofe says

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:58:12 -0600

BY CHRIS CASTEEL ccasteel@opubco.com

The budget to be submitted to Congress on Monday envisions cutting planes at Tinker Air Force Base and Altus Air Force Base but it is unclear what impact that might have on personnel.

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Santorum opposes allowing women to serve in combat

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:31:02 -0600

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum says he thinks it would be wrong to allow women to serve in combat.

As one reason, Santorum cites "the emotions of men.

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Lawmaker's stock trades draw ethics investigation

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:16:42 -0600

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new ethics investigation of the House Financial Services Committee chairman's investment activities during the events leading up to and surrounding Congress' $700 billion bailout of Wall Street sets back lawmakers' election-year efforts to rebound from their record low standing with the public.

Rep.

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Democrats renew push for campaign finance overhaul

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:47:06 -0600

WASHINGTON (AP) — The campaign finance system is so broken that legislative changes, including a constitutional amendment, are needed to rein in runaway, secret spending in elections, congressional Democrats said Thursday.

Democratic Sens.

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Romney intensifies fight for social conservatives

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:45:36 -0600

DENVER (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney shifted his focus from the economy to abortion, religious freedom and gay marriage in recent days, part of an intensified effort to win over social conservatives in states voting Tuesday.

It didn't work.

Republican Rick Santorum, a fierce and vocal opponent of abortion and gay rights, beat the GOP front-runner in Minnesota and Colorado caucuses and won bragging rights for placing first in Missouri's non-binding primary.

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Appeals court throws out same-sex marriage ban

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:01:05 -0600

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Same-sex marriage moved one step closer to the Supreme Court on Tuesday when a federal appeals court ruled California's ban unconstitutional, saying it serves no purpose other than to "lessen the status and human dignity" of gays.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave gay marriage opponents time to appeal the 2-1 decision before ordering the state to allow same-sex weddings to resume.

"I'm ecstatic.

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AG Holder, House Republicans clash over documents

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:46:00 -0600

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Eric Holder clashed with Republicans at a House committee hearing Thursday over demands that the Justice Department turn over more documents about a flawed gun-smuggling investigation.

Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will do what is necessary to force the Justice Department to produce information on its handling of congressional inquiries on Operation Fast and Furious.

The attorney general said he will consider Issa's demand.

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Boehner: Feds should back off birth control order

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:16:00 -0600

WASHINGTON (AP) — On the defensive, the White House scrambled Thursday to explain its requirement that church-affiliated employers cover birth control after House Speaker John Boehner called it unconstitutional and demanded immediate reconsideration.

Under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, most employers and insurance plans will have to cover birth control free of charge as a preventive service for women.

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Romney: Not focused on poor, they have safety net

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:45:51 -0600

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, confident after his Florida primary victory, ended up inviting criticism Wednesday when he said he's "not concerned about the very poor" because they have an "ample safety net."

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Romney supports automatic hikes in minimum wage

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:01:03 -0600

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney renewed his support Wednesday for automatic increases in the federal minimum wage to keep pace with inflation, a position sharply at odds with traditional GOP business allies, conservatives and the party's senior lawmakers.

"I haven't changed my thoughts on that," the former Massachusetts governor told reporters aboard his chartered campaign plane, referring to a stand he has held for a decade.

He did not say if he would ask Congress to approve the change if he wins the White House this fall.

Congress first enacted federal minimum wage legislation in 1938 and has raised it sporadically in the years since.

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Economy weighs heavily on Florida working class

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:31:12 -0600

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Clarito Macalalad knows what it's like to support a family of four on a $12.08-an-hour wage.

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Time short for Gingrich to close gap in Florida

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:01:52 -0600

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Newt Gingrich slammed GOP rival Mitt Romney on Sunday for the steady stream of attacks he likened to "carpet-bombing," trying to cut into the resurgent front-runner's lead in Florida in the dwindling hours before Tuesday's pivotal presidential primary.

And despite surging ahead in polls, Romney wasn't letting up, relentlessly casting Gingrich as an influence peddler with a "record of failed leadership."

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Gingrich wants panel to look at in vitro clinics

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:30:40 -0600

LUTZ, Fla. (AP) — Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich called Sunday for a commission to study the ethical issues relating to in vitro fertilization clinics, where infertile women receive treatment to get pregnant and large numbers of embryos are created.

"If you have in vitro fertilization you are creating life.

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Obama to senators: Change the way you do business

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:15:40 -0600

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is pressing his case for changes in how the Senate does business, hoping to ease the partisan gridlock, and he wants to bar lawmakers from profiting from their service.

In his radio and Internet address Saturday, Obama said many people he met during his five-state tour after his State of the Union address were optimistic but remained unsure "that the right thing will get done in Washington this year, or next year, or the year after that.

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College presidents wary of Obama cost-control plan

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:01:10 -0600

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fuzzy math, Illinois State University's president called it. "Political theater of the worst sort," said the University of Washington's head.

President Barack Obama's new plan to force colleges and universities to contain tuition or face losing federal dollars is raising alarm among education leaders who worry about the threat of government overreach

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GOP insiders rise up to cut Gingrich down to size

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:15:50 -0600

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Republican insiders are rising up to cut Newt Gingrich down to size, testament to the GOP establishment's fear that the mercurial candidate could lead the party to disaster this fall.

The gathering criticisms are bitingly sharp, as if edged by a touch of panic, a remarkable development considering the target once was speaker of the House and will go down in history as leader of the Republicans' 1994 return to power in Congress.

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