This has been an extraordinarily busy time in the Senate as our members worked to complete votes on legislation in the Appropriations Committee by the March 3 deadline. We also continued working toward the March 11 deadline for full Senate votes on bills that were approved in committee. Once those measure are approved on the floor, they’ll be sent over to the House to start the process all over again. Likewise, we’ll soon begin committee work on the bills approved in their chamber.

I’ve been able to get several of my measures all the way through the Senate, including legislation to remove regulatory barriers that can hamper the ability of farmers and ranchers to protect their property from prairie dogs. I also won full approval for my legislation that prioritizes private ownership of land. Under this legislation, before the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife can buy land, the property must be for sale for six months at fair market value, giving private citizens the first option to buy land before the state.

Another of my bills awaiting a full vote in the Senate authorizes the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to create a Livestock Offender Registry and provide public access to this registry to the public on the Department’s website. Livestock theft costs Oklahoma farmers and ranchers millions of dollars every year. My legislation gives us one more tool to fight this crime.

I’ve also continued to cast votes for legislation that reflects Oklahoma values, including supporting our law enforcement. Among the bills we approved in the full Senate this past week was a measure making it illegal to “dox” a law enforcement officer. Doxing refers to using the internet to research and post documents or other material to intimidate, attack or harass an individual, and it can put an officer or their family in danger.

This bill makes it illegal to publish identifying information about a law enforcement officer with the intent to threaten or cause substantial emotional distress or financial loss to the officer of their family. That includes information like home addresses, phone numbers and social security numbers. Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every time they go on patrol or respond to a call for help – it goes with the job. But they didn’t enter a career in law enforcement to be harassed online or have their family’s privacy and safety put in jeopardy.

The full Senate also approved a bill to protect the dignity of our fallen law enforcement officers who are killed in the line of duty. This bill prohibits law enforcement agencies from releasing video showing an officer dying in the line of duty unless a court determines there is a compelling reason the material should be released in specific cases. I think it should be pointed out that this measure is supported by the Oklahoma Press Association.

We have several hundred more bills available for consideration on the floor of the Senate before the deadline on the 11th. After that, any bills that were introduced but weren’t voted on in committee or on the floor by our deadlines will be dormant for the rest of the session, although they can still be taken up again in the 2022 session. I’ll keep you posted.

It is my honor to serve you in the Oklahoma State Senate. You can reach me by calling 405-521-5626 or emailing [email protected].