EDMOND —
The state Senate is keeping up with the transparency in government changes made in the House by placing video cameras in the Senate chamber for broadcast.
“Committee meetings will now be archived on the web,” said state Sen. A.J. Griffin, R-Guthrie.
Oklahoma Press Association Executive Vice President Mark Thomas said additional cameras have been added so that viewers can obtain more information during proceedings.
For the first time, streaming video and audio is accessible from all committee rooms in state government, said Malia Bennett, communications director of the Oklahoma Senate.
“We had been working really hard to make improvements and got off track due to the recession, but this year we were able to make a few more investments,” Bennett said to OPA members this week at the state Capitol.
Senate Journal actions and summaries are online as well as all committee notices with the status of proposed legislation.
As chair of the Senate Rules Committee, Griffin told The Edmond Sun that she has been reviewing bills that will go through the committee this first week of session.
“Any new legislation with legislative intent will now come through the Rules Committee anπhen be assigned, if it makes it through that process, it will go to another committee,” she said. “That’s a new process for us this year.”
Fallin has asked the committee to work on prescription drug abuse issues in the state. Oklahoma leads the country in prescription drug abuse, Griffin said.
Reforms are necessary to make prescription drug abuse easier to track and investigate, as well as more difficult of individuals to commit the crime of prescription drug abuse, Griffin said.
FOR MORE information about the Oklahoma Senate, go to www.oksenate.gov. Senate audio and video may be found at http://www.oksenate.gov/news/listen.aspx.
Local News
Senate goes live with video broadcasts
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City Council approves church remodel
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“The church wants to rent a 2,302-square-foot space in the office building on the north side of Danforth, east of the convenience store, south of the Timber Ridge Addition,” said Bob Schiermeyer, city planner. “There will be no new construction other than interior remodeling to accommodate the church.
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Education is fundamental in preparing a citizenry to live under a free constitutional republic, said Kyle Harper, founding director of the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage at the University of Oklahoma. Harper is also the senior vice provost at OU as well as an associate professor of Classics and Letters.
A sense of identity by belonging to a tradition is an ingredient in being part of a free republic, he said while speaking to the Edmond Republican Women’s Club on Monday. An educated citizen must be aware, alert and intelligent to care about public affairs, he said. -
Red Cross seeks volunteers to aid in Moore storm recovery
Before arriving in Oklahoma last year, Edmond resident Sofia Griffith already had a growing Red Cross volunteer résumé.
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DA files formal charge in Craigslist sex case
Prosecutors have filed a formal felony charge against an Edmond man arrested on a complaint related to the alleged solicitation of a minor via Craigslist, according to court records.
Friday afternoon, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown said a member of the OSBI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested the man that morning after a two-month-long investigation into solicitation for sex with minors via Craigslist. -
Oreo stacking contest slated for Crest Foods in Edmond
Crest Foods is calling all stackers, ages 6-11, to visit the Edmond store from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to try their hand at an Oreo stacking event. The store, 2200 W. 15th St., is one of several Crest sites where youth can attempt to stack Oreos. The team that builds the highest stack in 30 seconds qualifies for the finals round the following weekend, said Donna Kamas, public relations manager.
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