Capitol Week In Review: Anti-Abortion Bills Advance, No Vote On School Choice Bill

Dozens of bills passed off the State House and Senate floors this week.  

Last week was the deadline for bills to make it through their first committee, which meant it was all floor work this week in the House and Senate.

Only about 30 percent of the bills filed a month ago are still alive.   

The ‘Oklahoma Heartbeat Act' cleared the Senate and would allow anyone to sue a doctor or someone who ‘aided or abeted’ an abortion after about six weeks. In all, six anti-abortion bills passed through the Senate Thursday.   

One measure on the Senate agenda that didn’t get a vote was the Oklahoma Empowerment Act school choice bill. The House Speaker has said even if it were to clear the Senate it wouldn’t get a vote in the House.  

A bill that would put $5 million in a fund to repair small town roads damaged by the oil and gas industry cleared the House unanimously.  

A 35 percent raise for Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers also passed the House with no nay votes. 

A German data company announced a multi-million-dollar expansion to Oklahoma. Northern Data will build a $270 million facility near Pryor all with no state financial incentives.  

Spring break next week typically brings a light week under the dome.