Oklahoma’s cities and towns would have greater control over what marijuana businesses are allowed within their municipal limits thanks to legislation approved Wednesday in the Senate.

Senate Bill 801, by Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, would allow municipalities to modify their standard planning and zoning procedures to determine or forbid certain zones or districts for the operation of new marijuana-licensed premises, medical marijuana businesses, or any other premises where marijuana or its by-products are cultivated, processed, stored, or manufactured starting Nov. 1, 2023.

For the second time in three years, the OK House of Representatives has approved an increase to the income qualifier for an additional homestead exemption to aid Oklahomans living on a fixed income.

House Bill 1926, authored by Rep. Lonnie Sims, R-Jenks, increases the income qualifier for the additional homestead exemption from $25,000 to $30,000.

Rep. Josh West, R-Grove, Wednesday again won passage of legislation that would require consumer consent before personal data collected could be shared by major technology companies operating in the state.

House Bill 1030 re-creates the Oklahoma Computer Data Privacy Act. It passed the House on a vote of 84-11.

The OK House of Representatives has approved a two-part plan by Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, to provide a $500 million investment to public education and create the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act.

House Bill 2775 includes a $500 million increase in funding for public schools throughout the state that will fund $2,500 minimum pay raises for every teacher not designated as an administrator; $50 million to be distributed to schools receiving below-average funding from annual local tax revenue; and $300 million to be distributed to public school districts on a per-pupil basis.

The OK Senate Aeronautics and Transportation Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 953 by Sen. Chris Kidd, R-Waurika, to honor the life and extraordinary career of Oklahoma son and Navy veteran, Delbert D. Black. The measure will designate the seven-mile section of I-35 beginning on the south side of the State Highway 32 interchange north to the Oswalt Road interchange in Love County as the “First MCPON Delbert D. Black, U.S. Navy, Memorial Highway.”    

Born in Orr, OK in 1922, Black enlisted in the Navy in March 1941 and after completing his recruit training in San Diego, California, he was assigned to the USS Maryland (BB 46) and was aboard during Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.