Capitol Beat OK

Staff Report, with Pat McGuigan contributing

OKLAHOMA CITY – A range of bipartisan measures introduced this session by Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, aimed at topics from suicide prevention to better assisting victims of domestic violence, have been signed into law.

Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, thanked her colleagues and the governor for their support on the legislation.

“Each of these measures deals with issues impacting Oklahomans and their families in every part of this state, and they were passed with overwhelming, bipartisan support,” Floyd said.

“I’m deeply grateful to my co-authors, our fellow members and to Governor Stitt for getting these bills through the Legislature and in our statutes.”

Those measures now signed into law include:

• Senate Bill 16, by Floyd and Rep. Carol Bush, R-Tulsa. As the backlog of sexual assault evidence kits across Oklahoma is being addressed, crime victims can experience trauma. S.B. 16 will give victims access to counseling services.

• Senate Bill 17, by Floyd and Bush. The legislation enhances Oklahoma’s Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) used by law enforcement investigating domestic violence crimes to identify victims at greatest risk of becoming homicide victims and identifying resources.

• Senate Bill 21, by Floyd and Rep. Marcus McEntire, R-Duncan. Makes it mandatory for teachers and staff to undergo suicide awareness and prevention training once every two years.

• Senate Bill 22, by Floyd and Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City. The measure concerns nonprofits that have leased closed school buildings to provide local services. Those nonprofits will be given the right of first refusal if a school district later decides to sell the building.

For more information on some of these measures, including more detailed comments from Floyd’s co-sponsors, visit here: https://capitolbeatok.worldsecuresystems.com/reports/senate-democratic-leader-kay-floyd-of-oklahoma-city-says-trio-of-bipartisan-measures-await-governor-

Floyd’s service at the State Capitol began after the 2012 election. That year, she ran first in a crowded Democratic primary, prevailed in the subsequent runoff, and easily won the general election. After serving one term in the House (to which she was elected in 2021), Senator Floyd has served in the upper chamber since her election in 2014, and won reelection without opposition in 2018.

Senator Floyd became Minority Leader in the Oklahoma Senate in May 2018. She had previously served as chair of the Democratic Caucus.

Floyd’s work at the Capitol has garnered recognition. In 2018 (https://capitolbeatok.worldsecuresystems.com/reports/state-senator-kay-floyd-winner-of-guardian-award-from-oklahoma-commission-on-status-of-women ), Senator Floyd was honored with the “Guardian Award” from the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women.

In 2016, (https://capitolbeatok.worldsecuresystems.com/reports/oklahoma-state-sen-kay-floyd-garners-national-excellence-award ), the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) designated Floyd as a winner of the Elected Women of Excellence Award.

NOTE: The City Sentinel’s Pat McGuigan contributed to this report.

www.CapitolBeatOK.com

Suicide training for schools, law on domestic violence/assault victims and measure on nonprofit properties enacted. Senator Floyd, sponsor of the measures, thanks colleagues and governor.