Posted by
Sally Kern on Friday, January 16, 2009 3:44:04 PM
Yesterday was the last day for lawmakers in Oklahoma to file for 2009.
Sally Kern, who was named the Oklahoma Vice Chair on Education this week, was mentioned this week by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE):
"...When I congratulated him on this victory, [Senate President Glenn Coffee] gave me a firm handshake, looked me in the eye and said 'we will pass education reforms'.
"This sentiment was echoed by Senate Education Chair John Ford and Vice Chair Clark Jolley. The Oklahoma House is no less enthusiastic with new Education Chair Ann Coody and Vice Chair Sally Kern. They are ready to get things done and, more importantly, ready to work with the Senate to make it happen. Speaker Chris Benge has made education one of his top priorities. I know that the first day people are always optimistic, but on this day the excitement was over the top.
"No less important are Democratic Senator Judy Eason McIntire and Democratic Representative Jabar Shumate who are tired of the old solutions and want to fix Oklahoma schools now...".
Sally Kern had this to say bout the ABCTE:
"Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same old things and expecting different results. For far too long this has been the case with education in Oklahoma. Our educational system needs to do something different to really reform the system. American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence is a program whose time has arrived. The ABCTE is an excellent program for finding qualified teachers for Oklahoma's public schools, especially as more and more teachers are starting to retire. I have worked with ABCTE's director, Dave Saba, for the last three years and he is a man with a passion to help students. Oklahoma needs ABCTE and, hopefully, this will be the year is it approved in Oklahoma."
Rep. Sally Kern has filed House Joint Resolution 1009 in Oklahoma stating opposition to a Federal abortion rights law that President-Elect Barack Obama said he would sign into law once in office.
The federal “Freedom of Choice Act” that Obama supports would classify abortion as a fundamental right in the same category as the right of free speech and the right to vote. The new classification would in turn invalidate all state laws that interfere with abortion.
Kern said, of the proposed Federal Act:
“This act is an infringement on states’ rights. Abortion is not a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution but states’ rights are guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment. The Freedom of Choice Act would nullify our laws regarding abortion.
“This act would strip away our right to debate abortion policy in the state Legislature and support a radical ideology of unregulated abortion-on-demand. Oklahoma’s lawmakers need to let Congress know how they feel about this measure.”
Kern’s House Joint Resolution 1009, if approved, urges the U.S. Congress to oppose the law, citing the states’ right to regulate abortion in an effort to protect women’s health.
In the 2008 session, the Oklahoma Legislature overrode the veto of Gov. Brad Henry to pass a law requiring an ultrasound be performed prior to an abortion. Kern said it was the type of law that would be reversed by a federal “Freedom of Choice Act.”
Thursday was the final day that lawmakers could file their bills for the 2009 session. The Legislature is set to convene on Feb. 2.
Rep. Sally Kern has filed House Bill 1415, which would exempt seniors from paying a sales tax on their eyeglasses. About the bill, which would amend the current sales tax code to include the eyeglasses exemption for persons 65 and older, Kern said:
"Exempting senior citizens, who often rely on a fixed income, from having to pay a sales tax on their eyeglasses is just common sense. I think that this measure will find very little opposition. This exemption would have a very small effect on revenue while relieving the sales tax burden on our senior citizens."
Thursday was the final day that lawmakers could file their bills for the 2009 session. The Legislature is set to convene on Feb. 2, 2009.
Also see: Bill Would Exempt Seniors From Paying Sales Tax On Eye Glasses - KTUL News Channel 8