If the applicant refuses a drug test or is found to be using drugs, they would be denied benefits.

Applicants who test positive for illegal drug use and undergo substance abuse treatment can reapply for benefits six months after the date of their denial.  Child-only cases and underage parents would be exempt from drug screenings.  The bill also allows for an alternative payee to be named when a parent has been denied benefits.

“House Bill 2388 will help ensure welfare checks are not being used to pay for drugs,” Fallin said. “Hard working taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to subsidize drug abuse, and this bill will help to ensure they are not.”

“Additionally, HB 2388 helps to preserve the mission of state-funded welfare – to provide a social safety net helping the unemployed and needy get back on their feet, find work and support their families. Unfortunately, drug abuse prevents many recipients of welfare from achieving any of these goals. Drug addiction and illegal drug use contribute to child abuse and child neglect. They also make it difficult to find and hold a job. For all these reasons it is important for drug users and those with substance abuse problems to seek treatment rather than simply being handed a check from Oklahoma taxpayers.”

The bill was sponsored by Senator David Holt and Representatives Guy Liebmann, John Bennett, Sean Roberts, Lisa Billy and Steve Vaughn.

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To receive a license under the Oklahoma Self Defense Act, applicants must take a firearms safety and training course and submit to a background check by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.  Those convicted of felonies and certain misdemeanors may not receive a handgun license.

With Governor Fallin’s signature on SB 1733, Oklahoma becomes the 25^th state with either “permissive open carry” laws (no permit required) or “licensed open carry” (permit required). Oklahoma now joins Utah, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Hawaii and Massachusetts as a “licensed open carry” state.

“As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and a gun owner myself, I’m happy to sign this bill into law and grant law-abiding citizens the ability to openly carry firearms,” Fallin said.  “Senate Bill 1733 sends a strong message that Oklahoma values the rights of its citizens to defend themselves, their family and their property. It does so in a responsible way, by requiring those citizens who choose to ‘open carry’ to undergo both firearms training and a background check.”

Businesses may continue to prohibit firearms to be carried on their premises.  SB 1733 prohibits carrying firearms on properties owned or leased by the city, state or federal government, at corrections facilities, in schools or college campuses, liquor stores and at sports arenas during sporting events.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Anthony Sykes and Representative Jeff Hickman.

“I want to thank Senator Sykes and Representative Hickman, as well as the entire Legislature, for their commitment to protecting the Second Amendment rights of Oklahomans,” Fallin said.

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(Oklahoma City)- The Oklahoma Republican Party today launched its latest web ad focused on the poor performance of President Obama in Oklahoma, and asks the question, are you bona fide?

Following Super Tuesday, The Oklahoma Democratic Party notified Democrat Presidential candidate Randall Terry, who campaigned as a pro life, pro-Keystone candidate, that he would not be allocated delegates to the party's national convention because his campaign failed to complete the proper paperwork and---much more revealing---that the national party (DNC) said he was not a "bona fide Democrat."

Barack Obama lost 15 counties in Oklahoma and 43% of registered Democrats voted for someone other than the incumbent Democrat president. With that, Terry qualified for four national convention delegates.

However, DNC rules define a "qualified candidate" as a "bona fide Democrat" who "affirmatively demonstrates that he or she is faithful to the interests, welfare and success of the Democratic Party."

When asked about Terry’s candidacy, ODP Chairman Collins said he thought Terry was simply a Republican who was trying to embarrass Obama. “He’s a Republican,” Collins said.

"Collins is right," said Chairman Pinnell, "if you are pro-life, believe in religious freedom, and support energy policies that promote projects like the Keystone Pipeline then I guess you aren't a bona fide Democrat but instead a bona fide Republican," said Chairman Pinnell.

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I want to thank everyone who attended the OKGOP State Convention this past Saturday in Norman. And by everyone, yes, I mean every delegate.

This convention process began on February 6th with statewide precinct meetings and concluded this past Saturday with our State Convention. It's process that has taken most of my time and that of my staff and our volunteers over the last few months. It's an important process and one I take very seriously.

I was certainly hoping to walk out of the convention hall united as one party on Saturday, but that time has not yet come. That's ok. I've used this quote before, and I will use it again as it's very relevant:

"If we move in mass, be it ever so circuitously, we shall attain our object; but if we break into squads, everyone pursuing the path he thinks most direct, we become an easy conquest to those who can now barely hold us in check." --Thomas Jefferson, 1811

Safe to say we are certainly moving circuitously. The majority ruled on Saturday and the minority had a strong voice. It will be a winding road, but I believe we will get there in the end with the majority and most of the minority standing together with our nominee.

President Obama's spent 2.6 million on polling to come up with his new campaign slogan of "Forward". An odd choice as most Americans believe we are headed in the wrong direction. I believe that slogan is better suited for the Republican Party. I want to move this Party forward in the right direction, and between now and November I ask you to join with me to do just that.

It's official. After months of campaign events, President Obama "officially" launched his campaign last week. While much was made about the empty seats at the actual launch, the big news was what wasn't mentioned...his record.

I missed the long defense of Obamacare--his signature piece of legislation--and his long defense of the stimulus. Furthermore, I missed his defense of the state of our economy, its debt, its deficits and lack of strong job creation.

the only reason the unemployment number is dropping is because you have people giving up on their job searches. So much for ‘Hope and Change’

It's clear this President is running away from his record; he's at least smart enough to know his record isn't selling and a majority of Americans believe we are on the wrong track. When you run up a $5 trillion debt in 3 1/2 years and you have more people since 1981 that are either underemployed, unemployed or have stopped looking for work you have a tough time asking the question "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"

The most recent jobs report isn't good either, the only reason the unemployment number is dropping is because you have people giving up on their job searches. So much for ‘Hope and Change’.

Obama for American and the DNC spent a combined $2.6 million on polling over the last two months, most likely scrambling to find a new slogan to run on. All they came up with was "Forward." As Governor Romney rightly jabbed the other day, "Forward, what? Over the cliff?"

Senator Rubio laid in out nicely on Fox News Sunday: "This campaign is very simple. It's not a difficult one to understand. This president asked us to hire him four years ago on the promise that he knew how to fix this economy and that he would be different, that he would unite this country. That's the standard we should judge him by, the standard that he set."

President Obama set the standard, he didn't get the job done, and it's why his reelection campaign failed to launch last week.