Latest Oklahoma Headlines
All the headlines from our Oklahoma Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Spring Storms Tear Up Midwest, Claim 3 Lives in Missouri
May 15 2009 // Citizens in four Midwestern states are cleaning up after violent storms killed three people in northern Missouri, damaged hundreds of homes and left thousands without power. Authorities reported at least two tornadoes...
Contractors’ Proof of Liability Coverage Bill Sent to Oklahoma Gov.
May 13 2009 // Oklahoma Senate Bill 306, by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, which requires contractors to provide proof that they have general liability insurance is headed for the desk of Gov. Brad Henry. “We’ve seen too many cases of...
Oklahoma Lawmakers Forge Agreement on Lawsuit Reform Package
May 12 2009 // Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee and House Speaker Chris Benge have announced that a compromise has been reached on a long sought comprehensive lawsuit reform package for the state. Coffee and Benge and their...
Electronic Insurance Verification System Being Launched in Oklahoma
May 5 2009 // Police across Oklahoma soon will be able to access a new electronic insurance verification system designed to crack down on uninsured motorists. Five police departments across the state began using the computerized system...
Fight to Approve Workers’ Comp Judges in Oklahoma Goes On
May 4 2009 // Undeterred by the governor’s veto, the Oklahoma Senate is forging ahead with the push to gain authority to approve judicial appointments in the state. The Senate has passed a referendum HJR 1041, which would allow...
Louisiana Lawmakers OK $133M in Stimulus Spending
Apr 28 2009 // Four more highway projects, including the widening of Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge, will be funded with Louisiana’s share of the federal stimulus package after receiving quick approval Monday from lawmakers. The $133...
Oklahoma Commissioner Files Lawsuit Against Auto Warranty Co.
Apr 28 2009 // Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland has filed for and received a Temporary Restraining Order against VSI Vehicle Services Inc. in Oklahoma County District Court. The commissioner has also filed a lawsuit against...
Oklahoma Senate Rejects Attorney Fee Caps; Tort Reform Bill Still Alive
Apr 24 2009 // The Oklahoma Senate rejected a plan to cap plaintiff attorney fees, while voting to keep alive a Republican-sponsored bill to shake up the state’s civil justice system in an effort to curtail lawsuits. Senate...
Oklahoma Gov. Vetoes Bill Targeting Attorney Political Lobbying
Apr 23 2009 // Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry has vetoed a bill that would have prohibited attorneys in that state from using money from client settlements for political lobbying. The bill, HB 1601, by Rep. Dan Sullivan, would have made it...
Lost Oklahoma Flashdrive Contained Social Security Numbers
Apr 23 2009 // The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission says the Social Security numbers of more than 5,500 people is on a flashdrive that was lost by an employee. Commission spokesman John Carpenter says the employee put the...
Oklahoma Consumer Group Blasts Lawmakers, Health Insurers
Apr 23 2009 // An advocacy group criticized Oklahoma legislative leaders on April 21 for what it described as a host of bills that help the health insurance industry at the expense of consumers. Dr. Rene McNall Knapp, who specializes in...
Lawmakers OK Maine Helmet Law Change
Apr 22 2009 // A bill to increase the age for mandatory motorcycle helmet use in Maine has been given final approval by the Legislature and sent to Gov. John Baldacci for his signature. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Emily Cain...
Insurance Company Offers Reward of $35K After Oklahoma Fire
Apr 22 2009 // A reward of $35,000 is being offered for information about the fire that destroyed 70 homes in Midwest City in eastern Oklahoma County two weeks ago. GuideOne Insurance and the Midwest City Police Department announced the...
Despite Veto, Okla. Senate Vows to Send Work Comp Law to Voters
Apr 22 2009 // The Oklahoma State Senate has passed a referendum that would allow Oklahomans to vote next year on a proposal to require Senate approval of the governor’s workers’ compensation judicial nominees. The Senate...
Texas Senate OK’s Bill to Lower Standard of Proof in Asbestos Lawsuits
Apr 21 2009 // Handing a rare victory to personal injury trial lawyers, the Texas Senate recently passed legislation that would make it easier for certain people to recover damages after being exposed to asbestos. The bill, which passed...
Oklahoma Wildfire Damage Estimates Increased to $30M
Apr 20 2009 // An Oklahoma insurance official says insured losses from recent wildfires that destroyed more than 100 structures in Oklahoma are expected to reach $30 million. Assistant Insurance Commissioner Marc Young says that figure...
Business Moves
Apr 20 2009 // INSURICA North America Group, a privately held independent insurance agency headquartered in Oklahoma City, is bringing each of its insurance management partners together to form INSURICA, The Insurance Management...
Declarations
Apr 20 2009 // A Devastating Experience “Losing everything is an unimaginable and devastating experience. … Oklahoma’s professional agents and adjusters are poised to respond.” —Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner...
Insured Losses From Oklahoma Fires Estimated at $20M
Apr 16 2009 // Insured property losses from recent wildfires in Oklahoma could reach $20 million dollars, according to Southwestern Insurance Information Services president Jerry Johns. Johns said “catastrophic and huge”...
State Farm Expects $10M-plus Loss From Oklahoma Fires
Apr 15 2009 // Oklahoma’s largest insurer expects to see more than $10 million in home and automobile damage claims from recent wildfires. State Farm Insurance spokesman John Wiscaver said the company is working on more than 1,000...
