GUTHRIE – Local State Representative Jason Murphey is wrapping up a busy but successful first phase of the 2008 Legislative Session after passing a number of bills in the House of Representatives.

Murphey led the House's 27-member freshmen class in the number of bills passed, and tied for 11th place overall of the 101 members in the entire House. Murphey also finished in a tie for the most bills passed by a member who is not a Committee Chairman or Speaker Pro Tempore.

Murphey credits the success to having a year's experience and spending time researching and studying the bills he presented. "Having a year's experience allows a new Representative to prepare for as many contingencies as possible," Murphey said. "It is important to view our bills through the eyes of other Representatives and envision why they will support or oppose a particular piece of legislation. I have discovered that if we do the homework, it's much more likely that the bills will be successful."

Murphey passed five of the eight bills that he introduced, with subjects ranging from saving taxpayer dollars by removing antiquated mandates on the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, to allowing military personnel to defend themselves and others on college campuses. Murphey also presented and won approval for House Bill 3325, initially submitted by House Appropriations Chairman Ken Miller of Edmond. House Bill 3325 seeks to modernize Oklahoma's outdated purchasing processes which were exposed by a recent government modernization study in which Murphey and Miller took part. Murphey presented the bill after Miller's appointment to Chairman of the Appropriations Committee forced him to focus on other matters.

In addition to the six bills that he passed, Murphey also won approval for an amendment that would name a portion of I-35 in South Logan County for former South Logan County State Representative A.C. Hamlin. Hamlin was the first African-American Representative in Oklahoma history and served in the second Oklahoma Legislature which met in Guthrie. "I felt it was important for the vibrant and growing area in South Logan County to be able to have a tie to this important part of its history. It is also important to bring attention to the needs of the area, which I believe should include an expansion of the Waterloo I-35 intersection and the creation of an exit ramp at Charter Oak and I-35," Murphey explained.

Murphey said he will now focus on presenting senate bills to the House, including a measure by Senator Patrick Anderson to limit the amount of debt that can be incurred by Higher Education officials. He also wants to amend a senate bill to increase the homestead exemption amount in order to lower property tax levels.

Bills approved by the House of Representatives now head to the Senate for consideration.