ENROLLED SENATE
RESOLUTION NO. 95	By:	Bingman and Burrage

A Resolution recognizing and thanking Senator Cliff Branan for his service to the Oklahoma State Senate; applauding his dedication to helping the citizens of Oklahoma; wishing him and his family the best in their future endeavors; and directing distribution.

WHEREAS, Cliff Branan was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate in November 2002 to represent the citizens of Senate District 40, which covers part of Oklahoma County; and

WHEREAS, Senator Branan was born and raised in Oklahoma City and received his Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Oklahoma.  He has been a licensed commercial real estate broker for 30 years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Branan has served in numerous leadership roles in the Senate, including Majority Whip from 2006 to 2011 and Assistant Majority Floor Leader during the 54th Legislature; and

WHEREAS, he currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Energy, Telecommunications and Environment Committee and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Transportation.  He also serves on the Appropriations, Pensions, Rules and Transportation Committees, as well as the Joint Committee on State Tribal Relations.  He previously also served as the Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee; and

WHEREAS, Senator Branan has authored many bills and been a key figure in legislative efforts to make Oklahoma a destination for job growth and prosperity.  He was the recipient of The Research Institute for Economic Development's (RIED) Pathfinder Award, which is given to legislators with the highest score on the organization's annual rankings for pro-growth policy and leadership.  Branan has the highest score of any of the senior Senators with a cumulative score of 96; and

WHEREAS, as Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, he led landmark efforts to increase funding for county road and bridge repairs and construction, which contributed to substantial growth and development across the state; and

WHEREAS, Branan's leadership on energy policy has earned the recognition of peers and industry leaders.  He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Energy Council in Dallas, Texas, and the Executive Committee of the Southern States Energy Board in Atlanta, Georgia.  He was also the 2012-2013 National Chairman of The Center for Legislative Energy and Environmental Research (CLEER) in Dallas, Texas; and

WHEREAS, Senator Cliff Branan has been honored twice by the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association (OIPA), the state's largest oil and gas association, as Legislator of the Year in 2006 and 2011; and

WHEREAS, Branan is a member of Rotary Club 29 and the Committee of 100.  He has volunteered with numerous charitable and philanthropic organizations and previously served on the Board of Directors of the Arts Council of Oklahoma City and the Board of Directors of the City Arts Center.  He is a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma, Class XVIII and the Tinker Air Force Base COMSTAR program.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 54TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma State Senate recognizes and thanks Senator Cliff Branan for his 12 years of service to the Oklahoma State Senate.

THAT the Oklahoma State Senate applauds his dedication to helping the citizens of Oklahoma.

THAT the Oklahoma State Senate wishes him and his family the best in their future endeavors.

THAT a copy of this resolution be distributed to Senator Cliff Branan.

Adopted by the Senate the 14th day of May, 2014.

	
	Presiding Officer of the Senate