Senate Republicans and Democrats ended their three-day stalemate over control of the Senate last Wednesday and voted against reviving the workers’ compensation legislation that had ignited the controversy. Legislators have two other workers’ compensation bills in a House-Senate conference committee for consideration before May 27, the final day of the legislative session. The Democratic-Republican agreement ended a Republican threat to ask the Supreme Court to define Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin’s constitutional authority when she presides over the Senate in her role as president of the Senate. Fallin said her goal through this standoff was to advance the discussion of workers’ compensation reform. “I undertook this effort on behalf of Oklahoma’s future. The evidence is very clear that our state must modernize and reform our antiquated workers’ comp system if we are to effectively compete for jobs and economic growth,” Fallin said. She also said she appreciated the Senate leadership for recognizing her constitutional authority as president of the Senate to preside. The stalemate began April 28, when Fallin sat in the presiding officer’s chair in a bid with Senate Republican senators to force Democrats to vote on House Bill 2046, a workers’ compensation bill favored by the GOP.