Related:

Hussam Ayloush blog:

A recent Associated Press story stated that about two dozen Oklahoma lawmakers plan to return copies of the Qur'an to a state panel on diversity created by Gov. Brad Henry after a lawmaker claimed the Muslim holy book condones the killing of innocent women and children.

The lawmaker, Rep. Rex Duncan, is obviously ignorant. Hey, there is no shame in being ignorant. We all are ignorant about many things. But it is a disaster when one is in denial of his/her ignorance and even makes judgments and bigoted decisions based on that ignorance. Read more...

The Red Dirt Political Report: COMMENTARY: Rep. Duncan should shut up

Labels: OK Legislature

Posted at 6:51 AM |   

Red Dirt Political Report: A political blog from M. Scott Carter, political reporter for the Norman Transcript and the Moore American

It doesn’t take an act by the Oklahoma State Legislature to know it’s wrong to steal. Nor do we need a gubernatorial proclamation that lying, cheating on your spouse or killing someone are not the best of ideas.

Because, long before members of the Oklahoma House and Senate convened in their marble chambers at 23rd and Lincoln there were rules of conduct.

The Bible’s 10 commandments were a pretty good start.

From there, society was given the “Golden Rule” — based on Matthew 7:12. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

That simple idea has been the basis for our modern concept of human rights since the time of Christ.

But right now it’s taking it on the chin.

Especially here in Oklahoma.

With state Representative Randy Terrill’s anti-immigrant bill now law, Oklahoma has set aside its moral principals and, in the process, lost its humanity. Read more...

Labels: Immigration Reform, OK Legislature, Rep. Randy Terrill

Posted at 1:54 PM |   

Darrell Gable of the Red Cross instructs House security staff in CPR and proper operation of an Automated External Defibrillator.

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 27, 2007) – As part of National Preparedness Month, the American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma made a special donation Thursday to make sure Oklahoma lawmakers are prepared for the worst.

At a special ceremony, Vince Hernandez, CEO of the Central Oklahoma Red Cross, presented the Capitol Doctor of the Day office with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Dana Cash with Zoll Medical, which is partnering with the Red Cross on the gift of the defibrillator, was also present for the event.

“Many Oklahomans visit their state Capitol each year, and they often come to observe their state Legislature in session,” said House Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah. “Though we hope it never happens, it’s always possible that a visitor, a lawmaker, or a staffer could suffer a heart attack here in the Capitol. I appreciate the Red Cross helping us be prepared for the realities of life.”

Chad Warmington, chief of staff of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, accepted the gift on behalf of the Speaker, the Doctor of the Day office, and the entire Legislature.

The defibrillator will be stored in the Oklahoma Legislature’s Doctor of the Day office at the state Capitol during the legislative session.

As part of the event, House security staff were also given professional instruction by the Red Cross in CPR and were taught how to operate the defibrillator.

Labels: OK Legislature, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 7:00 AM |   

From GameDailyBiz.com:

By James Brightman

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) passed along the news today that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma has issued a permanent injunction against Oklahoma's recent video game law that was supposed to have gone into effect on November 1, 2006. A preliminary injunction was initially issued last October.

Labels: OK Legislature

Posted at 6:42 AM |   

Thanks to the Red Dirt Political Report for this hat tip. Sounds as though something is rotten in Denmark.

OKLAHOMA CITY — A controversial education study — completed in 2005 but never officially released by the Oklahoma Legislature — paints a dismal picture of state education funding and calls for an influx of more than $800 million in new spending, The Transcript has learned.

Commissioned in 2004, and completed at a cost of $150,230 in April of 2005, the two-part study by Colorado-based Augenblick, Palaich and Associates, was prepared for the Legislative Service Bureau — a state office controlled by the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma State Senate.

The first part of the study, which cost $32,930, was released in November of 2004. That report examined the spending of school districts which successfully met state performance standards.

The second report of the study — entitled “Calculating the Cost of an Adequate Education in Oklahoma,” — analyzed the “adequacy of revenues available to elementary and secondary school districts in Oklahoma” for the 2003-2004 fiscal year.

Read More

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature

Posted at 7:12 PM |   

University of Arkansas Professor Gary Ritter testifies before the Oklahoma House Education Committee on Teacher Performance Pay. (AUDIO) CLICK TO LISTEN

OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 21, 2007) – Performance pay programs in other states resulted in better results for students and a better work environment for teachers, according to testimony by an expert on Tuesday in the first round of hearings to develop a comprehensive performance pay plan for Oklahoma's teachers.

"This is a promising strategy. It's worth trying and evaluating rigorously," said Gary Ritter, an associate professor and endowed chair in education policy at the University of Arkansas' Department of Education Reform. "The one component we know improves student performance is the effectiveness of a teacher."

Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah, said Ritter's balanced and thorough testimony began to debunk many of the myths surrounding performance pay -- including a common charge by opponents that performance pay creates so-called "negative competition" or hurts collaboration among teachers.

"It was exciting to learn that performance pay plans across the country are encouraging collaboration, team work and higher performance among teachers," said Cargill. "While we should take into account a variety of factors when developing a performance pay plan, defenders of the status quo may never run out of reasons why they oppose reforms. Once one set of concerns is addressed they will likely move the ball by coming up with new concerns. But for most Oklahomans, performance pay makes perfect sense because it rewards teachers for success." (Hear more)

"Performance pay has never been given serious consideration in Oklahoma," Cargill continued. "We've basically had the same teacher compensation system for a hundred years. Some opponents are so stuck in the past that they can't possibly move this state forward. But now is the time for bold reform."

Ritter testified that under current "single salary" systems such as that used for Oklahoma teachers, rewards for teaching excellence decline over time. By contrast, he said, performance pay plans can be an effective tool to recruit and retain good teachers.

In one example, Ritter examined a pilot project in Little Rock, Ark. schools called Achievement Challenge Pilot Project (ACPP), and found that it boosted student test scores. The program did not hurt teacher collaboration and encouraged a positive school environment.

Ritter also testified that "lump sum", across-the-board pay raises for teachers have not generated increased student achievements where such raises have been implemented across the country.

"Whatever performance pay system we develop in Oklahoma, it's clear that the days of one-size-fits-all pay raises are over," said Cargill. "We should be rewarding success, not punishing it by encouraging mediocrity."

Tuesday's hearing was the first in a series of five hearings that will run through Oct. 9. The next is scheduled for Sept. 11, and will hear from school officials and teacher organizations.

House Education Committee Chairman Tad Jones, who chaired Tuesday's hearing, said it was a good start. Jones has championed such reforms as the Academic Achievement Awards in Oklahoma, a program that provides cash bonuses to teachers in high-performing or greatly improved schools.

"We've taken some positive first steps over the past few years. With these hearings we're simply trying to develop a plan that pays teachers as professionals," said Jones, R-Claremore. "We should be doing everything we can to keep good teachers in the classroom where they can make a difference in children's lives."

Rep. Earl Sears, who is helping Jones facilitate the hearings, said that during his years as a school principal a performance pay plan similar to those discussed at Tuesday's hearing would have made a positive difference.

"Having a performance pay system in place would have allowed teachers in my school to do a better job with their students," said Sears, R-Bartlesville, who served as principal of Central Middle School in Bartlesville for 24 years.

Cargill and House Republican lawmakers first signaled they would pursue a comprehensive performance-based pay system for Oklahoma teachers after lawmakers completed a $4,800 pay raise commitment for teachers over the past three years. Part of this year’s state budget agreement included an additional $400 on top of an already-agreed to $600 pay raise – with the additional funds weighted toward veteran teachers or those with advanced degrees.

Labels: OK Legislature, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 2:01 PM |   

Need further proof the world's going to hell in a hand basket? This piece is from the Dallas Voice, "The Community Newspaper for Gay & Lesbian Dallas."

"State Rep. Thad Balkman, the instigator of the measure, claimed — apparently in error — that the law would prevent Oklahoma children from being adopted by gay couples from out of state, and opined that “children are better off with two parents — a mother and a father, not two mothers or two fathers.”

By Ann Rostow
News Analyst

The U.S Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has struck down one of the most extraordinary anti-gay laws in the nation — Oklahoma’s ban on recognizing legal gay adoptive parents from out of state.

Passed in 2004, the law was unique in the country and breathtaking in its scope. A lower federal court ruled the law unconstitutional last year, and last Friday, Aug. 3, the three-judge federal appellate panel put the final nail in its coffin, handing the GLBT legal community a nice precedent in the process.

Critics of the law say it’s hard to believe that an elected group of lawmakers, even in the reddest state, could conceive of passing this kind of legislation in the first place. Imagine adopting a couple of children at birth, moving to Oklahoma years later, and discovering that you are no longer legally related to your teenage son or daughter, they say.

How did it happen? It happened in a kind of gay panic, brought on by the plight of two gay fathers in 2003. Read more...

Labels: OK Legislature, Thad Balkman

Posted at 3:09 PM |   

Letter to the Editor:

Apparently it is time for my annual response to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and other so-called experts in the field of what is best for teachers. There seems to be two main points this year: merit pay and the number of days that teachers work.

It is true that Oklahoma teachers work 180 days per year. I will guarantee, though, that teachers work more minutes per day than any other profession. From the time the first bell rings until the last bell, teachers are working every single minute of the day.

Studies have shown that the average blue-collar worker actually spends only 5.4 hours of every day in productive work, and white-collar workers (the ones who keep writing letters about how little teachers work) spend an average of 4.3 hours daily being productive.

The most recent column states that teachers make 2 percent more per hour than the average professional wage, but we work almost 100 percent more in that hour.

Now let’s talk about merit pay. House Speaker Lance Cargill has proposed that the only raises teachers should receive in the future should be merit based.

What happened to the promise the Legislature made two years ago to raise teacher pay to the regional average? Read more...

Labels: OK Legislature

Posted at 12:16 PM |   

By JonJayRay

Below is an extensive excerpt from an even more extensive article.

Tulsa is on the leading edge of local and state efforts to crack down on illegal immigration following passage by the Oklahoma Legislature of what is arguably the toughest anti-illegal immigration measure in the nation. The Tulsa City Council also embraced the get-tough approach by adopting a resolution calling on police officers to check the immigration status of “all suspected illegal aliens.” Those actions have sparked a fierce political battle, spread fear among Hispanics — both legal residents and those in the country illegally — and triggered an angry public face-off between demonstrators on either side of the great divide.

Among the longtime residents shaken by the changes engulfing his city is Gary Rutledge, an MSNBC.com reader who said the demographic shift took his family and friends by surprise. “It’s happened so quickly and our neighborhoods have changed so rapidly,” said Rutledge, a political science professor at nearby Rogers State University. In East Tulsa, just across the main thoroughfare from his comfortable brick home, the broad avenues are now peppered with signs in Spanish and malls catering to Latino shoppers — offering everything from soccer wear and piñatas to check cashing services and Latin pop music. “That whole part of the city has become a miniature Juarez or Tijuana or whatever you want to call it,” said Rutledge. Read more...

Related:

Thirdwavedave: "Rep. Randy Terrill, author of Oklahoma's Immigration Reform Bill, Will Be Interviewed Tonight on "The Andrea Shea-King Show". (Florida)

meeciteeworker: "Questions for Her Majesty"

Labels: Immigration Reform, Kathy Taylor, OK Legislature

Posted at 11:30 AM |   

Interim Study will examine merit-based pay system for Oklahoma teachers


House education leader Rep. Tad Jones will spearhead an interim study that will look at creating a new merit-based pay system for Oklahoma teachers, Speaker Lance Cargill announced today.

"A one-size-fits-all approach to teacher pay is now in the past. We should be encouraging excellence in our schools by rewarding the best teachers," said Cargill, R-Harrah. "Over the next few months, the House will intensively study how Oklahoma can develop a comprehensive merit-pay system for teachers that ties academic results to salary levels. The days of across-the-board pay increases for teachers are over. From now on, pay increases must be tied to results."

"We know there will be opposition to our efforts by the forces of the status quo, and there will be those who claim to be for merit pay while actively working against the real thing," Cargill continued. "But in the 21st century knowledge-based economy, Oklahoma's success will be directly tied to our state's intellectual capital. We must have big dreams and bold reform and move past the bog standards and limited expectations of the past."

Jones, chair of the House Education Committee, said he is excited about chairing the study.

"Our state is lucky to have hardworking teachers, and the best teachers deserve better pay. It's just that simple," said Jones, R-Claremore. "We've begun the process of merit pay with the Academic Achievement Awards, which rewards a team of teachers. Now it's time to start identifying the next steps."

Labels: OK Legislature, Rep. Tad Jones

Posted at 1:27 PM |   

The legislator threw the punch after allegedly being called a "son of a bitch" by his colleague. Who do you think would make a good fight in the Oklahoma Legislature?

Labels: OK Legislature

Posted at 2:51 PM |   

The Alliance for Oklahoma’s Future today lauded as a “major step forward in promoting fiscal responsibility and sound public policy” the passage of legislation that would, for the first time, provide for a long-term state budget forecast. The Alliance is a broad-based, non-partisan coalition of nearly 40 organizations representing Oklahomans from across the state.

SB 368, which passed on the last day of the recently completed legislative session, includes language instructing the Office of State Finance to develop a multi-year trend analysis of the state’s budget outlook that would take into account the best available information on economic activity, population change and others factors affecting the state budget. The forecast would be developed and published annually by November 1st.

“We especially applaud Senator Jim Wilson for promoting this measure and Senator Owen Laughlin for agreeing to include the budget forecasting language in SB 368”, said David Blatt, Chair of the Alliance for Oklahoma’s Future. SB 368 also sets up a process to have the Oklahoma Tax Commission conduct dynamic estimates of the revenue impact of tax cut bills.

“For too long, legislators have made budget and tax decisions that have long-term impacts in the absence of even basic information on the budget outlook beyond the next twelve months”, said Blatt. “We can hope that having access to realistic projections about long-term trends will raise awareness about approaching budget challenges and encourage prudent policy decisions that help keep revenues and spending in alignment”.

“Long-term budgeting forecasting is long-term fiscal stewardship of the highest order. Future generations of Oklahomans should benefit greatly from this legislation,” stated Kent Olson, Professor of Economics at Oklahoma State University. A recent study by Prof. Olson revealed that, as a result of demographic changes, mounting spending pressures, and an outdated tax system, Oklahoma faces an approaching long-term structural deficit in which projected state expenditures will exceed projected revenues by large and accelerating amounts. This situation will force hard choices between future tax increases, spending cuts and alternative ways to pay for and ration public services.

SB 368 awaits the Governor’s signature to become law.

Labels: Budget, OK Legislature

Posted at 11:25 AM |   

Labels: Brad Henry, Drew Edmondson, Law Suit Reform, OK Legislature

Posted at 12:33 PM |   

The invitation to the June event reads at the end: "Pot" luck refreshments will be served. All are welcome free of charge." The Oklahoma Political News Service asks, "Will they have brownies too?" Here is an excerpt from the group's website:

"Coming from a state where a family man, Will Foster, was initially sentenced to prison for 93 years and fined $65,000 after growing marijuana to treat his arthritic pain, the Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma (DPFOK) is a group of concerned citizens seeking to open up for discussion alternatives to current drug policy. We believe that the attempt to use the criminal justice system to discourage drug abuse or the so called "war on drugs" has backfired."

Hat tip to the "alert" tipster who forwarded us this tip.

The Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma Presents: Sen. Andrew Rice, June 13th.

The Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma presents Senator Andrew Rice, Wed. June 13th, from 7pm. – 10pm., at the Stillwater Community Center South side Dinning Room, 9th and Duck in Stillwater OK.

Sen. Rice will speak on the new program "Smart on Crime—Treating Those with Drug and Alcohol Problems."

The Drug Policy Forum of Oklahoma serves the public with information and expert opinion about legal and illegal drugs and the issues surrounding them. All views are welcome and will be respected. The DPFOK website is www.dpfok.org For all information call (405)714-1236 or email Howzkeepa@hotmail.com.

Pot luck refreshments will be served. All are welcome free of charge.

Labels: OK Legislature

Posted at 10:05 AM |   

Click here to view.

Labels: OK Legislature

Posted at 3:02 PM |   

Democratic activists are angry with two of their legislators this week over the abortion issue. We reported Wednesday that demonstrators held signs in front of Rep. Rebecca Hamilton's fundraiser Tuesday evening, calling for her censorship and accusing her of "Sleeping with the Enemy".

Sen. Jay Paul Gumm raised the ire of the party faithful with his post on our Legislators' blog titled: A "Poison" in the Body Politic. In the controversial post, Sen. Gumm writes:

Abortion was the other issue on which my position of conscience caused great anger, and to some degree disproves any suggestion that I make votes based partisan politics. I supported, and then helped resurrect, a bill that would prevent abortions from being performed with taxpayer resources.

That position caused activists in the Democratic Party to become very angry at me, even attempting to reprimand me at the state Democratic Convention. That effort failed because cooler heads prevailed. Again, however, what was missing was a reasoned discussion of the issue.

The following comment is representative of the sentiments expressed by many of those who left comments on the post and on demookie.com.

Jack Boyte said...

Senator Gumm, I was part of the group that voted for the censure resolution at the state convention. It was NOT about womens reproductive rights. It was about the WAY you and Rep. Hamilton went about reviving SB 139 with language from SB 714.

Forty out of forty-four members of the House Democratic caucus asked her not to 'revive the bill'...and she did anyway. Many feel you encouraged and supported this tactic even though the overwhelming majority of House Democrats opposed the procedure.

I certainly respect your opinion on all issues and commend you for your service. But I feel this specific political maneuvering deserves the condemnation it received.

Labels: Abortion, OK Legislator's Blog, OK Legislature, Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, Sen. Gumm

Posted at 6:20 AM |   

Legislative leaders in the Oklahoma Senate and House of Representatives have submitted a compromise lawsuit reform proposal to Gov. Brad Henry in an effort to reach an agreement before the Legislature adjourns for the year.

The proposal was developed by physicians and business groups, and addresses the governor’s concerns about Senate Bill 507 as outlined in a recent memo from the governor’s chief negotiator, State Treasurer Scott Meacham. Henry has been under fire in Oklahoman and nationally for his veto of Senate Bill 507, a bipartisan lawsuit reform bill passed by the Legislature last month.

“The need for lawsuit reform is one of the most critical issues facing our state, so in the spirit of bipartisan cooperation we have agreed to accept the compromise proposal submitted by the medical and business communities. We encourage the governor to accept this proposal so we can take a major step toward stamping out lawsuit abuse in Oklahoma,” stated Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. “The ball is now in the governor’s court.”

“Time is growing very short in the session's final days, but we're hopeful the governor will accept this important compromise," said Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah. "This bill represents a true compromise, but also achieves reform. Oklahoma desperately needs lawsuit reform if our state is going to move forward.”

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature, Scott Meacham, Sen. Glenn Coffee, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 3:04 PM |   

Oklahoma City – One day after the enactment of a bipartisan tax relief package, legislative leaders and the governor on Tuesday announced the outlines of a $7.1 billion state budget agreement that speeds up tax cuts for working Oklahomans, boosts teacher pay and includes important funds for critical state services such as public safety and state prisons.

“This budget agreement is the result of hard work and bipartisan cooperation, and I thank legislative leaders of both parties for finding consensus on important issues. It hasn’t always been an easy process, but lawmakers ultimately came together to do significant things for Oklahoma, such as strengthening higher education, establishing a state bioenergy center and increasing teacher pay. This bipartisan budget addresses a number of other priorities, as well as ensuring tax relief. In all, it marks a win-win for Oklahoma,” stated Governor Brad Henry

“We said very early on that the hallmark of this legislative session would be fiscal restraint and restored accountability from government. This is the first time ever in the history of our state that a Legislature cut government spending when there was the opportunity to spend more,” said Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah. “We delivered a responsible state budget that makes record investments in core services while putting in place reforms that make clear we expect in return quality performance and results. At the same time, we have achieved real tax relief for Oklahoma’s working families – the very people whose productivity has helped fuel our economic growth. Important reforms include taking a first step toward a merit-based pay system for Oklahoma teachers and motivating our OHLAP scholars to earn better grades while in college. And for the first time, we will take a major step toward fixing our state’s prison problem by conducting a top-to-bottom review of the Department of Corrections.”

“This budget agreement focuses on protecting middle class families and provides a fiscally-responsible framework for Oklahoma’s future by opening the door to educational opportunities for the next generation. It includes important funding to keep tuition increases to a minimum at our colleges and universities and establishes a permanent funding source to ensure the long-term stability of the Oklahoma’s Promise Scholarship Program,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater.

“This fiscally-responsible agreement builds on the bipartisan budget and tax relief plan passed by the Legislature earlier this session, and represents a common sense compromise that Oklahomans can all be proud of – especially the tax cuts for working families and the long-term fix for the Teacher Retirement System,” stated Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. “The Senate’s power-sharing agreement has resulted in a spirit of cooperation in the Legislature’s upper chamber, and this bipartisanship is evident in today’s agreement. The stage is now set for an orderly and on-time adjournment of the 2007 legislative session.”

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OK Legislature, Sen. Glenn Coffee, Sen. Mike Morgan, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8:23 PM |   

Speaker Lance Cargill & Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee issued the following joint statement Monday evening after the governor signed into law Senate Bill 861, a package of tax relief for working families including childcare credits for stay-at-home parents, a back-to-school sales tax holiday, acceleration of income tax cuts and elimination of the franchise tax on most small businesses.

SPEAKER LANCE CARGILL (R-Oklahoma City): “This is a positive step forward in achieving a final budget agreement. Today’s enactment of tax relief is a victory for working families across Oklahoma. Tax relief has been a cornerstone issue for us, and we’re glad we can once again deliver for the people who work for a living in this state.”

SENATE CO-PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE GLENN COFFEE (R-Oklahoma City): “This tax relief package allows families to keep more of their own money. We’ve made significant progress in achieving a final budget agreement, and enactment of this tax relief package goes a long way toward moving Oklahoma forward.”

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature, Sen. Glenn Coffee, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 10:23 AM |   

Gov. Brad Henry has been particularly wieldy with his veto pen this session. First, he vetoed a budget that a bi-partisan Legislature came up with. His main beef was some of his favorite projects weren’t included in the budget, and he wasn’t included in the process. Legislative leaders had left open the door for those projects to be funded, but said they didn’t hold the same priority as the ones they came up with.

Then, the governor vetoed sweeping tort reform legislation that would have put Oklahoma on the map as one of the best states to practice medicine and do business. Now, it appears he may veto an immigration reform bill that is very popular with public at large.

This from a governor who at the beginning of the session said he thought a real sense of bi-partisan progress would occur, particularly with the structure of the half-and-half Senate.

We’re not really sure what the governor is trying to prove by his vetoes of the first two bills. Read more...

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature

Posted at 10:59 AM |   

National and state business leaders are calling Governor Henry's furtive weekend veto of a comprehensive lawsuit reform measure a killer for Oklahoma's economic climate.

"This is a mistake on his (Henry's) part that will have serious consequences for the state's business climate," stated the National Association of Manufacturers on its "ShopFloor.org" blog this weekend.

The NAM posted the comments Saturday after Henry vetoed Senate Bill 507, an omnibus lawsuit reform measure that contained nearly all of the provisions the governor himself has repeatedly claimed to favor.

Though it's difficult to assign a specific dollar number, economic experts say the veto is likely to have far-reaching harmful implications for Oklahoma.

"Certainly states that neglect tort reform will fall behind states that enact lawsuit reform," said Rex Pjesky, Ph.D., an assistant professor of economics at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. "Lawsuit reform is important because it sends the message that Oklahoma is open for business. The tort reform bill would have helped everyone know that we want them to come to Oklahoma to create jobs, raise their families, and join us in prosperity."

The governor claimed in his veto message that, "SB 507 did little to help innocent business owners who rack up costs fighting a frivolous complaint that is ultimately thrown out of court."

According to the Pacific Research Institute, a think tank in favor of lawsuit reform, Oklahoma ranks among the 15 worst states overall in terms of a poor lawsuit reform environment. Oklahoma is ranked 38th for problems ranging from lawsuit threats to monetary losses from harmful verdicts.

To make matters worse, surrounding states like Colorado, Kansas and Texas have all passed strong lawsuit reform measures and rank among the top 10 states with the best lawsuit reform laws - while Missouri,Arkansas and Louisiana each rank far ahead of Oklahoma in terms of reform efforts.

One respected Oklahoma legal scholar who has worked on lawsuit reform efforts agrees that the governor's veto is bad news for the state.

In a recent post on the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs' "Under the Dome" blog, Oklahoma City University constitutional scholar and law professor Andrew Spiropoulos noted that, "Our leading lawyers ... ought to prefer the common good to their litigation success. We deserve better, but we won't get it, unless we are willing to demand it from our officials and ourselves."

Labels: Brad Henry, Law Suit Reform, OK Legislature

Posted at 8:58 AM |   

"It was just the right thing to do for women facing tragic decisions."

There are two religious camps within the modern Democratic Party. There is the pantheist, environmentalist doomsayers, with Al Gore as their messiah, who claim human beings are destroying the planet - specifically us Americans.

They indoctrinate our children in learning institutions with the theory of global warning as if it is proven science, needlessly frightening them with thoughts of their mortality, when they should be enjoying the innocence of childhood.

The second camp within the party are the "Progressive Christians" who have a knowledge of a higher being and profess Christianity; but it is a Christianity married with the liberal philosophy of secular progressivism. A case in point is the Dr. Bruce Prescott, Executive Director of Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists, and President of the Oklahoma Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. On his website "Mainstream Baptist" and using the vernacular of the abortionists, Prescott writes: "Henry vetoed a bill that would restrict access to abortion." he says further:

"Under the advice of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, the Oklahoma section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Osteopathic Association and the Oklahoma Nurses' Association, Governor Brad Henry vetoed a bill that did not include exemptions for rape and incest victims or for women with fetuses that have fatal birth defects."

Prescott seems to believe that these medical organizations, who have a financial interest to keep abortion "safe, legal, and rare", gives Henry's veto credibility. Many would say that those who take oaths to protect and preserve life, lose credibility when they advocate the taking of a life, simply because it inconveniences the mother.

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature

Posted at 11:57 AM |   

Gov. Brad Henry vetoed yesterday - overwhelmingly bi-partisan legislation - that would have banned the use of public funds for abortions. The so called centrist governor, surrounded by doctors and other medical professionals at a Capitol press conference, chose to side with NARAL, The National Organization for Women, and Moveon.org over life. Henry claims the measure doesn't protect the rights of women who are the victims of rape or incest.

Speaker Cargill Released this statement:

"It's especially sad that on a day when the U.S. Supreme Court is advancing the cause of life, Oklahoma is moving backwards thanks to the Governor. I don't think the Governor's actions today are in line with the beliefs of most Oklahomans, who value the sanctity of life and are in favor of stronger protections.

But we can take heart in the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court's decision is a victory for efforts to protect the unborn. The idea that taxpayer dollars could be used to perform abortions is terrible. Most Oklahomans oppose it and I am very disappointed that our Governor supports it."

Senator Coburn released this statement last week after the bill's passage in the legislature:

"The reality is that every tax dollar that is spent to perform an abortion is a dollar that has been taken away from providing medically necessary health care for patients," he said.

"More than 18 percent of Oklahoma's population is uninsured, the seventh-highest rate in the country," Coburn added. "How can we justify spending limited public resources on abortion when our fellow Oklahomans cannot even afford basic health care?"

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature, Sen. Tom Coburn, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8:47 AM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Governor Brad Henry says appropriation bills passed by the Legislature are "dead on arrival" if they're unchanged from appropriations in the general budget bill he vetoed two weeks ago.

Leaders in the state Senate are planning to introduce five appropriation bills they say contain the same amount of money for separate state agencies that was contained the original budget.

The lawmakers would not say which agencies would be included in the bills.

But Henry says he'll veto those bills if they're just "repackaged" from the budget bill and he says legislative leaders should stop wasting time on what he calls an "exercise in futility."

Henry wants leaders in the House and Senate to negotiate with him and House Democrats on what should be included in the budget.

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OK Legislature

Posted at 6:04 AM |   

Oklahoma lawmakers are wrestling with an ethics rule change that could alter business as usual at the Capitol. The leaders of both the House and Senate and Gov. Brad Henry have not committed to the change so it’s unclear whether the measure will move forward this session. We think they should commit to the change.

The proposed change, promoted by Ethics Commission member Ken Elliott, prohibits political action committees from contributing to each other. Currently, one PAC can give another one up to $5,000 per election cycle.

Donors to one PAC may not always align with the purposes and politics of the PAC that ends up with their money. Transparency is also a problem as the public may not know the ultimate source of the funds. Read more...

Labels: Ethics Reforms, OK Legislature

Posted at 10:35 AM |   

From the Oklahoma Legislator's Blog:

By Rep. Jason Murphey

This week the legislature took action on two important measures both of which I have been privileged to co-sponsor. While the House of Representatives prepared to debate pro-life legislation (SB 719), a Senate committee was taking action on HB 1804, the immigration reform proposal.

SB 719 is a comprehensive approach to stopping the use of taxpayer funds for abortions and establishing more in-depth disclosure reporting requirements from Oklahoma's abortion industry. The bill became elevated in profile after two major Oklahoma medical groups came out in opposition to it. This unprecedented action seemed to give courage to opponents of the proposal and so debate on the floor of the House became vigorous.

Those opposed to the bill argued that by taking away the ability of people to use Medicaid for abortions, we are punishing the poor who can not afford it. Proponents debated in favor of the bill by stating that taxpayers should not be forced to provide for an action which is in such opposition to the deeply felt values held by many Oklahomans.

SB 719 passed the house by a margin of about 3-1. I appreciated the number of House District 31 residents who contacted me to encourage support for this bill. It was a privilege to represent your values on the issue. Read more...

RELATED: Oklahoma House Approves Bill Stopping Medicaid-Funded Abortions

Controversial Immigration Bill Closer To Becoming Law

Labels: OK Legislature, Rep. Jason Murphey

Posted at 10:57 AM |   

Expanding access to health insurance for Oklahoma’s children would have significant, far-reaching impacts that benefit all Oklahomans, according to a new issue brief released today by Community Action Project, a Tulsa-area anti-poverty agency that conducts policy analysis on issue affecting low- and moderate-income Oklahomans.

The issue brief cites research that shows that children with health insurance are more likely to receive early, preventive health care, are less likely to visit emergency rooms or be hospitalized, are less likely to be absent from school, and are more likely to perform better academically.

The brief was released in conjunction with a press conference at the State Capitol urging the Legislature to support SB 424, a bi-partisan measure that would extend eligibility for publicly-subsidized health insurance to children in families with income between 185% and 300% of the federal poverty level.

Currently in Oklahoma, about 130,000 children, or 15 per cent, have no health insurance, the 6th highest rate in the nation. The moderate-income households targeted by SB 424 are a "gap population" that often experience the greatest obstacles to obtaining coverage, earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to be offered or be able to afford family coverage through their employers.

Under the SCHIP program, the state would be eligible for an enhanced federal matching rate of $3.48 for every state dollar spent on health care costs for children between 185% and 300% of poverty.

Labels: CAP, OK Legislature

Posted at 10:05 AM |   

That "Republican outfit" Tulsa World is reporting today that Broken Arrow state Representative John Trebilcock has missed more than a fourth of the votes in the House so far this session. Trebilcock was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of driving under the influence and not using headlights.

The paper looked at legislative voting records (probably because of a tip from a Democratic colleague) that found the representative has missed 226 votes out of 786 cast in the House of Representatives. That translates into six missed days.

Rep. Trebilcock, a little unsolicited advice from the Oklahoma Political News Service. You've handled this terribly from the moment you refused a breathalyzer test because you had "kissed a girl who had been drinking." It's time for major damage control. Have a press conference SOON apologizing to your constituents, colleagues and friends; check yourself into rehab - even if you don't have a problem, and stop the bleeding.

UPDATE: Trebilcock Issues Apology

At 4:43 this afternoon on its website, the Tulsa World is reporting that Rep. Trebilcock has issued an apology for his "poor decision making." He goes on to say in the statement that "driving and alcohol don't mix" and that he is "prepared to accept the consequences, legal and otherwise, for my actions."

Not only does he take responsibility for his mistake but he thanks the police for their "professionalism."

"Unquestionably, I should not have put myself in a situation where such a determination should have had to be made. I take full responsibility for doing. I would like to express my appreciation to the officers on the scene for their professionalism and for the job that they do."

Labels: OK Legislature, Rep. John Trebilcock

Posted at 10:32 AM |   

Dear Governor Henry,


Thank you for your letter inviting us to discuss the Fiscal Year 2008 budget. Before such a meeting is scheduled, please provide us with a copy of your comprehensive, detailed alternative to the Legislature's bipartisan budget plan. We look forward to meeting with you once we have received your alternative proposal and compared it to the Legislature's bipartisan budget plan. The bipartisan budget in HB 1234 has been open to the public for two weeks. We presume your alternative plan will be similarly open and detailed.

The budget adopted by the Legislature through HB 1234 is a constitutionally-mandated balanced budget based on revised revenue estimates adopted by the Board of Equalization in February. Inasmuch as your Executive Budget was prepared using revenue estimates that are no longer valid, we would like to see your alternative plan reflecting the revised revenue estimates.

Sincerely,


Mike Morgan
Senate President Pro Tempore


Glenn Coffee
Senate Co-President Pro Tempore


Lance Cargill
Speaker of the House

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OK Legislature, Scott Meacham, Sen. Glenn Coffee, Sen. Mike Morgan, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 2:38 PM |   

By Andrew Spiropoulos

The problem with the conventional wisdom is that it is generally more conventional than wise. The story everyone is telling at the Capitol these days is that the Governor and the Senate Democrats are deeply at odds; the Senators were just delighted with the now aborted budget deal while the Governor was betrayed by them. He is now lashing out by vetoing their deal. Nice story, but what if it's not true? The last two years we often heard from the Governor and his minions as well as the Democrat Senate leadership and staff how angry they were at the other and how they would much rather deal with us, the Republicans. My suspicion-and operating assumption-was that this kind of talk was a pretense and that they were really working together to maneuver us into an unwinnable position.

I obviously don't know for sure whether they were playing it straight then and I know even less about what is going on now. But I do know this-the veto of the budget deal leaves the House and Senate Republicans in a very tough jam. They are going to be forced to negotiate the deal twice and thus satisfy, out of their hide, the hearty spending appetites of both the Governor and the Senate Democrats. Read more...

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OCPA, OK Legislature, Scott Meacham

Posted at 8:17 AM |   

TULSA, Okla.(AP) A state legislator who authored a drunken driving law is facing municipal complaints of driving under the influence and not using headlights.

Broken Arrow state Representative John Trebilcock was taken into custody about 2:30 A-M yesterday near Second Street and Greenwood Avenue.

A police officer alleged in his report that he noticed a strong smell associated with an alcoholic beverage, slurred speech and bloodshot eyes when he stopped Trebilcock.

The officer says the Republican lawmaker refused to take a breath analyzer test because he said he didn't trust the test's validity. Trebilcock paid a 570-dollar bond to get out of the Tulsa Jail about six hours later.

The officer says the lawmaker could stand on one leg and count aloud but couldn't watch the tip of a pen move without turning his head during a field sobriety test.

Trebilcock couldn't be reached for comment today.

He is author of a 2005 law that requires people who are convicted of a second D-U-I charge to install ignition interlocking alcohol-detection devices in their automobiles before they can get their driver's licenses back.

Labels: OK Legislature, Rep. John Trebilcock

Posted at 8:01 AM |   

Gov. Brad Henry has a beef with state legislators over their proposed budget, and his beef appears petty and misdirected.

Henry vetoed Wednesday $6.8 billion of the Legislature’s $6.9 billion general appropriations bill, calling its formation “flawed.” Henry has complained for the last few days that he did not have input into the bill, and that it’s too early in the session to come up with a spending budget.

Did the governor wake up this past week and suddenly discover that the Legislature has been meeting for two months? If the governor wanted to negotiate state spending, why didn’t he have his advisers meeting with legislators? And if they were shut out, why didn’t he say something sooner? Read more...

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature

Posted at 5:31 PM |   

Speaker Cargill mentioned at his weekly press conference this afternoon that the governor’s chief spokesman on matters of policy and finance, Scott Meacham, has said that they are in favor of 90 percent of the bipartisan budget that the governor vetoed yesterday. Meacham made his comments yesterday on the News9 Morning Show:


NEWS9 MORNING SHOW REPORTER DOUG WARNER: No one is suggesting this morning that the governor is waking up this morning shoving the budget in a paper shredder or anything, but uh, are there any parts that you guys have looked at that you actually like, and think, hey, this was a good move, this was a good decision?


STATE TREASURER SCOTT MEACHAM: “I think a lot of the budget is – probably 90 percent of it, maybe a little less than that – is okay.”

Insiders are scratching their heads and are asking: Why would the governor veto a budget deal, he's 90% in agreement with?

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OK Legislature, Scott Meacham, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 6:30 PM |   

"Divisiveness destroys success, and too much is at stake for us to surrender to the pitfalls of partisanship. There is no glory in gridlock, but the rewards of working together - of joining forces on behalf of our fellow Oklahomans - are truly without limit."

Gov. Brad Henry - 2007 State of the State Address

It seems Governor Henry's Democratic colleagues in the legislature heeded his words until he bribed them Monday with a $100,000 fundraiser. Henry today used his line-item veto to strike down $6.8 billion in new state spending, saying legislative leaders employed a "flawed, closed-door process to craft a flawed budget product that did not represent the best interests of Oklahoma taxpayers."

The governor is employing curious logic to say a bi-partisan budget agreement doesn't "represent the best interests of the people," especially in light of the current political climate where bi-partisanship is as rare as bull with udders! One would think 149 legislators would have some idea of what is in the best interest of the people. The governor's chutzpah continues:

“I do not use my veto authority lightly...I had no other choice but to strike down the spending bill.”

Rep. Trebor Worthen (R-Oklahoma City), asked House Democrats yesterday to sign pledge cards committing their votes to uphold the agreement.

"House Democrats have formed their own gridlock gang to keep this responsible state budget package from becoming law. They need to quit playing games and throwing temper tantrums and commit to uphold this agreement.

The majority of House Democrats voted for this measure when it originally passed the House last week. Then they stood behind the governor today at his press conference, as if to say that they're now against the agreement. The taxpayers of this state expect them to stand up for responsible government and not play partisan games."

On Tuesday, the governor distributed his own pledge cards to House Democrats in an effort to gauge support for his efforts. Worthen said that by voting for HB 1234 originally, only to later threaten to help the governor veto it later, House Democrats are being dishonest and appear to just want to have the limelight thrust their way.

"Instead of offering constructive criticisms and trying to help find solutions to budgetquestions, House Democrats are standing in the way of a responsible state budget, just because they don't feel like they had enough say in the process.

The worst part of it is, they are preventing state government from meeting the April 1 Fund Education First deadline. When we passed this budget bill last week, we met the deadline, but by vetoing this measure now, the governor and his gridlock gang of House Democrats are holding up funding for teachers and education."

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OK Legislature, Rep. Trebor Worthen

Posted at 8:38 AM |   

Gov. Brad Henry announced his first line-item veto of budget funding today, saying he will use his veto pen to strike down $1 million in supplemental funds earmarked for the Legislature’s Legislative Services Bureau. The governor said the appropriation duplicates the work of existing state authorities and contains no accountability measures to ensure it will be spent responsibly.

Henry said it is critical for the state to conduct regular performance reviews of state agencies such as DOC, but state law assigns that duty to the State Auditor and Inspector, the Oklahoma Legislature and the Office of State Finance. Paying a private consultant an additional $1 million to do the same work assigned to other state authorities would be duplicative and a waste of taxpayer money, according to the governor.

“We must hold agencies accountable for every dollar they spend so we can get the best bang for taxpayers’ bucks,” said Gov. Henry. “That’s why we fund a state auditor, a state finance office and legislative committees and staffs. That’s why we passed a zero-based budgeting law that charges the Legislature with doing an in-house, top-to-bottom financial review of every state agency on a regular basis.

“If they’ve complied with the zero-based budgeting statute and done their regular oversight duties, legislative leaders should already have the information and data they need to determine an appropriate course of action for corrections and any other agency.”

Gov. Henry noted that after he signed Oklahoma’s zero-based budgeting law in 2003, one of the first agencies audited by the Legislature’s zero-based budgeting committee was the Department of Corrections.

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OK Legislature

Posted at 4:46 PM |   

Republican leaders questioned today Gov. Brad Henry’s line-item veto of funding for an independent performance audit of the Department of Corrections – which the governor described as his “first” line-item veto of HB 1234, the bipartisan general appropriations bill overwhelmingly approved by the Legislature last week.

“What is the governor trying to hide with this veto? Is Gov. Henry afraid that an independent performance audit might uncover his mismanagement of a critical public safety agency? Independent performance audits at public school districts have proven very effective at improving efficiency and saving taxpayers’ money. We believe independent performance audits can have the same positive impact on the Department of Corrections and other state agencies,” stated Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

“Perhaps the governor is worried that a more efficient Department of Corrections would interfere with his plans to implement the early release program that he outlined in his State of the State Address?” queried Coffee.

“Today Gov. Henry has taken a stand against fiscal responsibility. We hope that he does not decide to take a stand against bipartisanship, too, with additional line-item vetoes the bipartisan general appropriations bill. If additional vetoes occur, the governor will poison the bipartisan atmosphere at the Legislature and will set the stage for a possible government shutdown,” stated Sen. Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher, the co-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Rep. Rex Duncan, the House leader on public safety, expressed his frustration and disappointment after Governor Henry tried to kill a plan to conduct a top-to-bottom audit and outside review to fix problems in Oklahoma's state prisons.

"After four years of failed policies to address our state prisons crisis, Governor Henry has shown the worst kind of arrogance today by killing attempts at reform. Governor Henry is apparently not interested in accountability to the taxpayers. The governor is now playing partisan gridlock games. What is the governor trying to hide by vetoing this plan?"

Duncan said the root of the state's prison crisis stems from the failure of the governor and his financial adviser Scott Meacham to budget appropriately for costs at the Department of Corrections over the past several years, consistently low-balling estimates for the DOC by millions of dollars each year. In each case, the Legislature appropriated millions more for state prisons than recommended by the executive branch, and then had to make supplemental appropriations on top of that year after year.

The independent outside audit was part of a historic bipartisan budget agreement passed by an overwhelming margin last week in the State Legislature. The DOC audit has been supported by legislative leaders in both parties, and would cost $1 million -- a mere fraction of the DOC's massive half-a-billion-dollar budget.

"This audit has the strong support of leaders in both parties. It's a solid effort to reform a broken system," said Duncan. "If this is the governor's first 'symbolic' line-item veto, he is sending a terrible message about business as usual at the State Capitol. The governor makes disingenuous claims that the state auditor or his finance office could perform this audit, but that undercuts his entire argument. His administration has failed to solve the problems in our prisons. Clearly we need some outside expertise, people who don't have a political agenda
like the governor does."

Duncan said he found it ironic the governor and Meacham apparently are working on hiring an outside consultant for the EDGE initiative, yet they don't see the value in hiring outside expertise to help resolve the state's prison crisis.

"We have a real problem in our state's prisons right now, and it's only been made worse by the failed policies of the governor. It's time to stop the harmful cycle of band-aid supplemental spending on our state's prisons, but apparently the governor is comfortable continuing to write blank checks into a broken system."

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature, Rep. Rex Duncan, Scott Meacham

Posted at 3:26 PM |   

From the Saxum Perspective:

"Taking control of the message is all-important when communicating (especially in a crisis)...

Governor Brad Henry (Democrat) feels slighted by Senate and House Democrats and Republicans leaving his office out of the budgeting process. This is an apparent cut at the Governor for negotiating with former Speaker Hiett (Republican) on last year’s budget while leaving others out of the process.

Perception: Governor Henry has sour grapes for being left out of this crucial budgeting situation. Message Control: Governor Henry should ‘thank’ legislators publicly and rip them privately. People love him and there is no reason to expend political capital publicly."

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature, Paull Sund

Posted at 11:10 AM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) State House Democrats, nearly invisible on Oklahoma's political landscape the past two years, are finding a reason to exist as Gov. Brad Henry gets ready for a budget showdown with legislative leaders over a state budget they wrote without Henry's input.

Democrats ruled the 101-member Oklahoma House for 80 years before they were toppled in elections in 2004 that brought Republicans to power. House Democrats have wallowed in political mediocrity ever since, excluded from budget talks they used to command and failing to find ways to make a difference as the chamber's minority party.

The Democratic governor's differences with the state budget and suggestions that he will veto much of it give House Democrats a chance to make themselves relevant again.

``We are excited that our voice may finally get to be heard,'' said House Democratic leader Danny Morgan of Prague. ``If the caucus works carefully with the governor on those issues that are important to our constituents, we can make a positive impact for Oklahoma.''

Henry has threatened to line-item veto parts of the $6.9 billion state budget that was passed unanimously in the Senate and by a wide margin in the House last week.

State Treasurer Scott Meacham, a personal friend and close political adviser to the governor, told The Associated Press there is a good chance Henry will veto all funding for the 2008 fiscal year that begins July 1, while authorizing supplemental spending for public schools and state prisons for the remainder of the current fiscal year.

Henry has until Wednesday to decide what to do. For his vetoes to be meaningful, they have to survive an override attempt. That's where House Democrats come in. Read more...

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OK Legislature, Rep. Danny Morgan, Scott Meacham, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 7:02 AM |   

"This budget agreement is a sincere attempt by both chambers to put the business of the state first. Both sides had to make compromises, but in the end, we all feel we have a strong framework in place for the operation of essential government services.

"The budget process is in no way complete - allocating nearly $7 billion in funding is a huge task - but with agreements in place on the largest expenditures and most pressing needs of the state, we now are in a good position to negotiate the remainder of the budget and also determine how agencies should use their funds.

"I am proud of the working relationships that House and Senate leaders have developed this year in light of the delicate power sharing situation that exits. A veto threatens the common ground that we have found and will put us all in the position where the session will be dominated by our budget differences. It is in everyone's best interests to avoid a giant confrontation over the budget, as developed last session.

"We can have a much more productive session with a broad budget agreement in place, from which we can make adjustments. We know that the Governor has not had an opportunity to examine the details of the bipartisan budget agreement. We are absolutely committed to working with the Governor once he has reviewed our proposal, and in discussing any issues or concerns.

"I would personally hope that he accepts this offer and approves the agreement so we can continue to move forward on the budget and not return to square one."

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 5:17 PM |   

Time Magazine had in its cover this week, a picture of Ronald Reagan with a tear streaming down his cheek. The message: The apparent end of the conservative movement. That is why it is truly historic to have a budget agreement so early in the legislative session. This is also a watershed moment in terms of conservative goals.

The budget agreement accomplishes three major conservative goals; the acceleration of tax relief to get the income tax rate down; the practical elimination of the franchise tax on small businesses (a nuisance tax that Governor Keating fought to remove his entire eight years in office) and the passage of a childcare tax credit for stay at home parents (something House Republicans have fought to pass the past two years only to see it die in the Senate previously).

The budget deal also includes a top-to-bottom outside audit of the Department of Corrections (again something the House GOP tried to pass the past two years; Henry vetoed it previously).

The budget deal will also expand the Academic Achievement Award performance pay plan for the best performing teachers. The AAA program was first passed by the House GOP in 2005; $2 million will be added to this cash bonus plan.

The overall budget is truly fiscally-restrained with no new employees, programs or debt: more than half the state agencies included in the general appropriations portion of the agreement will receive a less than one percent increase, and other agencies will receive less than two percent increases. Only vital state services – such as education, public safety and transportation – will receive a more than two percent increase.

It certainly is a conservative budget in stark contrast to the $1 billion in new spending and debt that the governor proposed in his executive budget at the beginning of the legislative session.

Not surprisingly the governor’s office has lashed out against the budget deal – because it is a conservative budget. Inexplicably, they’ve even attacked the idea of having an outside audit of the Department of Corrections.

The mechanics of this are now clear: the governor seems to have backed himself into a corner with veto threats (reminiscent of Clinton insisting he was “relevant” after the ’94 elections). But 90 percent of the Legislature has now passed the budget deal – with a clear majority in the House and a unanimous vote in the Senate (both suggesting likely veto proof majorities).

The question is: Did we see in just one week, Governor Henry melt into lame duck status, only two months into his second term of office? Most capitol observers say they can’t imagine how Henry could have handled this worse, and the scuttlebutt is that Meacham really got Henry into a box on this.

It was also astounding to see 16 House Democrats vote against the package which included the very education funding they’d been railing about for three weeks! The worst example of this hypocrisy was probably Rep. Jerry McPeak who spent weeks spouting theatrical red-faced speeches and holding staged press conferences on education funding. Then he turned around and voted against that funding yesterday – which included more in supplemental funding than he’d been saying the schools needed!

Labels: Brad Henry, OK Legislature

Posted at 10:20 AM |   

In a press release today, Tulsa based Community Action Project proposed raising taxes in Oklahoma's slowing economy. Click here for the issue brief titled: “Cutting Deep: New Projections of Sluggish Revenue Growth Suggest that Tax Cut Impact May Be Felt More Deeply and Quickly than Anticipated”

Full text of release:

Tulsa, OK: New Oklahoma budget projections show that tax cuts enacted in recent years are having a more immediate and dramatic impact on the state’s fiscal outlook than initially expected, according to a budget brief released today by Community Action Project, a Tulsa-area anti-poverty agency.

“We are now seeing that the tax cuts are running headlong into our ability to invest in the priorities needed to support Oklahoma families, businesses and communities,” said David Blatt, CAP’s Director of Public Policy and the brief’s author. “The trade-off for pushing ahead with further tax cuts may be felt directly by those who attend public schools and colleges, run a business that depends on a skilled workforce and functioning infrastructure, or need help with health care and social services.”

The new budget projections, certified in February by the State Equalization Board, see general revenue collections growing by just 1.5% during the current fiscal year and by a paltry 1.0% next year. This is well below the 25-year average of 5.4% annual growth in general revenue, and would mark the first time revenues have grown by less than 2% in a non-recessionary year.

“This study provides a wake-up call for what happens when the state slashes its tax base during an oil boom,” noted Alexander Holmes, OU Regents Professor of Economics and the former State Finance Director under Governor Henry Bellman. “We’ve been down this same road before, but it appears that we failed to learn the lesson that tax cuts in good times can have painful consequences in bad times”.

The issue brief shows that sluggish revenue collections are a direct result of the tax cuts passed over the past three legislative sessions. Tax cuts are estimated to have a revenue impact of over $560 million for the upcoming budget year. The vast majority of the tax cuts affected state personal income tax collections, which are projected to decline by 9% between state fiscal year 2006 and 2008.

These projected stagnant revenues come at a time when the state is already struggling to deal with billions of dollars in unfunded liabilities in the state teachers’ retirement system, as well as upholding commitments to raise teachers’ salaries, expand access to higher education, repair roads and bridges, and bolster the health care system.

“If revenues come in as projected by the State Board of Equalization in February, the state will be extremely hard-pressed to meet its funding obligations, especially since additional rounds of tax cuts are currently scheduled to take effect over the next three years”, said Blatt. “Given what we are now learning about the bleak budget picture ahead, legislators should take the opportunity to consider calling a time out.”

The brief also points to a serious flaw in the budget process itself, which fails to provide lawmakers with any long-term baseline budget forecast that could give them a framework for their decisions. Reforming the budget process to provide additional and more accurate forecasting could help lawmakers make more fiscally responsible and sustainable decisions.

“This report is an excellent addition to a small but important set of recent analyses warning of future difficulties for state government finance in Oklahoma,” commented Dr. Larkin Warner, OSU Regents Professor Emeritus of Economics. “The Governor and the Legislature owe it to the state's citizens to prepare long term projections of state revenues and demands for state services.”

Labels: Budget, CAP, OK Legislature

Posted at 7:39 AM |   

From our Oklahoma Legislators' Blog:

Last week was the deadline for any Senate bill to be considered and passed by a Senate committee.

The power-sharing agreement brokered between Democrats and Republicans – a result of the historic 24-24 tie in the Senate – has already caused one of its expected results. Fewer bills were approved by Senate committees than at any time in recent memory.

The only bills that survived are those that have bipartisan support, and many did. The parties have worked together remarkably well.

That is not to say that partisanship did not rear its head in the past three weeks. A number of bills were killed on straight, party-line votes. Each committee is made up of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans and a tie vote kills a bill.

Sometimes, there was good debate illustrating an honest disagreement between the two parties. Other times, it was pure partisanship that killed a bill.

Most troubling were those times when one party locked up against a bill without so much as an explanation. If either one of the parties is going to “lock up” to block vote against a bill, those members owe it to the people of Oklahoma and their colleagues to explain why a bill deserves to fail.

A bill I proposed, one that was suggested to me by one of my constituents, suffered just such a fate. Senate Bill 11 would have ensured that women covered by small group health insurance policies are treated fairly under Oklahoma law. Read more...

Labels: OK Legislature, Sen. Gumm

Posted at 12:29 PM |   

Speaker Cargill & House Democrat Leader Morgan join senate leaders to craft bi-partisan agreement

As a House committee on Monday advanced an ethics reform proposal, House and Senate leaders signed on a co-authors to House Bill 2110 in an effort to craft a final bipartisan plan.

House Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah) and House Democrat Leader Danny Morgan (D-Prague) said the bill is a work in progress that will change as bipartisan discussions continue.

"I'm absolutely committed to ensuring that Oklahomans have an honest and open government, and I believe we can achieve that goal within a positive bipartisan framework," said Cargill (R-Harrah). "Over the next few weeks, we'll be working with leaders from both parties in the House and Senate to craft a strong ethics reform package that will make the State Capitol more open and accessible than ever before."

Speaker Cargill and House Democrat Leader Morgan said they were joining with the Legislature's other top leaders -- including Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan (D-Stillwater) and Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee (R-Oklahoma City) -- to develop a bipartisan ethics reform agreement. HB 2110 passed the House Rules Committee on Monday. The measure contains a number of provisions aimed at strengthening current state ethics law.

"The prospects for a strong bipartisan agreement on ethics reform thissession are excellent," said Leader Morgan. "I am encouraged by the bipartisan spirit on this issue. The leadership of the Legislature must work together to ensure that our government is accountable to the people of Oklahoma. This is an important first step in the process to move forward to make government more user-friendly to citizens."

Labels: Ethics Reforms, OK Legislature, Rep. Danny Morgan, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8:50 AM |   

Senate Co-Floor Leader Charlie Laster announced Wednesday that he has been selected the designee of the Senate Democratic Caucus to become the next President Pro Tem of the Oklahoma State Senate.

Laster, D-Shawnee, said he secured the support of a majority of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate Tuesday. Laster will succeed Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, when the current Senate leader leaves office in November 2008.

“I am honored and humbled by the confidence Senate Democrats have shown in me,” Laster said. “These are the most talented and dedicated men and women with whom I’ve ever had the chance to serve and I am looking forward to working with them to return the Senate to Democratic control in 2009.”
Following the November 2006 elections, membership in the Senate is tied with 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans. Under an agreement announced in December, the two parties are sharing power in the 51st Oklahoma Legislature.

Laster said he will be working closely with Senator Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, to form a strong team to lead the Democratic Caucus in the future. Adelson will continue his work in leadership in the appropriations process. Adelson is currently co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Health and Social Services and co-vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

Laster was elected to the Senate in a special election in January 2003. He served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during the 50th Oklahoma Legislature in 2004-2005. Morgan, D-Stillwater, selected Laster to serve as Democratic floor leader earlier this year.

Labels: OK Legislature, Sen. Charlie Laster

Posted at 10:43 AM |   

From Okiefunk:

The state GOP, despite its majority in the Oklahoma House and rising fortunes in the Senate, continues to misfire by supporting needless ideological legislation and engaging in petty, sometimes secret, bipartisan politics.

The questions are these: Where are the big plans from Republicans to help move the state forward and help its residents? Where is all the promised reform of good ol’ boy politics, the actions of what its mouthpiece, The Daily Oklahoman, always refers to as the “usual suspects? Has the conservative juggernaut here lost its mojo?

Here’s what sticks out about the GOP in the 2007 legislature so far. Read more...

Labels: OK Legislature, OKGOP

Posted at 9:11 AM |   

Dear Governor Henry,

In light of your public frustrations over losing a bill that was part of your agenda, I wanted to take the time to send you a copy of a recent article I wrote. I hope it will be a framework for constructive dialog and a productive, successful session. You see, I don’t define “bipartisanship” as just agreeing to see everything your way and voting for a measure because you think it is the right thing to do. I don’t believe bipartisanship is compromise, as some people would suggest, especially if it means compromising my own principles just to get agreement. I do believe bipartisanship means to collaborate (to work jointly with others in an intellectual endeavor). I feel like you and I began such an effort when you invited me to your office to get my assistance on this measure and two others that had been sent to the Rules Committee. In an effort to work in good faith, I agreed to reassign one of those bills to another committee. Senator Morgan reassigned the other two. Two of the three measures made it out of committee with bipartisan support and are headed to the floor for consideration by the full Senate.

I certainly understand your frustration. When you served as a member of the majority in the Senate, those of us in the minority watched most of Governor Keating’s agenda items die in committee. In fact, every one of us in the minority had to live with our own bills being killed in your committee and others. I learned as a member of the minority that you have to let those things go. It taught me to not take it personally, but rather to work to get the issue done in other ways – often in a Democrat authored bill. As a regular victim of your veto pen, I have had to relearn this lesson many times. This taught me not to worry about getting the credit, but rather to focus on the policy over politics.

I didn’t see Governor Keating complain when you and members of your party killed his agenda items. Instead, he worked hard to find common ground, as he would walk up to the fourth floor to meet with legislators to reach a solution together. As I pledged to you when we met recently in your office, I am committed to just such a process.

Senator Morgan and I have worked hard to keep an atmosphere of civility in these first three weeks as we deal with a most unusual and delicate situation in the Senate. So far it has worked very well. We have encouraged our members to avoid unnecessary partisan rhetoric and to try to make our power-sharing agreement work. The Senate works differently under these circumstances. You have repeatedly and publicly criticized some of the new procedures we have implemented, such as placing bills that can’t get bipartisan agreement in the Rules Committee and the calling of committee caucuses to avoid rash decisions that could lead to conflict if members have questions about the new procedures. I hope you will begin to understand that even though you haven’t heard of these measures being done in the past, they were developed in a bipartisan manner to get the work of the people done. Senator Morgan and I both recognized the difficulty of this task and that it would likely result in fewer bills becoming law. That is why we are trying to focus on the things we can agree on and not the issues that will divide us. I hope you will join us in this process.



Sincerely,



Glenn Coffee, Co-President Pro Tempore

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, OK Legislature, Sen. Glenn Coffee

Posted at 2:55 PM |   

Oklahoma House Speaker Pro Tempore Gus Blackwell (R-Goodwell) issued the following statement Thursday regarding actions on the House floor by Rep. "Lucky" Lamons (D-Tulsa) during the debate on House Bill 2100. Lamons tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to merge the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics with the Department of Public Safety.

"Like any lawmaker from either party, Representative Lamons is required to follow the rules of floor debate. It's against the rules to debate something that isn't under consideration. Representative Lamons was warned three times that he was violating the rules, but he ignored the warnings every time.

"Representative Lamons has a history of flaunting the rules. He apparently thinks the rules don't apply to him, unlike the other 100 members of the House. This is just another example of Representative Lamons disrupting regular order when he is unable to manipulate the process to his advantage.

"Representative Lamons tried to amend the bill twice. Both his amendments failed. In fact, for the last 20 years, this amendment has failed consistently, both under Democrat and Republican leadership. Instead of abiding by the wishes of the majority, he continued to try and promote his own amendment in debate. But the rules require he debate the bill before the members. It's my job to uphold the rules of the House."

HB 2100 would create a commission to "identify and eliminate waste, duplication, and inefficiency in state agencies." The powerful ten member commission would consist of four members of the House; four members of the Senate; one person from the private sector appointed by the Governor; and one person from the private sector appointed by the Lieutenant Governor.

The members will be charged with reviewing the policies and procedures of all state agencies once every twelve years. They'll seek public input through hearings and will make recommendations on each agency to the full Legislature. The commission will have the power to abolish agencies if the legislature doesn't vote to continue them.

Labels: OK Legislature, Rep. Blackwell, Rep."Lucky" Lamons, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 1:40 PM |   

Oklahoma Criminal Court of Appeals judges, Charles Chapel, Charles Johnson and David Lewis may have violated their Oath of Office when ruling on Fears v. State, Case No. F-2004-1279, January 26, 2007. United Victims group seeks support from the Oklahoma Legislature to launch an impeachment investigation.

Sallisaw, OK (PRWEB) February 15, 2007 -- Daniel Hawke Fears was convicted in September 23, 2004 for the killing of two women, Patsy Wells and Reba Spangler and shooting several others during a shooting spree covering 20 miles of U.S. 64 from Sallisaw to Roland Oklahoma. A Sequoyah County jury convicted Fears to two terms of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole; nine terms of life imprisonment; and 120 years.

On July 7, 2006, by unpublished Opinion the Court reversed and remanded the case to the District Court of Sequoyah County for entry of a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Attorney General, Drew Edmondson filed a Petition for Rehearing on July 19, 2006. The Oklahoma Criminal Court of Appeals issued an order staying the mandate on July 20, 2006. On January 26, 2007 the Court denied the Petition for Rehearing and ordered Fears to a mental facility in Vinita, Oklahoma. The jury in this case was denied its decision and essentially ruled incompetent.

United Victims group is asking the Legislature to investigate possible Constitutional violations in the appeal of Fears v. State. under Article 8, Section 1 & 4 of the Constitution of Oklahoma. Court members may have violated their oath, consciously disregarded state law and incorrectly cited the "Oklahoma Truth in Sentencing Act" as law that was repealed July 1, 1999 without ever taking effect. See 1998 Okla. Sess. Laws, 1st Ex.Sess., ch. 2 § 23 (eff. July 1, 1999) and, 1999 Okla. Sess. Laws, 1st Ex. Sess., ch. 5 § 452 (eff. July 1, 1999) Read more...

Labels: Crime, Daniel Hawke Fears, OK Legislature

Posted at 7:35 AM |   

Republican leaders of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate said the Legislature must proceed very cautiously on the FY 2008 budget following Thursday’s recommendation by the Oklahoma Tax Commission that tax revenue estimates be significantly reduced compared to estimates made last December.

Tax commissioners officially reduced their estimates for tax collections for the 2008 fiscal year by more than $250 million. Commissioners also sent a letter to the Office of State Finance advising that corporate income tax collections should also be reduced by about $100 million compared to the previous estimate, for a total reduction of more than $350 million.

“This news validates our concerns that the governor was being rash with his spending proposals and that his budget was based on very rosy revenue projections,” stated Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. “The Legislature must proceed very cautiously. We should treat the Tax Commission’s warning about reduced tax collections very seriously – especially the news that corporate income tax collections are also likely to be far less than officially projected.”

Speaker of the House Lance Cargill, R-Harrah, said, “This is exactly why we’ve emphasized fiscal responsibility this year and why we have already laid the groundwork for cutting and eliminating needless government bureaucracy. We call on the governor to reconsider his bloated budget and scrap the billion dollars in new spending and debt that he has proposed. We’ve seen a wide fluctuation in revenue estimates so far. When the Democrats were in control several years ago and there were shortfalls, their answer was to raise the income tax. That won’t happen on our watch.”

Related: Governor Pushes More than $1 Billion in New Spending & Debt

Labels: Budget, OK Legislature, Sen. Glenn Coffee, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 7:10 AM |   

A bill that would put a larger protective barrier around grieving families of war casualties received a unanimous vote today in a Senate committee.

Senate Bill 756 would increase the distance protesters at funerals must be from ceremonies and cemeteries; the measure also would triple the time before and after the ceremony when protests would be allowed. The measure was approved without opposition by the Senate Judiciary Committee and next will be considered by the full Senate.

The bill, by Senator Jay Paul Gumm, would strengthen a law already on the books banning protesters at the funerals of those soldiers killed in the line of duty. The original law was enacted as a response to a radical fringe group from Topeka, Kan. that travels the country protesting military funerals.

The group’s protest at the funeral of a fallen soldier in Gumm’s district, and the public outcry over that protest, led Gumm to introduce the bill.

“My constituents were outraged that this group would invade the privacy of this soldier’s family,” the lawmakers said. “It is time for us to ‘push the envelope’ on restrictions on this group, and anyone who would intrude during the hardest time in a family’s life.”

Gumm’s bill would increase the time period from one to three hours before and after a funeral when a protest could occur. The bill also would increase the buffer zone between protesters and funerals from 500 feet to 1,000 feet.

“I am deeply grateful to the Judiciary Committee for their overwhelming support and look forward to consideration by the full Senate,” Gumm concluded. “This bill will send the message to the entire nation that here in Oklahoma we respect our soldiers, their families and their tremendous sacrifice.”

Labels: OK Legislature, Sen. Gumm

Posted at 1:51 PM |