OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 31, 2007) – In the 2007 legislative session, several key pieces of legislation by Speaker Lance Cargill were passed into law, including measures to benefit working families, place greater fiscal restraints on government, and reduce inmate recidivism rates. Several of those new laws will take effect Thursday.

“Our overarching goal this year was to pass laws that ease the burden on families, that decrease the size of the state government bureaucracy, and that apply more common sense to our state’s laws,” said Cargill, R-Harrah. “We did that through a variety of measures, some that I authored, and many more that were authored and introduced by other fiscally prudent lawmakers.”

Laws authored by Cargill in 2007 that take effect Thursday include House Bill 2101, the Transformational Justice Act, which encourages state prisons to partner with faith-based, community and voluntary organizations to help inmates rejoin society and reduce the rate of repeat offenders.

“In Oklahoma, we’re fortunate to have voluntary, faith-based groups that understand how to help inmates become constructive members of society,” Cargill said. “Many times, prison is a place where inmates learn to become better criminals. But faith has a transformative power in people’s lives, including those who need the most help. These faith-based groups provide a service that no government program can, by helping inmates find the connections and develop the life skills they need.”

Also taking effect Thursday is House Bill 2103, which provides full-time enrolling freshmen the option of “locking in” one fixed rate of tuition at state colleges and universities through completion of their degree program. Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, HB 2103 will require all public higher education institutions in Oklahoma to offer in-state students an option to participate in a guaranteed tuition rate plan.

HB 2103 also includes key provisions to help keep the growing cost of textbooks down. The measure cracks down on practices such as "edition churn" or textbook "bundles" that hike the cost of materials.

House Bill 2111 eliminates a number of smaller states agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs), 18 in all, that have been inactive for years or duplicate other state entities.

House Bill 2104 requires the Oklahoma Historical Society to designate one day per week as a free admission day for all children age 17 or younger to state museums and historical sites.

All four measures – House Bills 2101, 2103, 2111 and 2104 – passed the Legislature earlier this year with broad support from both sides of the aisle.

Labels: OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 6:33 AM |   

By Robert Barron Staff Writer


Read More

Labels: Mike Jackson, Rep. Rob Johnson, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 9:50 AM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 16, 2007) – Oklahoma House Republican caucus members Tuesday elected Lance Cargill as Speaker-designate for the 2009-10 session, giving Cargill a second term in the House’s top post.

“I’m grateful to my fellow caucus members for their support, and I thank them for this vote of confidence as we move forward with important conservative reforms,” said Cargill, R-Harrah, who currently serves as Speaker. “I also want to say how much I respect Representative John Wright. He's a valuable member, and as a unified caucus we're poised for real progress this coming year. I see tremendous opportunities in the areas of state fiscal accountability, state government modernization, and performance pay for teachers.”

Rep. John Wright, R-Broken Arrow, joined Cargill as a candidate in seeking the Speaker-designate position.

"I congratulate Speaker Cargill on his election by the caucus to continue to serve the House of Representatives as Speaker, and I dedicate to working with him to continue to advance good policies for the state of Oklahoma," said Wright, who serves as chairman of the caucus.

Cargill’s first term as Speaker will end after the upcoming 2008 session. The Harrah native has served in the House since 2000, representing large portions of eastern Oklahoma County. Provided Republicans retain their majority in the House in the 2008 election cycle, Tuesday’s caucus vote means that Cargill will serve as Speaker for another two years in 2009 and 2010.

“Today’s vote is a victory for the entire caucus, and puts us in a strong, unified position,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Gus Blackwell, R-Goodwell. “By maintaining our current Speaker, we’re giving the House Republican majority the ability to press for needed conservative reforms in the upcoming session and beyond.”

House Majority Leader Greg Piatt, R-Ardmore, also praised Tuesday’s vote saying, “By designating Lance Cargill for a second term as Speaker, the House Republican majority is well-prepared for the upcoming legislative session, and we have real momentum.”

Labels: OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 11:36 AM |   

As House GOP members meet in Ardmore today in the midst of a campaign finance scandal, only two reporters are covering the event. Embattled House Speaker Lance Cargill is seeking to add two more years to his current term, but only News9’s Stacey Cameron and the Gazette’s Scott Cooper are actually in Ardmore to report on the top political news story of the year.

As always, while the vast majority of the press ignores this monumental story, we will do all we are able to bring you updates as we receive them.


UPDATE: Channel 9 Story Disappears from their website minutes after we posted it this morning.

UPDATE(x2) Video Back Up!

Labels: investigations, OK Media, OKPNS, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 11:35 AM |   

Labels: investigations, OK House, Rep. John Wright, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 6:29 AM |   

Sources are alerting the Oklahoma Political News Service that Rep. John Wright, will challenge Rep. Lance Cargill for Speaker-Designate in a vote at the upcoming caucus retreat. Sources are also telling us that Rep. David Dank drafted a letter today asking caucus members "to stave off the vote for Speaker of the House." We're told these two events were not coordinated by the two legislators.

As we exclusively reported last week, reliable sources say Speaker Cargill is adamantly against postponing the vote for Speaker designate. An anonymous member says Cargill has been asked to postpone the vote multiple times and everytime "Cargill throws a fit." OKPNS will continue to investigate.

Related:

Tulsa World: BA lawmaker seeks to unseat House speaker (10/10/2007 10:06 PM)

AP: Broken Arrow legislator wants speaker job (10/11/ 2007 1:05 AM ET)

Labels: investigations, Rep. John Wright, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 4:40 PM |   

Today, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m in Room 432A, 4th floor, Speaker Lance Cargill and the House Education Committee will hold the last of five hearings to study teacher performance pay, with the goal of developing a performance pay plan to be presented to the Legislature in February. The following is a list of the guest presenters for the hearing:

Steve Kimball, Researcher, Consortium for Policy Research in Education, Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jason Colbertson, Teacher Advancement Program (TAP); program director, South Carolina Department of Education

Matthew Springer, Research Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Education & Director of the National Center on Performance Incentives, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University

Shannon Richardson – Parent from Oklahoma City

Mary Boren – Parent from Norman

Parent from KIPP college preparatory school in Oklahoma City

Rep. Earl Sears; former principal (24 years), Central Middle School, Bartlesville

Related:

Stateline.org: States venture into teacher performance pay

Labels: OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 6:25 AM |   

While we certainly welcome Speaker Cargill's "Weekend Football Predictions," blog post, we'd like to make a prediction of our own: visitors will quickly figure out he isn't sure what football looks like once they see the foosball picture he included with his post...

Labels: Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 1:28 PM |   

Demookie.com claims they have corrected the altered tape and it reveals the Channel 9 mystery man.

Labels: investigations, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 2:37 PM |   

I am sure you saw the story last night on News 9, I thought you may be interested to know News 9 omitted my statement and never mentioned Judge Hladik's statement which would have specifically undermined Jeff Davis' credibility, since he recommended me to work for Judge Hladik. They have insulted my professionalism and omitted significant facts that would have challenged their story line. My statement is as follows:

"Lance Cargill is among numerous clients of mine including State Rep. Doug Cox , State District Judge Dennis Hladik, State Senator Anthony Sykes, State Rep. Randy Terrill and others for whom I’ve provided fundraising consultation. Concerning Jeff Davis, I was introduced to him and recommended to him by State Rep. Guy Liebmann, another client of mine. Unfortunately, Davis is now a disgruntled former client of mine who fired me and hired Kyle Loveless, a known political enemy of Speaker Cargill’s. I know that if you contact many of my other fundraising clients, they will assure you that I provide quality fundraising services. I would hope that any responsible news media outlet would include these positive statements about my work in any story.”
Jessica Caswell

See Judge Dennis Hladik's response as well:

Jessica Caswell has asked me to provide you with a reference.

I met Ms. Caswell last year at the beginning of my election campaign for the position of District Judge for the 4th Judicial District. I learned of Ms. Caswell through Jeff Davis. Mr. Davis was a candidate for office and sending my mother a number of mailers which appeared to be effective and professionally prepared. Upon calling Mr. Davis, he referred me to Ms. Caswell.

After checking her references, I hired Ms. Caswell to be my campaign manager. She organized my volunteers, prepared all of our mailers, produced our radio and TV ads, and made all of the ad buys. Ms. Caswell acted professionally throughout my campaign, and my wife and I were very pleased with her services. I would not hesitate to hire her again if the need arises.

If you need additional information, feel free to contact me.

Dennis Hladik
District Judge
Garfield County Courthouse
WK 580-237-0245
Cell 580-541-3154
Home 580-237-3195


I am also aware that three lawmakers, Former Rep. Thad Balkman, Rep. Doug Cox, and Rep. Guy Liebmann also released positive statements about work I had done for them that News 9 never bothered to mention either.

Jessica Caswell

Labels: investigations, Jessica Caswell, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 7:37 PM |   

Labels: investigations, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 9:11 AM |   

Inside sources have confirmed to OKPNS, that various Republican state representatives have called on Speaker Lance Cargill to postpone the upcoming October 16th GOP Caucus election to determine the Speaker-designate for the 2009/2010 session. The embattled Cargill is seeking to become the State’s first Republican two-term Speaker of the House. The House Republicans will be meeting that weekend for an annual retreat to lay out legislative plans for the upcoming session, but the pressure fundraising controversy has put many House GOP members in a tight spot.

Cargill has reportedly denied the members’ request to postpone the election date. Cargill remains the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for mishandling campaign funds in past election cycles, and many members privately are hoping the Speaker election date can be put off until more is known about the emerging controversy.

Insiders say the Speaker has been irate with members close to him who have suggested such a postponement. "The pressure is building, and with more bad press on the way, it appears that he's beginning to take out his frustrations on those who are seeking to help," says one familiar with the process.

Labels: investigations, OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8:13 AM |   

You can hear it all...Thru the GRAPEVINE! blog:

To: Blaise Labbe, News Director, Channel 9 TV - OKC

I am appalled at your channel's handling of the Oklahoma Republican House Victory campaign story. I am not a journalist, but it's common knowledge to everyone that you must cite your sources in order to have any credibility. And certainly where there is an ongoing Ethics Commission investigation, you all are being grossly unfair to Lance Cargill by only naming him when you know that as a respondent, he cannot break the confidentiality that is in
place with this or any ethics matter!

How in the world can you claim to be any kind of credible media organization when you continue to cite, "unnamed sources" and conceal the identity of the person you interview? You are acting more like a partisan blog than a TV news station! Read more...

Labels: investigations, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 11:07 AM |   

Related:

AP: Young speaker embroiled in ethics controversy again

Fair And Biased: WILL THE MYSTERY MAN PLEASE ID HIMSELF?

NewsOk.com: Fundraising probe ‘witch-hunt,' ex-official says

Labels: investigations, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 7:29 AM |   

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 |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (Monday, Sept. 24, 2007) House Speaker Lance Cargill issued a statement Monday following an announcement by state Rep. David Dank on ethics legislation:

"I commend Representative Dank for coming forward with this proposal for ethics reform. For far too long in our state’s history,there have been too many problems with ethics in state government, from the Supreme Court to the Legislature to the governor's office. That’s why I was proud to author last year’s House Bill 2101, which has been described by many, including officials at the state Ethics Commission, as the most sweeping and comprehensive legislative ethics reform in years. House Bill 2102, among other things, banned contributions at the Capitol and honoraria payments to legislators. Obviously, anything we do must be constitutional, but we certainly support tough rules. I look forward to reviewing the details of Representative Dank's proposal."

Labels: Ethics Reforms, Rep. David Dank, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 2:45 PM |   

Tulsa World:

Labels: investigations, Spkr. Cargill, Todd Hiett

Posted at 3:00 PM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 18, 2007) -- Performance pay plans are already in place and working in Oklahoma colleges and CareerTech schools, according to testimony from officials at a Tuesday hearing at the state Capitol.

Tuesday's hearing was the third in a series of House Education Committee meetings to study performance pay for Oklahoma's teachers. The hearings come just as performance pay gains momentum nationwide. A story on the front page of Tuesday's Washington Post pointed out that performance pay has widespread support among parents across the country.

"Clearly, performance pay works. As we heard today, it's already working in some colleges and universities, and at Career Tech schools," said Oklahoma Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah). "Performance pay promotes teacher growth and confidence, creates a climate of continuous improvement and increases student achievement. If it's working for CareerTech and at colleges, then it can work in common education too."

"The bottom line of our efforts is that good teachers deserve to be rewarded for their work," said state Rep. Tad Jones, R-Claremore, who has chaired the series of hearings. "I think we're beginning to see that a performance pay system is a realistic and necessary reform for our public schools in Oklahoma."

Lawmakers heard from several CareerTech officials who shared information about performance pay systems already in place within that system.

Lindel Fields, deputy superintendent of the Tri-County Technological Center in Bartlesville, said a performance pay plan there recognizes star performers, boosts confidence among instructors and focuses on student success.

"Teachers are proud to be rewarded for their individual performance. They want to be recognized," said Field. "When you reward them individually they stand a little bit taller, they are a little prouder. There's no reason education can't reward excellence the same as the business world does."

James Machell, dean of the University of Central Oklahoma's College of Education, testified that five of Oklahoma's regional colleges and universities have some form of performance pay.

"It has worked," said Machell. "Teachers know who the bad teachers are, and they don't want them receiving the same pay. I think the keys are multiple measurements of performance, and stakeholder involvement."

Cargill said he was also encouraged by testimony from education experts that performance pay plans work when they use a variety of factors to measure teacher success.

"This was more validation for the kind of performance pay plan we seek, a model that rewards excellent teachers based on a mix of factors," said Cargill. "We're seeing a consensus emerge that performance pay works when it is done the right way."

Two experts from the North Carolina Center for Teacher Quality testified about their research into the do's and don'ts of performance pay.

"Not all teachers are going to excel in every dimension, but if teachers have access to a variety of avenues to show achievement then you're really going to promote excellence," said Anthony Cody, a teacher from California, who co-authored a report from the Center called "Teacher Solutions."

"We know the current pay system in Oklahoma has remained essentially the same for most of our state's history, and it's doing nothing to boost teacher success and student achievement," said Cargill. "It's time to move forward with a substantial performance pay reform."

In the series of hearings that began in August, lawmakers have heard from experts that studied performance pay plans demonstrating results -- as well as from teachers who support performance pay. Last week, Professional Oklahoma Educators officials shared a survey of members that showed strong support for performance pay. Nearly 70 percent of the teachers who responded to the survey prefer some form of performance pay system, said Ginger Tinney, POE Executive Director.

The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25.

Labels: Ginger Tinney, POE, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 5:59 AM |   

Labels: 100 Ideas Initiative, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 6:34 PM |   

Support Teachers

Merit pay a positive system for Oklahoma

Labels: Merit Pay, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 7:11 AM |   

Labels: Ginger Tinney, POE, Randi Kirchner, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8:10 AM |   

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 |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 10, 2007) – House Speaker Lance Cargill unveiled his new blog Friday, saying he hoped it would provide Oklahomans with candid commentary on state government and regular updates on reforms brought by conservative state lawmakers.

Anyone with Internet access can read the blog for free at www.okspeaker.blogspot.com.

“My goal with this project is to give Oklahomans a fresh viewpoint on what’s going on at their state Capitol,” said Cargill, R-Harrah. “A good blog can provide people with alternative viewpoints on topics they’re interested in, and that’s what I hope to do here.”

A blog, also known as a “web log,” is essentially an online journal that an individual can use to share news and commentary on any range of topics. As online journalism continues to grow, blogs are becoming an increasingly valuable source of information.

Cargill said he plans to post entries to the blog at least two or three times a week, and invited Oklahomans to subscribe to the blog to stay in touch with new developments from the Capitol.

The Speaker also said he has already made several posts to his blog on topics including performance pay for teachers, new economic development for Oklahoma through European partnerships, and the currently ongoing performance review of Oklahoma’s Department of Corrections

Labels: Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 11:30 AM |   

Videographer John Angier II of Okie Campaigns, provides us video highlights of Speaker Cargill's press briefing held at the Capitol last Friday. Cargill praised the 2007 legislative session's accomplishments of passing a fiscally conservative budget, tax relief, and immigration reform.

Labels: OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 6:49 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 |   

Video also includes clips from national broadcasts on passage of HB 1804

Labels: Immigration Reform, Rep. Randy Terrill, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8:28 AM |   

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 |   

The Heartland Voices, a community choir from the Midwest City-Del City area, performs in the rotunda during a special Saturday session of the House of Representatives.


National Conference on State Legislatures Calls Session First in Nation

Last week's Saturday session held by the Oklahoma House of Representatives has attracted national attention, and has been billed as likely the first of its kind.

The National Conference of State Legislatures has noted on its blog, "The Thicket at State Legislatures," that the Saturday session is likely the first in the nation, and could serve as a model for similar events around the country.

"We'll add this to our list of ideas for what legislators can do to improve public understanding of their work," writes NCSL program director of state services Jan Goehring. "At NCSL we're not aware of any other legislatures that have scheduled a Saturday session for the convenience of the public."

Goehring noted that most Saturday session for other legislatures across the country come at the end when the clock is ticking and lawmakers haven't finished their work.

By contrast, the Oklahoma House event was held as a way to reach out to working families and improve civic education among children.

"We felt this event was a great opportunity for families to have the opportunity to come to the State Capitol to see the House in session outside regularly scheduled meeting times," said Speaker Cargill (R-Harrah). "Often families don't have the chance to come to the State Capitol during the work week."

98 year old Leora Henderson and her daughter Joan Woolley attend a Saturday session of the House of Representatives.

The Saturday session on April 21 attracted a crowd of about 150 people - with the day highlighted by a singing choir, a brief power outage and a visit from a citizen only six months younger than the state. Lawmakers considered a dozen substantive pieces of legislation.

The session continued despite a brief half-hour power outage at an OG&E substation that left the entire state Capitol without electricity. Lawmakers were left without microphones during the power outage, and votes were taken by a voice roll call.

Speaker Cargill said the power outage was a great reminder of the state's Centennial - an example of how far the state had come since the horse-and-buggy era.

"If lawmakers 100 years ago could conduct the legislative session without laptops, microphones and electronic voting machines we certainly can too," said Cargill. "It was a nice reminder of the progress we've made as a state."

Labels: OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 1:16 PM |   

Speaker Lance Cargill issued the following statement today after Governor Henry indicated he would veto five budget bills passed today that match his own executive budget:

“Oklahomans won’t let the governor’s smoke-and-mirrors press release cloud this simple fact: The governor is getting ready to veto his own budget. The absurdity of this speaks for itself.

He doesn’t like our plan. Now he doesn’t like his own plan. And he still refuses to publicly submit a new plan.”

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 4:04 PM |   

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 |   

The Oklahoma House of Representatives will hold a special Saturday floor session to make the House more accessible to the state's working families. Speaker Cargill said in a statement:

Too often, Oklahoma's citizens don't have a chance to see the work of their lawmakers. Those with regular jobs have a difficult time accessing the Capitol during the work week. So the House will give citizens a special opportunity to watch the House in session outside of regularly scheduled meeting times.

Speaker Cargill hopes working parents will attend the April 21 session with their children as one way of boosting civic literacy in the state.

After the conclusion of session, the public is invited to attend a cookies-and-punch reception on the fourth floor of the State Capitol underneath the rotunda.

Many representatives will also hold open office hours for their constituents in the afternoon following the Saturday session, to allow working citizens the opportunity to present their concerns and issues directly to lawmakers.

Labels: OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8:07 AM |   

The measure mirrors a House bill backed by Republican leaders

Senate legislation to encourage charter schools in Oklahoma is headed for a vote of the full state House of Representatives after the measure garnered approval from a House committee Monday.

Speaker Lance Cargill praised passage of the legislation, part of the House Republican "Year of Ideas" legislative agenda.

"Charter schools encourage new and better approaches to educating our children," said Cargill (R-Harrah). "These innovative schools should be a major component of education reform in Oklahoma, which must also include meaningful testing requirements for students and the highest standards from our educators."

Senate Bill 661 closely mirrors House Bill 1589, authored by House Education committee chair Tad Jones (R-Claremore). That bill currently awaits a floor vote in the Senate, and has attracted bipartisan support by lawmakers like Shumate.

"I hear from my constituents all the time that they want more and better options for their children's education," said Shumate. "I've seen the tremendous positive impact that charter schools are having on children's lives in my own community. We should be encouraging the formation of these schools, not discouraging them."

Labels: OK House, Rep. Shumate, Rep. Tad Jones, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 11:13 AM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) House Speaker Lance Cargill sounded off today about the state budget impasse.

He is urging Governor Brad Henry to share his budget ideas with lawmakers.

He criticized Henry's refusal to sign appropriations bills that he said mirror the governor's own executive budget.

Henry has threatened to veto those appropriations bills. He says legislative budget writers have put together a spending plan without properly consulting the governor's office or many state lawmakers.

Labels: Brad Henry, OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 7:58 AM |   

Oklahoma House Speaker Lance Cargill issued the following statement yesterday, after Governor Henry threatened to veto five agency budget bills that match his own executive budget:

"The Governor continues to sit on the sidelines and throw rocks at our ideas without submitting any of his own. Our bipartisan plan has been released for weeks, and there are only six weeks left in session, butthe Governor still refuses to submit an alternative budget based on current projections. The Governor is now threatening to veto his own executive budget. The five budget bills that passed today are identical to the numbers in his executive budget. It makes absolutely no sense for him to veto these bills. This is theater of the absurd. The Governor needs to quit worrying about who gets credit and playing obstructionist games. He needs to put in the effort and show us his detailed planinstead of just criticizing ours."

Labels: Brad Henry, Budget, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 3:14 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 |   

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 |   

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 |   

Rural Oklahoma will be the focus of an IdeaRaiser in Southeastern Oklahoma next week.

The event, slated to be held at the Eastern Oklahoma State College campus in McAlester will focus on issues facing rural Oklahoma and what ideas to improve those areas.

“We are excited to welcome Speaker Cargill and the 100 Ideas initiative,”

said Steve Smith, Dean of the McAlester campus. “We hope to have students, educators, small business owners and other interested citizens come and share their ideas to help chart the course of rural Oklahoma’s future.”Pittsburg County legislators, Senator Richard Lerblance, and Representatives Terry Harrison and Brian Renegar have been invited to participate.

RSVPs for the IdeaRaisers can be sent to rsvp@100ideasok.org or by calling 1-888-465-2007. Organizers encourage those interested in attending to RSVP.

Labels: 100 Ideas Initiative, Spkr. Cargill, Thad Balkman

Posted at 10:28 AM |   

House Bill 2108 part of House GOP "Healthy Families" agenda

Oklahoma could soon see more high-quality recreational areas, greenways and parks for the public under a measure supported by a coalition of conservation and health advocacy groups. House Bill 2108, passed by the House Natural Resources Committee Monday, is a key item in the House Republican leadership’s Healthy Families legislative platform.

Labels: OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 10:03 AM |   

Lawmakers in the House on Wednesday approved an omnibus Republican immigration reform package with overwhelming bipartisan support, sending the measure to the state Senate for consideration.

"We've done the heavy lifting, and now it's time for the Senate and the governor to work with us to pass real immigration reform for Oklahoma," said Rep. Randy Terrill (R-Moore), author of House Bill 1804. "We haven't heard much publicly from the governor on this issue, but Oklahomans are rallying for the strongest reforms in the nation. It's my hope that all parties can work together to enact this bill into law."

"Our immigration reform plan is about respect for the rule of law and ensuring that our state's social safety net isn't strained to the breaking point," said Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah). "Illegal immigration is a hidden tax on hardworking families in this state. It's costing us hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The federal government has ignored the problem, so we're going to take action now in Oklahoma."

House Bill 1804, the Oklahoma Taxpayer & Citizen Protection Act of 2007, has the support of two national immigration reform advocacy groups. Called the most meaningful immigration reform effort in the nation, the measure is a key part of the House GOP's Safe Families platform in the Year of Ideas Agenda.

A key element in House Bill 1804, the Basic Pilot Program, uses federal databases to determine work eligibility.

Oklahoma would be among the first in the nation to enroll in the program, and employers would be required to use the database system to confirm employees' legal status. Several Oklahoma employers already use the system, and Terrill said Basic Pilot would reduce the possibility of discrimination in the work environment.

"This system provides a quick, fair and streamlined way for employers to check on the legal status of new hires,"

said Terrill. "And it ensures that all new hires are treated equally, without regard to things like ethnicity. "Terrill said that opponents of immigration reform have tried to sidetrack the debate with inaccurate and overheated claims about discrimination. Terrill said that Oklahoma and the United States should welcome legal immigrants with open arms.

"Legal immigration is part of what makes America great. The melting pot of legal immigrants who come to Oklahoma makes our state great," said Terrill. "But there's a stark difference between legal and illegal immigration. I've likened our illegal immigration crisis to the 'broken window' analogy. If you have one broken window in a neighborhood and do nothing to repair it, you'll soon have a neighborhood full of broken windows. That's the situation we have with illegal immigration, only we're faced with broken borders. As a nation we have looked the other way and ignored the problem for too long."

Labels: Immigration Reform, OK House, Rep. Randy Terrill, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 7:40 AM |   

House Bill 1620 & House Bill 1475 part of House GOP "Entrepreneurial
Society" agenda

A House committee Tuesday passed two measures aimed at providing comprehensive lawsuit reform in Oklahoma.

"There are too many abusive lawsuits filed in Oklahoma, and these measures will begin to make this state's legal system more reasonable," said Rep. Rob Johnson (R-Kingfisher), author of House Bill 1620. "While our legal system in Oklahoma works in many respects, we're proposing common sense reforms that will make the system better."

House Bill 1620 is a part of the House Republican majority's Entrepreneurial Society legislative platform - a package of legislative measures focused on removing barriers to economic growth and opportunity in Oklahoma. The measure passed the House Judiciary and Public Safety Committee Tuesday, as did House Bill 1475, a bill focused on medical liability.

"Our legal system in Oklahoma should ensure access to our courts for those with legitimate claims, but it should not allow unfair shakedown lawsuits and costly jackpot justice," said House Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah).

House Bill 1620 contains a number of provisions, including limiting the amount a defendant can be required to pay to secure the right to appeal; making it harder for frivolous lawsuits to make it to trial; limiting unreasonable class-action lawsuits; limiting the plaintiff to only be liable for its proportionate share of damages, excluding cr iminal cases; limiting non-economic damages in civil suits to a reasonable amount; and protecting school officials from being sued for reasonably punishing unruly students.

House Bill 1475 lifts the restriction on the medical specialties under which the $300,000 non-economic damages cap applies. Existing language only applies to OB-GYNs as it relates to pregnancy, and medical professionals involved in emergency room care. Wrongful death or negligence are exceptions to the cap.

"As a physician in a rural community, I know that the fear of junk lawsuits and the high price of liability insurance are having a terrible impact on health care in our state," said Rep. Doug Cox (R-Grove), an emergency room physician and the author of HB 1475. "We need reallawsuit reform to ensure access to quality health care in our state."

A third part of the House GOP's lawsuit reform package, House Bill 2106, is scheduled for a floor vote today.

Authored by Speaker Cargill, HB 2106 will create a specialized court docket to handle commercial and corporate disputes. Cargill said the complex nature of these types of cases requires expertise and familiarity with specific areas of business law, creating a significant burden on trial courts.

Labels: OK House, Rep. Doug Cox, Rep. Rob Johnson, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8:44 AM |   

William F. O'Brien
The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — The youngest House Speaker in the nation is Republican Lance Cargill of Oklahoma, who assumed those duties earlier this year at the age of 35. Cargill is a native of Harrah in eastern Oklahoma County where he resides with his wife and two sons not far from his boyhood home. But he is quick to point out that his legislative district also includes segments of the communities of Edmond, Arcadia, Luther, Jones and Choctaw.

The speaker reports that he sees his legislative district as a microcosm of the state of Oklahoma with its combination of urban and rural areas. The future speaker was born into a working-class family in Harrah — his father was a forklift operator at a local food warehouse — and the speaker graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1993 with a cumulative grade point average of 4.00 with a degree in political science and economics. He then attended Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville, Tenn., and graduated from that institution in 1996.

Cargill worked for a time in a major law firm in Dallas, but eventually returned to the Oklahoma City area where he was employed by the law firm of Crowe and Dunlevy where he practiced in the specialized filed of antitrust law. He also served as an adjunct professor at Rose State College where he taught several courses on economics.

The future speaker began his political career in 2000, when he unseated a 12-year House veteran. Cargill’s hard work, dedication and knowledge of the legislative process impressed his colleagues in both parties, and when the Republicans assumed control of the House he was selected by the GOP caucus to be speaker for those reasons. Upon taking office, Cargill reached out to Democratic House members, and has allowed them to participate in the legislative process. One prominent Democratic lawmaker, Danny Morgan, publicly has praised Cargill for doing so. Read more...

Labels: Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 10:04 AM |   

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 |   

HB 1051 Part of House GOP "Safe Families Platform"

A key portion of the House Republican Safe Families Platform passed out of committee today and is now headed to the House floor.

House Bill 1051, by House Speaker Lance Cargill, prevents student-aged sex offenders from attending the same school as their victims. The measure was approved by the House Education Committee.

"No victim of a violent crime, particularly a child, should have to face their attacker on a daily basis," said Cargill (R-Harrah). "Often, the student victim will change schools or in some cases, the entire family will move so that their child will not have to endure this. This bill will put the burden of starting over in a different school on the attacker."

Cargill introduced a similar measure last year after being contacted by a female student from his district who was raped by a classmate. Her attacker was allowed to return to the same school. However, Cargill's 2006 bill died in the State Senate.

The "Safe Families Platform" is part of the 2007 House Republican "Year of Ideas Agenda".

Labels: Crime, OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 10:20 AM |   

Paper still has head in the sand when it comes to real scandals

We almost made it through the week without the need for issuing a "Hypocrisy Watch." Mick Hinton of the Tulsa World, has written the talking points memo for Oklahoma Democrats' today, under the guise of "objective journalism." The piece reports that Speaker Cargill is "summon[ing] key lobbyists" to "special meetings" outside the capitol for fundraising activities. Now usually when one thinks of a summons, you think of a court of a law and a judge mandating you appear. Was this a deliberate choice of words Mick?

We've copied every quote from a lobbyist in the piece. You'll notice a familiar, recurring theme in every comment. Remember, this is every lobbyists quoted in the piece, so we're not purposely omitting positive quotes:

"Lobbyist Bobby Stem confirmed that he met with the speaker on Tuesday at an office outside the Capitol."

"It was the friendliest fundraising meeting I've ever had, and you can quote me on that," said Stem, a prominent lobbyist during Democratic administrations." (What would you expect from a Democratic lobbyist?)

"Stem said there was no strong-arming for contributions, although he said it was "very pro-active" with money raising emphasized in several ways."

"One lobbyist said he felt uncomfortable going to the "un-neutral" site, while another said it was "cheesy." Both spoke on the condition that they not be identified."

"After leaving the office, lobbyist Jim Walker acknowledged that he had just talked with the speaker, but said "it is no different than what used to occur at the Capitol, from time to time."

"But others said they felt compelled to comply with the speaker's wishes. They said that has been the case in the past, but the methods were different this time around."

Hey Mick, how about investigating the attorney general and the poultygate scandal going on "five minutes from the Capitol?" What about the Chairman of your newspaper contributing money to the AG while his paper is endorsing him. We'll re-use the analogy we made earlier this week regarding your paper's lazy reporting. This piece was akin to a reporter covering the Superbowl and only writing about Prince's new shoes! What about the fact that it was held in plain view away from the Capitol? What about the angle that it illustrates the reforms Cargill is looking to initiate?

Labels: Ethics Reforms, hypocrisy watch, Press Bias, Spkr. Cargill, Tulsa World

Posted at 2:41 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 |   

Speaker Cargill authors eight-point plan in HB 2110 (Audio)

House lawmakers Wednesday advanced a comprehensive ethics reform measure containing strong provisions cracking down on questionable campaign fundraising tactics such as
"bundling" and "splitting."

"Oklahomans deserve an honest and open government," said Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah), author of House Bill 2110. "The reforms we're offering are fundamental changes that will benefit citizens, instead of more posturing by power players to protect incumbents. This is about making the Capitol more open and more accessible to the public than ever before."

HB 2110 passed the House Elections and Redistricting Subcommittee today with unanimous bipartisan support. Cargill said HB 2110 contains an eight-point plan to strengthen the public's trust in state government:

1. Ban Political Contributions at the Capitol: "There are plenty of places to hold political fundraisers," said Cargill. "Our state Capitol isn't one of them. There was a time when lobbyists were known to disperse checks to lawmakers shortly before a critical vote. We can erase this image with this simple reform."

2. Require monthly reports of contributions: Cargill said HB 2110 will provide more frequent reports for citizens' review, so that the public won't have to wait for months for information. Cargill said that if the purpose of campaign finance reporting is to reveal who, and to what degree, someone is interested in the outcome of a race, then that information needs to be made available on a more frequent basis.

3. Require disclosure for lobbyist "bundling": Lobbyists often collect several checks from different sources and deliver these bundled checks to a candidate. These coordinated efforts can involve significant amounts of money, and the public has a right to know about them.

4. Ban Honoraria: Currently, state officials can receive an honorarium for a public appearance if it is performed in their official capacity. Cargill said state officials shouldn't receive compensation outside their salary for duties related to their office.

5. Prohibit professionals from soliciting political contributions from their clients: Cargill said it is unfair for those with professional clientele to solicit contributions from those to whom they owe a duty of trust. Cargill said that attorneys, for example, shouldn't be allowed to shake down clients for contributions, many of whom may be subject to the mercy of their legal representative.

6. Require filing of contributor forms for out-of-state donors: Out-of-state political organizations routinely funnel money into Oklahoma races, and often those who are donating don't even know where the money is really going. Cargill said it is important to know the identity of donors who wish to affect politics in a state that is not their own. HB 2110 will require the filing of a contributor card -- with an express statement of intent to donate in Oklahoma -- to ensure the legitimacy of out-of-state donations.

7. End donation "splitting": Cargill said that some campaign organizations attribute partial pieces of the same contribution to different races in an attempt to get around the individual reporting requirements or contribution limits.

8. Require annual ethics training: Cargill said that HB 2110 would require each chamber of the Legislature to conduct annual ethics training for all members, employees, and lobbyists. "Through better education and preparation, we can prevent missteps and provide clear guidance for all involved with the process," he said.

Labels: Ethics Reforms, OK House, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 10:33 AM |   

NSU President Larry Williams speaks with Speaker Cargill and Florida Speaker Marco Rubio

Oklahoma Speaker of the House Lance Cargill and Florida Speaker Marco Rubio engaged a crowd of over 40 people Friday at the third IdeaRaiser for the 100 Ideas Initiative.

Rubio, who initiated Florida’s 100 Ideas program in 2005,
encouraged Oklahomans to get involved in the project.

“We’re hoping you’ll come up with ideas the political process hasn’t picked up on,” Rubio said.

Rubio also said that the Florida initiative found “that people felt what the government was dealing with was not what people were dealing with in their daily lives.”

“As you engage people at every level, I think you’ll find that there are ideas that no one is talking about or writing about, but are still important,” he added.

The topic of discussion Friday was rural healthcare in Oklahoma.

Ideas presented at the event included creating a system to provide travel to patients living in rural areas who do not otherwise have a method of getting to doctor appointments, creating a statewide electronic medical database and providing more information in elementary schools about preventative health care.

Those in attendance at the University Center at Northeastern State University included representatives from the NSU Oklahoma College of Optometry and the Cherokee Health Science Center.

NSU President Larry Williams, his wife, Pamela, and State Rep. Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, were also in attendance.

Labels: 100 Ideas Initiative, Spkr. Cargill, Thad Balkman

Posted at 11:30 AM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Keith Perry of Skiatook would like to do away with Oklahoma's toll roads. John Howk of Bartlesville would like to see a new state Constitution drawn up.

Those are a couple of the ideas Oklahomans have contributed to House Speaker Lance Cargill's 100 Ideas initiative.

The initiative is a public think tank that seeks citizen input to address problems Oklahoma faces in its centennial year.

Patterned after a program in Florida, the initiative was launched in January by the nonprofit 100 Ideas Oklahoma, which operates on private donations.

The Florida initiative was paid for by that state's Republican Party and was criticized by Democrats, who said the organization paid no attention to their ideas.

At the end of the year, the 100 Ideas initiative will publish a book filled with the first 100 ideas from Idearaisers across the state. Cargill says he plans to use the book as an agenda for action.

Labels: 100 Ideas Initiative, Spkr. Cargill, Thad Balkman

Posted at 6:52 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 |