Oklahoma Senate

Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma State Senate
Oklahoma State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type Upper house
Term limits 12 year cumulative total, in either or both chambers
New session started February 7, 2011
Leadership
President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, (R)
since January 4, 2011
Majority Leader Mike Shultz, (R)
since January 4, 2011
Minority Leader Andrew Rice, (D)
since January 4, 2011
Structure
Members 48
Political groups Republican Party (32)
Democratic Party (16)
Length of term 4 years
Authority Article V, Oklahoma Constitution
Salary $38,400/year + per diem
Elections
Last election November 2, 2010
(24 seats)
Next election November 6, 2012
(24 seats)
Meeting place
Senate chamber.jpg
State Senate Chamber
Oklahoma State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Website
Oklahoma State Senate

The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution.[1]

The senators are elected to four year terms on alternating cycles.[1] The odd senatorial districts are elected in the same cycle of every presidential election year (even-numbered years evenly divisible by four, e.g., 2008, 2012); the even numbered senatorial districts are elected during the gubernatorial election year (even-numbered years not evenly divisible by four, e.g., 2006, 2010).

The presiding officer of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, who is the President of the Senate. Since the 1960s, the President pro tempore of the Senate has presided over daily work. Prior to that time, the President of the Senate took a leading role in the Senate, including appointing committees and members to those committees. The President of the Senate may cast a vote only in the instance of a tie vote and may not vote to create a tie.

Contents

Duties

Legislative sessions

The Senate meets in regular session in east wing of the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City, from early February to the last Friday in May. Special sessions may be called by the Governor of Oklahoma, or by supermajority vote of the Legislature. Unlike their counterparts in the House, Senators are not restricted on introduction of bills and resolutions.

Advise and consent

The Oklahoma Senate advises and consents to numerous appointments of the Governor, including the entire Governor's Cabinet. Nominations are heard by respective standing committees rather than through a committee on nominations.

Redistricting

Every ten years, the Oklahoma Senate is responsible for passing into law new district boundaries for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Oklahoma Senate and Oklahoma Congressional delegation. The Senate and House have traditionally drawn their own lines without any comment from the other body and work together with the Congressional delegation to draw lines appropriate for the next election. The Governor must sign these bills into law or a statewide panel is convened to draw the disputed lines.

Court of Impeachment

The Senate serves a dual role as both a legislative body and as a judicial court. In performing is role as the Court of Impeachment, the Senate serves as an independent court in the Oklahoma court system. Impeachment charges are brought by the House of Representatives, and they are heard by the Senate, with the Chief Justice of Oklahoma presiding, unless the Chief Justice or any member of the Oklahoma Supreme Court is charged, in which case the Senate shall select one of its own members to preside.

Impeachment charges may only be brought against the Governor and all other statewide elected state officials (including the Oklahoma Supreme Court Justices) for willful neglect of duty, corruption in office, habitual drunkenness, incompetency, or any offense involving moral turpitude committed while in office. If impeached, all officials are immediately suspended in discharging their duties. Should the impeachment fail, the officer in question returns to their duties. However, if the impeachment is successful and the defendant found guilty, the person is removed from office.

Membership qualifications

Oklahoma

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In order to file for election to the Senate, candidates must be twenty-five years of age at the time of their election.[2] The candidate must also be a qualified elector in their respective counties or districts and shall reside in their respective counties or districts during their term of office.[2] No person is eligible to serve as a member of the Legislature if they're an officer of the United States or State government. Also, any person who has been adjudged guilty of a felony is not eligible to election to the Legislature. If a member of the Legislature is expelled for corruption, they shall not be eligible to return to the Legislature.

No member of the legislature can serve more than 12 years in the Oklahoma State Legislature. Years in Legislative office need not be consecutive and years of service in both the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be added together and included in determining the total number of Legislative years in office. The years served by any member elected or appointed to serve less than a full Legislative term to fill a vacancy in office shall not be included in the 12-year limitation; but no member who has completed 12 years in office shall thereafter be eligible to serve a partial term. When term limits were implemented in 1992, they were not applied retroactively which meant that senators elected prior to their implementation could serve up to three full terms following the implementation of term limits. For example, the longest-serving member of the Oklahoma State Senate, Gene Stipe was elected in 1956, but would not have been term limited out until 2004, had he not resigned the previous year.

Current party composition

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
End of previous legislature 26 22 48 0
Begin 32 16 48 0
July 1, 2011[3] 31 47 1
July 1, 2011[4] 32 48 0
November 11, 2011[5] 31 47 1
Latest voting share 66.7% 33.3%

Leadership

  • The Lieutenant Governor serves as President of the Senate but only casts a vote in the case of a tie and has rarely presided since the 1960s. The President Pro Tempore is the one who serves as leader of the Senate and is the head of the majority party.

Officers

Position Senator Party District
President Pro Tem Brian Bingman Republican 12
Majority Floor Leader Mike Schultz Republican 38
Majority Whip Cliff Branan Republican 40
Minority Floor Leader Andrew Rice Democratic 46
Minority Whip Earl Garrison Democratic 9

Current senators

District Name Party Hometown First Elected Seat Up
Lt-Gov Todd Lamb Rep Oklahoma City 2011
1 Charles Wyrick Dem Fairland 2004 2012
2 Sean Burrage Dem Claremore 2006 2014
3 Jim Wilson Dem Tahlequah 2004 2012
4 Mark Allen Rep Spiro 2010 2014
5 Jerry Ellis Dem Hugo 2008 2012
6 Josh Brecheen Rep Coalgate 2010 2014
7 Richard Lerblance Dem Hartshorne 2003 2012
8 Roger Ballenger Dem Okmulgee 2006 2014
9 Earl Garrison Dem Muskogee 2004 2012
10 Eddie Fields Rep 2010 2014
11 Judy Eason McIntyre Dem Tulsa 2004 2012
12 Brian Bingman Rep Sapulpa 2006 2014
13 Susan Paddack Dem Ada 2004 2012
14 Frank Simpson Rep 2010 2014
15 Jonathan Nichols Rep Norman 2000 2012 (term-limted)
16 John Sparks Dem Norman 2006 2014
17 Charlie Laster Dem Shawnee 2003 2012
18 Kim David Rep 2010 2014
19 Patrick Anderson Rep Enid 2004 2012
20 Vacant
21 Jim Halligan Rep Stillwater 2008 2012
22 Rob Johnson Rep 2010 2014
23 Ron Justice Rep Chickasha 2004 2012
24 Anthony Sykes Rep Moore 2006 2014
25 Mike Mazzei Rep Tulsa 2004 2012
26 Tom Ivester Dem Sayre 2006 2014
27 Bryce Marlatt Rep Woodward 2008 2012
28 Harry Coates Rep Seminole 2002 2014 (term-limited)
29 John Ford Rep Bartlesville 2004 2012
30 David Holt Rep Oklahoma City 2010 2014
31 Don Barrington Rep Lawton 2004 2012
32 Randy Bass Dem Lawton 2004 2014
33 Tom Adelson Dem Tulsa 2004 2012
34 Rick Brinkley Rep 2010 2014
35 Gary Stanislawski Rep Tulsa 2008 2012
36 Bill Brown Rep Broken Arrow 2006 2014
37 Dan Newberry Rep Tulsa 2008 2012
38 Mike Schulz Rep Altus 2006 2014
39 Brian Crain Rep Tulsa 2004 2012
40 Cliff Branan Rep Oklahoma City 2002 2014 (term-limited)
41 Clark Jolley Rep Edmond 2004 2012
42 Cliff Aldridge Rep Midwest City 2002 2014 (term-limited)
43 Greg Childers Rep 2011 2012
44 Ralph Shortey Rep Oklahoma City 2010 2014
45 Steve Russell Rep Oklahoma City 2008 2012
46 Andrew Rice Dem Oklahoma City 2006 2014
47 Greg Treat Rep Catoosa 2011 2012
48 Constance N. Johnson Dem Oklahoma City 2006 2014

Committees

Committee Chairs for the 2011-12 Legislative Session were announced on December 8, 2010. They are:

  • Appropriations Committee: Sen. David Myers, R-Ponca City, Chairman Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, Vice Chairman
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Education: Sen. Jim Halligan, R-Stillwater, Chairman Sen. John Ford, R-Bartlesville, Vice Chairman
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Transportation: Sen. Bryce Marlatt, R-Woodward, Chairman Sen. Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City, Vice Chairman
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services: Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, Chairman Sen. Kim David, R-Wagoner, Vice Chairman
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural Resources: Sen. Ron Justice, R-Chickasha, Chairman Sen. Eddie Fields, R-Wynona, Vice Chairman
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary: Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, Chairman Sen. Don Barrington, R-Lawton, Vice Chairman
  • Agriculture and Rural Development Committee: Sen. Eddie Fields, R-Wynona, Chairman, Sen. Ron Justice, R-Chickasha, Vice Chairman
  • Business and Commerce Committee: Sen. Dan Newberry, R-Tulsa, Chairman Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, Vice Chairman
  • Education Committee: Sen. John Ford, R-Bartlesville, Chairman Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, Vice Chairman
  • Energy Committee: Sen. Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City, Chairman Sen. Bryce Marlatt, R-Woodward, Vice Chairman
  • Finance Committee: Sen. Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa, Chairman Sen. Rick Brinkley, R-Owasso, Vice Chairman
  • General Government Committee: Sen. Cliff Aldridge, R-Choctaw, Chairman Sen. Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee, Vice Chairman
  • Health and Human Services Committee: Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, Chairman Sen. Sean Burrage, D-Claremore, Vice Chairman
  • Judiciary Committee: Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Newcastle, Chairman Sen. Rob Johnson, R-Kingfisher, Vice Chairman
  • Public Safety Committee: Sen. Don Barrington, R-Lawton, Chairman Sen. Ralph Shortey, R-Oklahoma City, Vice Chairman
  • Retirement and Insurance Committee: Sen. Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow, Chairman Sen. Cliff Aldridge, R-Choctaw, Vice Chairman
  • Rules Committee: Sen. Rob Johnson, R-Kingfisher, Chairman Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, Vice Chairman
  • Transportation Committee: Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, Chairman Sen. Mark Allen, R-Spiro, Vice Chairman
  • Veterans and Military Affairs Committee: Sen. Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, Chairman Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, Co-Chairman Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, Vice Chairman

History

Districts

Original method

Prior to a "one man, one vote" decisions of the United States Supreme Court in the 1960s and the court order which forced Oklahoma to equalize representation, Oklahoma was apportioned into forty-eight senatorial districts in the following manner: the nineteen most populous counties, as determined by the most recent Federal Decennial Census, were to constitute nineteen senatorial districts with one senator to be nominated and elected from each district. The fifty-eight less populous counties were to be joined into twenty-nine two-county districts with one senator to be nominated and elected from each of the two-county districts. In apportioning the Senate, the Oklahoma Constitution required that consideration be given to population, compactness, area, political units, historical precedents, economic and political interests, contiguous territory and other major factors, to the extent feasible.

Current method

Currently, under the holding of Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964) all districts must be apportioned within a five percent margin of the average target size district as determined by the U.S. Census population figures divided by the forty-eight districts. This allows for some districts to be slightly smaller or larger than others. The Senate draws its own maps of its district lines, which are subject to the approval of both the House of Representatives and the Governor. Should the redistricting not occur in a timely manner, the lines are determined by a panel of five statewide elected officials.

Historic tie

In the November 7, 2006 elections, neither party had outright control of the Oklahoma State Senate. Although the Republican party added two seats to their prior total, a party switch resulted in an unprecedented and historic 24-24 tie. With neither party holding a majority, Democratic and Republican leaders negotiated a power-sharing agreement for the 2007-08 session. Instead of electing the traditional one leader, the Senate unanimously elected Co-Presidents Pro Tempore to serve as equal leaders of the Senate. Neither could make a decision or political appointment on behalf of the Senate without the other's assent. However, because the Oklahoma Constitution does not provide for two Presidents Pro Tempore, the two sides agreed to divide the time between them. Since the Democrats have the tie breaking vote of Lt. Governor Jari Askins, they were awarded the position of President Pro Tempore for twenty-three months of the legislature and the Republicans were awarded the position for only one month (July 2007) in recognition of them actually electing a majority of the membership.[6] By winning two more seats in the 2008 elections, the Republicans assumed control of the Chamber for the first time in state history and hold a 26-22 majority, thus ending the power sharing arrangement between the parties.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Section V-9A: Senatorial districts - Tenusre, Constitution of the State of Oklahoma at Oklahoma Public Legal Research System (accessed May 3, 2010)
  2. ^ a b Section V-17: Qualified electors, Constitution of the State of Oklahoma at Oklahoma Public Legal Research System (accessed May 3, 2010)
  3. ^ Republican Jim Reynolds (District 43) resigned after being elected Cleveland County Treasurer.
  4. ^ Republican Greg Childers elected to succeed Reynolds.
  5. ^ Republican David Myers (District 20) dies.
  6. ^ Barbara Hoberock (6/12/2007). "Senate's power-sharing accord carries a cost". Tulsa World. http://tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070612_1_A1_spanc58735. Retrieved 2007-06-14. 

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