Oklahoma Senate

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Oklahoma Senate
Type	Upper house of Oklahoma Legislature
President of the Senate	Jari Askins, D since January 2, 2007
President Pro Tempore	Mike Morgan (D) and Glenn Coffee (R)
Members	48
Political groups	Democratic Party Republican Party
Last elections	November 7, 2006
Meeting place	Oklahoma State Capitol
Web site	http://www.oksenate.gov/

The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the lower house being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution. The Senators are elected to four year terms on alternating cycles. The odd Senatorial districts are elected in the same cycle of every Presidential election year. The even numbered Senatorial districts are elected during the Gubernatorial election year, which occurs the second year after the Presidential election.

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 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.

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.

Contents 1 Qualifications 2 Membership 2.1 Representation 2.1.1 Old Method 2.1.2 New Method 2.2 Historic Tie 2.3 Current Composition 2.4 Leadership 2.5 Democratic Leadership, 2007-08 2.6 Republican Leadership, 2007-08 3 Members 4 Committees 5 References 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] Qualifications

Oklahoma

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Oklahoma

Constitution United States Constitution Oklahoma Constitution Executive Government Governor: Brad Henry Lieutentant Governor: Jari Askins Secretary of State: M. Susan Savage State Auditor: Jeff McMahan Attorney General: Drew Edmondson State Treasurer: Scott Meacham State School Superintendent: Sandy Garrett Labor Commissioner: Lloyd Fields Insurance Commissioner: Kim Holland Corporation Commission State Cabinet and State Agencies Legislature Legislature: 51st Senate President of the Senate: Jari Askins President pro tempore: Mike Morgan Co-President pro tempore: Glenn Coffee House of Representatives Speaker of the House: Chris Benge Judiciary Court System Supreme Court Court of Criminal Appeals Court of Civil Appeals Court on the Judiciary Court of Impeachment Nominating Commission Elections Elections State Election Board Last election Political parties Democratic Party Republican Party Divisions Counties Cities and Towns Federal Relations Federal representation Senate Jim Inhofe (R) Tom Coburn (R) House of Representatives 1: John Sullivan (R) 2: Dan Boren (D) 3: Frank Lucas (R) 4: Tom Cole (R) 5: Mary Fallin (R) Politics of the United States

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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. 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. 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.

[edit] Membership

[edit] Representation

[edit] Old 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.

[edit] New 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.

[edit] Historic Tie

In the November 7, 2006 elections, the Republican party gained two seats in the Oklahoma State Senate resulting in an unprecedented and historic 24-24 tie. With neither party currently holding a majority, Democratic and Republican leaders are currently in negotiations to share power in the 2007 legislative session. Instead of electing one leader, the Senate unanimously elected Co-Presidents Pro Tempore to serve as equal leaders of the Senate. Neither can make a decision or appointment without the other's assent. However, there cannot be two presidents of the Senate at the same time and so they have agreed to divide the time between them. Since the Democrats have the tie breaking vote of Lt. Governor Jari Askins, they hold the position of President Pro Tempore for eleven months of the year (August through June), while the Republicans hold it in the month of July.^[1]

It is noteworthy that Oklahoma voters actually elected Republicans to 25 of the Senate's 48 districts - a majority of seats - but Republican Senator Nancy Riley's switch to the Democratic Party in the summer of 2006 reduced the number of Republican-held seats by one.^[2]

If Republicans gain at least one Senate seat in 2008, they will hold the chamber for the first time in state history.

[edit] Current Composition

Affiliation		Members
	Democratic Party	24
	Republican Party	24
Total		48

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[edit] Leadership

• President of the Senate (by virtue of being Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma): Jari Askins

[edit] Democratic Leadership, 2007-08

• President Pro Tempore: Mike Morgan
• Democratic Floor Leader: Charlie Laster
• Assistant Democratic Floor Leaders: Jeff Rabon and Jay Paul Gumm
• Democratic Whips: Susan Paddack, Charles Wyrick and Nancy Riley
• Democratic Caucus Chairman: Kenneth Corn

[edit] Republican Leadership, 2007-08

• Co-President Pro Tempore: Glenn Coffee
• Republican Floor Leader: Owen Laughlin
• Assistant Republican Floor Leaders: Randy Brogdon and Mike Mazzei
• Republican Whip: Kathleen Wilcoxson, Clark Jolley and Cliff Branan
• Republican Caucus Chairman: Todd Lamb

[edit] Members

District	Name	Party	Hometown	First Elected	Towns Represented
Lt-Gov	Jari Askins	Democrat	Duncan	2006	President of Senate
1	Charles Wyrick	Democrat	Fairland	2004	Miami, Grove, Jay
2	Sean Burrage	Democrat	Claremore	2006	Claremore, Pryor
3	Jim Wilson	Democrat	Tahlequah	2004	Tahlequah, Stillwell
4	Kenneth Corn	Democrat	Howe	2002	Sallisaw, Poteau
5	Jeff Rebon	Democrat	Atoka	1996	Atoka, Hugo
6	Jay Paul Gumm	Democrat	Durant	2002	Durant
7	Richard Lerblance	Democrat	Hartshorne	2003	McAlester, Wilburton
8	Roger Ballenger	Democrat	Okmulgee	2006	Okmulgee, Henryetta
9	Earl Garrison	Democrat	Muskogee	2004	Muskogee, Ft. Gibson
10	Joe Sweeden	Democrat	Pawhuska	2006	Pawhuska, Fairfax
11	Judy Eason McIntyre	Democrat	Tulsa	2004	Tulsa
12	Brian Bingman	Republican	Sapulpa	2006	Sapulpa, Bristow
13	Susan Paddack	Democrat	Ada	2004	Ada
14	Johnnie Crutchfield	Democrat	Ardmore	1998	Ardmore
15	Jonathan Nichols	Republican	Norman	2000	Norman
16	John Sparks	Democrat	Norman	2006	Norman, Purcell
17	Charlie Laster	Democrat	Shawnee	2003	Shawnee
18	Mary Easley	Democrat	Grand Lake Towne	2004	Wagoner, Tulsa
19	Patrick Anderson	Republican	Enid	2004	Enid
20	David Myers	Republican	Ponca City	2002	Ponca City
21	Mike Morgan	Democrat	Stillwater	1996	Stillwater
22	Mike Johnson	Republican	Kingfisher	1998	Kingfisher
23	Ron Justice	Republican	Chickasha	2004	Chickasha
24	Anthony Sykes	Republican	Moore	2006	Moore, Duncan
25	Mike Mazzei	Republican	Tulsa	2004	Tulsa, Broken Arrow
26	Tom Ivester	Democrat	Sayre	2006	Elk City, Sayre, Mangum
27	Owen Laughlin	Republican	Woodward	1996	Woodward, Guymon
28	Harry Coates	Republican	Seminole	2002	Seminole
29	John Ford	Republican	Bartlesville	2004	Bartlesville
30	Glenn Coffee	Republican	Oklahoma City	1998	Oklahoma City
31	Don Barrington	Republican	Lawton	2004	Lawton
32	Randy Bass	Democrat	Lawton	2004	Lawton
33	Tom Adelson	Democrat	Tulsa	2004	Tulsa
34	Randy Brogdon	Republican	Owasso	2002	Owasso, Tulsa
35	James Williamson	Republican	Tulsa	1996	Tulsa
36	Bill Brown	Republican	Broken Arrow	2006	Broken Arrow, Tulsa
37	Nancy Riley	Democrat	Tulsa	2000	Tulsa, Sand Springs, Bixby
38	Mike Schulz	Republican	Altus	2006	Altus, Weatherford
39	Brian Crain	Republican	Tulsa	2004	Tulsa
40	Cliff Branan	Republican	Oklahoma City	2002	Oklahoma City
41	Clark Jolley	Republican	Edmond	2004	Edmond
42	Cliff Aldridge	Republican	Midwest City	2002	Midwest City
43	Jim Reynolds	Republican	Oklahoma City	2000	Oklahoma City, Del City
44	Debbe Leftwich	Democrat	Oklahoma City	2003	Oklahoma City
45	Kathleen Wilcoxson	Republican	Oklahoma City	1996	Oklahoma City, Moore
46	Andrew Rice	Democrat	Oklahoma City	2006	Oklahoma City
47	Todd Lamb	Republican	Edmond	2004	Edmond, Oklahoma City
48	Constance N. Johnson	Democrat	Oklahoma City	2006	Oklahoma City

[edit] Committees

The Oklahoma Senate has fifteen standing committees and the Appropriations Committee. Only the Appropriations committee has subcommittess. There are no ex-officio members of any committee or sub-committee per the Rules of the Senate, Chapter 1.

The Oklahoma Senate Appropriations Committee membership is limited to the Sub-Committee Co-Chairs and the Co-Floor Leaders. However, each Senator serves on one of the Sub-Committees.

• Appropriations Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield (D-Ardmore) and Sen. Mike Johnson (R-Kingfisher), Vice-Chairs Sen. Tom Adelson (D-Tulsa) and Sen. David Myers (R-Ponca City)
  • Education Subcomittee - Co-Chairs Sen. Clark Jolley (R-Edmond) and Sen. Susan Paddack (D-Ada)
    Members: Cliff Aldridge (R-Midwest City); Earl Garrison (D-Muskogee); Jay Paul Gumm, (D-Durant); John Sparks (D-Norman); Kathleen Wilcoxson (R-Oklahoma City); and James Williamson (R-Tulsa).
  • Health and Social Services Subcommittee - Co-Chairs Sen. Tom Adelson (D-Tulsa) and Sen. Brian Crain (R-Tulsa).
    Members are Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow; Sean Burrage, D-Claremore; Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa; and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah.
  • Human Services Subcommittee - Co-Chairs Sen. Patrick Anderson (R-Enid) and Sen. Nancy Riley (D-Tulsa).
    Members are Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; and John Ford, R-Bartlesville.
  • Natural Resources and Regulatory Services Subcommittee - Co-Chairs Sen. Randy Bass (D-Lawton) and Sen. David Myers (R-Ponca City).
    Members are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; Ron Justice, R-Chickasha; Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City; Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska; Anthony Sykes, R-Moore and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland.
  • General Government and Transportation Subcommittee - Co-Chairs Sen. Randy Brogdon (R-Owasso) and Sen. Mary Easley (D-Tulsa).
    Members are Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee; Don Barrington, R-Lawton; Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Tom Ivester, D-Sayre and Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City.
  • Public Safety and Judiciary Subcommittee - Co-Chairs Sen. Kenneth Corn (D-Poteau) and Sen. Jonathan Nichols (R-Norman).
    Members are Todd Lamb, R-Edmond; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne; Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo; Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City and Mike Schulz, R-Altus.

The standing committees of the Senate are:

• Agriculture Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Ron Justice (R-Chickasha) and Sen. Charles Wyrick (D-Fairland).
  Members are Don Barrington, R-Lawton; Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore; John Ford, R-Bartlesville; Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee; Tom Ivester, D-Sayre; Todd Lamb, R-Edmond; Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo; Mike Schulz, R-Altus; Anthony Sykes, R-Moore; and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah.

• Business and Labor Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Harry Coates (R-Seminole) and Sen. Debbe Leftwich (D-Oklahoma City).
  Members are Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa; Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso; Sean Burrage, D-Claremore; Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher; David Myers, R-Ponca City; and Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City.

• Criminal Jurisprudence Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Anthony Sykes (R-Moore) and Sen. Connie Johnson (D-Oklahoma City).
  Members are Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow; Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Ron Justice, R-Chickasha; Todd Lamb, R-Edmond; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne; Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa; Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City; Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska; Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland.

• Education Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre (D-Tulsa) and Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson (R-Oklahoma City).
  Members are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant; Clark Jolley, R-Edmond; Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne; Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa; Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman; Susan Paddack, D-Ada; Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City; Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa; John Sparks, D-Norman; and James Williamson, R-Tulsa.

• Energy and Environment Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Brian Bingman (R-Sapulpa) and Sen. Jay Paul Gumm (D-Durant).
  Members are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; Sean Burrage, D-Claremore; Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso; Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore; Mary Easley, D-Tulsa; Tom Ivester, D-Sayre; Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher; Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne; Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman; David Myers, R-Ponca City; Susan Paddack, D-Ada and James Williamson, R-Tulsa.

• Finance Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Jim Wilson (D-Tahlequah) and Sen. Mike Mazzei (R-Bixby).
  Members are Cliff Aldridge, R-Midwest City; Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant; Tom Ivester, D-Sayre; Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher; Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman; Susan Paddack, D-Ada; Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City; John Sparks, D-Norman; Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City.

• General Government Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Cliff Aldridge (R-Midwest City) and Sen. Joe Sweeden (D-Pawhuska).
  Members are Patrick Anderson, R-Enid; Randy Bass, D-Lawton; Rodger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee; Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow; Brian Crain, R-Tulsa; Mary Easley, D-Tulsa; and Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City.

• Health and Human Resources Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Andrew Rice (D-Oklahoma City) and Sen. Todd Lamb (R-Oklahoma City).
  Members are Patrick Anderson, R-Enid; Brian Crain, R-Tulsa; Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah.

• Judiciary Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. James Williamson James Williamson (R-Tulsa) and Sen. Richard Lerblance (D-Harshorne).
  Members are Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa; Randy Bass, D-Lawton; Brian Crain, R-Tulsa; Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; Todd Lamb, R-Edmond; and Anthony Sykes, R-Moore.

• Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Roger Ballenger (D-Okmulgee) and Sen. Don Barrington (R-Lawton).
  Members are Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow; Sean Burrage, D-Claremore; Mary Easley, D-Tulsa; Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City; Clark Jolley, R-Edmond; Mike Schulz, R-Altus; and Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska.

• Retirement and Insurance Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Bill Brown (R-Tulsa) and Sen. John Sparks (D-Norman).
  Members are Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa; Cliff Aldridge, R-Midwest City; Randy Bass, D-Lawton; Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Clark Jolley, R-Edmond; Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa;Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa and Anthony Sykes, R-Moore.

• Rules Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Sean Burrage (D-Claremore) and Sen. Mike Schulz (R-Altus).
  Members are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; John Ford, R-Bartlesville; Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee; James Williamson, R-Tulsa; and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah.

• Tourism and Wildlife Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. John Ford (R-Bartlesville) and Sen. Earl Garrison (D-Muskogee).
  Members are Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee; Don Barrington, R-Lawton; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; Ron Justice, R-Chickasha; Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo; Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City; Mike Schulz, R-Altus; Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland.

• Transportation Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Jeff Rabon (D-Hugo) and Sen. Cliff Branan (R-Oklahoma City).
  Members are Patrick Anderson, R-Enid; Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore; John Ford, R-Bartlesville; Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee; Ron Justice, R-Chickasha; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; David Myers, R-Ponca City; Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City; Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa; and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland.

• Veterans and Military Affairs Committee - Co-Chairs Sen. Jim Reynolds (R-Oklahoma City) and Sen. Tom Ivester (D-Sayre).
  Members are Cliff Aldridge, R-Midwest City; Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee; Don Barrington, R-Lawton; Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant; Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo and John Sparks, D-Norman.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Oklahoma Legislature
• Oklahoma House of Representatives

[edit] External links

• Oklahoma Senate
• Project Vote Smart - State Senate of Oklahoma
• Lawton Politics Official Homepage

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