President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate

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The President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Senate and the highest-ranking senator. The Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the President of the Senate ex officio, and thus is the highest-ranking member of the Senate; during her absence, the President pro tempore presides over the Senate.

The President pro tempore is elected by the Senate; unlike the custom of the United States Senate, where the most senior senator in the majority party serves as President pro tempore, the Oklahoma Senate has rarely had the most senior senator serve as President pro tempore. Since the Lieutenant Governor hasn't regularly presided or appointed committees since the 1960s, the duty of management and political power falls to the President pro tempore. The office of President pro tempore was created in 1907 by Oklahoma Constitution and the President pro tempore is selected by the Senate. While not a Constitutional requirement, every President pro tempore through the 2007-08 tied legislature has been a member of the Majority Party.

The President pro tempore is second in line of succession to the Governorship of Oklahoma, behind the Lieutenant Governor. The President’s counterpart in the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the Speaker of the House.

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[edit] The Co-President pro tempore

As a result of 2006 elections, the Senate is split evenly 24-24 between the Democrats and the Republicans. A power sharing agreement has been reached that creates a second office within the Senate of "Co-President pro tempore." Under this agreement, the President pro tempore of the Senate will be Mike Morgan, a Democrat from Stillwater, who has held the office since March of 2005 and Senator Glenn Coffee (R-Oklahoma City) will serve as the Co-President pro tempore. Co-President Coffee will switch places with President Morgan for one month (July, 2007) to symbolize the parity between the two parties. While Coffee will assume the office of President pro tempore in July, Morgan will serve as the Co-President pro tempore. Both will preside over the Senate every other day and under the agreement reached between the Senate caucuses, Morgan will have appointment authority only as long as Coffee assents to the appointment, effectively making them both fully vested with the duties and rights of President pro tempore. The Oklahoma Constitution specifically states that only one Senator shall be elected as President pro tempore, which prohibited both men from having the title of "President pro tempore." Under the agreement, should the Governor and Lt. Governor both be absent from the state, Morgan would serve as the Acting Governor except for the one month of July, 2007.

[edit] History

Henry S. Johnston was the first President pro tempore and seventh Governor of Oklahoma.
Henry S. Johnston was the first President pro tempore and seventh Governor of Oklahoma.

Following the statehood of Oklahoma in 1907, the first President pro tempore was elected. Since all candidates for pro tempore had no prior service in the Senate, there were no prominent former Senate leaders to select from. With the Democrats controlling the Senate, the popular State Senator Henry S. Johnston of Perry was selected to serve as the first President pro tempore. Sworn into office on November 16, 1907, (the same day Oklahoma was admitted to the Union) Johnston served as the President pro tempore from 1907 to 1909.

For its first 60 years, no one person ever held the office for more than one term consecuatively. State Senator Tom Anglin of Holdenville was the first to hold the office a second time: first from 1923-1925 and a second time from 1943-1945. Clem McSpadden was the first President pro tempore to serve two consecutive terms, from 1965 to 1969. As in the House, once one person held the chamber’s highest office, the trend continued.

From 1965 to 2006, ten Presidents have been selected to serve over the 41 year period, a period which would allow for the election of 22 Presidents. Of those ten Presidents, only James E. Hamilton of Poteau and Cal Hobson of Lexington served only one full single term. Hamilton sought the U.S. Senate nomination in 1980, unsuccessfully, and eventually returned to politics as a State Representative, where he chaired the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Hobson won reelection to the office of Pro Tem, but resigned shortly thereafter during the legislative session in 2005 due to personal issues. Hobson in 2006 sought unsuccessfully to be the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor.

Four Presidents pro tempore have served two consecutive terms and two have served three consecutive terms. Currently, Stratton Taylor of Claremore holds the record of four consecutive terms. Senator Taylor held the office for eight years, 1995 to 2003, serving as the President pro tempore under the entire administration of Governor Frank Keating.

[edit] Powers

The President pro tempore holds a variety of powers in addition to the role as presiding officer of the Senate. The President pro tempore assigns other members to assume the chair in his absence (which is very common). The President pro tempore rarely presides except for ceremonial duties and to preside over major policy initiatives. Before any member may speak, he must seek the presiding officer's recognition. The presiding officer may call on members as he pleases, and may therefore control the flow of debate. The presiding officer decides all questions of orders during debate, seats in the camber, calls members to order for violating rules, and approves all claims for supplies and services. He is responsible for maintaining decorum in the Senate, and enforces the rules. On the floor of the Senate, the presiding officer is always addressed as "Mister President" (even if the President himself is not the individual presiding).

William J. Holloway was the tenth President pro tempore and eighth Governor of Oklahoma.
William J. Holloway was the tenth President pro tempore and eighth Governor of Oklahoma.

The President's powers and duties extend beyond presiding in the chamber. In particular, he has great influence over the committee process. The President appoints all members of committees and assigns all bills to whichever committee he wishes to allow consideration.

As a member of the Senate, the President pro tempore is entitled to participate in debate and to vote. The President pro tempore is rarely found on the floor other than to cast a vote. The duties of the office require him to spend most of his time off the floor. Unlike the Speaker of the House, the President pro tempore must actually come to the floor of the Senate to announce his vote, where the Speaker is able to activate an electronic voting device from within his office for convenience.

[edit] Other Duties

The Legislature may be called into special session by a written call, with specifically set out in the call, with a signed call by two-thirds of the members of the Senate and two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives. After the number of Senators and Representatives is met, the call is filed with the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives who must issue a joint order for the convening of the special session.

According to Section 16 of Article Six of the Oklahoma Constitution, the President pro tempore is second in line to succeed to the Governorship in the event of a vacancy in the office. First in line is the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, then the President pro tempore, followed by the Speaker of the House. No President pro tempore has become the Governor through succession.

[edit] List of Presidents pro tempore

The complete (as of 2007) list of Presidents pro tempore is below. Note: All locations are in Oklahoma.

# President pro tempore Party Hometown Legislature Start of service End of service
1 Henry S. Johnston Democrat Perry 1st 1907 1909
2 J.C. Graham Democrat Marietta 2nd 1909 1911
3 J. Elmer Thomas Democrat Lawton 3rd 1911 1913
4 C.B. Kendrick Democrat Ardmore 4th 1913 1915
5 E.L. Mitchell Democrat Cheyenne 5th 1915 1917
6 C.W. Board Democrat Okemah 6th 1917 1919
7 R.L. Davidson Democrat Tulsa 7th 1919 1921
8 T.C. Simpson Democrat Thomas 8th 1921 1923
9 Tom Anglin Democrat Holdenville 9th 1923 1925
10 William J. Holloway Democrat Hugo 10th 1925 1927
11 Mac Q. Williamson Democrat Pauls Valley 11th 1927 1929
12 C.S. Storms Democrat Waurika 12th 1929 1931
13 W.G. Stigler Democrat Stigler 13th 1931 1933
14 Paul Stewart Democrat Antlers 14th 1933 1935
15 Claud Briggs Democrat Wilburton 15th 1935 1937
16 Allen G. Nichols Democrat Wewoka 16th 1937 1939
17 Jim A. Rinehart Democrat El Reno 17th 1939 1941
18 H.M. Curnutt Democrat Barnsdall 18th 1941 1941
19 Ray C. Jones Democrat Barnsdall 18th 1941 1942
20 Tom Anglin Democrat Holdenville 19th 1943 1945
21 Homer Paul Democrat Pauls Valley 20th 1945 1947
22 James C. Nance Democrat Purcell 21st 1947 1949
23 Bill Logan Democrat Lawton 22nd 1949 1951
24 Boyd Cowden Democrat Chandler 23rd 1951 1953
25 Raymond Gary Democrat Madill 24th 1953 1955
26 Ray Fine Democrat Gore 25th 1955 1957
27 Don Baldwin Democrat Anadarko 26th 1957 1959
28 Harold Garvin Democrat Duncan 27th 1959 1961
29 Everett C. Boecher Democrat Sapulpa 28th 1961 1963
30 Roy C. Boecher Democrat Kingfisher 29th 1963 1965
31 Clem McSpadden Democrat Chelsea 30th 1965 1969
31st
32 Finis Smith Democrat Tulsa 32nd 1969 1973
33rd
33 James E. Hamilton Democrat Poteau 34th 1973 1975
34 Gene C. Howard Democrat Tulsa 35th 1975 1981
36th
37th
35 Marvin York Democrat Oklahoma City 38th 1981 1985
39th
36 Rodger A. Randle Democrat Tulsa 40th 1985 1988
41st
37 Robert V. Cullison Democrat Skiatook 42nd 1988 1995
43rd
44th
38 Stratton Taylor Democrat Claremore 45th 1995 2003
46th
47th
48th
39 Cal Hobson Democrat Lexington 49th 2003 2005
40 Mike Morgan Democrat Stillwater 50th 2005 July 1, 2007
51st
41 Glenn Coffee Republican Oklahoma City 51st July 1, 2007 July 31, 2007
42 Mike Morgan Democrat Stillwater 51st August 1, 2007 Present