Senate Power-Sharing Accord Reached
DEVELOPING ~ Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan and Republican leader Glenn Coffee announced this afternoon they will share Senate leadership duties. Democrat Morgan will remain as president pro tem of the evenly split (24-24) Senate, with Coffee as co-president pro tem.
Here is the agreement: The Oklahoma State Senate has a rich history as the model of civility, stability, and leadership in our state government. Now, as Oklahoma prepares to enter its second century, history has been made by the creation of an unprecedented 24 to 24 tie in the State Senate. The 2007 legislative session will be the first time that an equal number of Democratic and Republican state senators have been seated in this august legislative body. While some skeptics have seen this historic equilibrium as a recipe for gridlock, we view it as an opportunity to work together to do the people’s business. Therefore, in order to ensure that the Oklahoma State Senate continues to function as the Oklahoma Legislature’s center of debate and deliberation, we, the members of the Oklahoma State Senate, set forth the following agreement and pledge to conduct the people’s business in a fair and impartial manner, to work in good faith and to honor both the letter and the spirit of this agreement.
1. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE and CO-PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE a. One member nominated by the Democratic Party shall be elected to serve as President Pro Tempore from January 2, 2007 through June 30, 2007 and from August 1, 2007 through November 19, 2008, and shall be elected to serve as co-President Pro Tempore from July 1, 2007 through July 31, 2007. b. One member nominated by the Republican Party shall be elected to serve as co-President Pro Tempore from January 2, 2007 through June 30, 2007 and from August 1, 2007 through November 19, 2008, and shall be elected to serve as President Pro Tempore from July 1, 2007 through July 31, 2007. c. The administrative duties imposed upon the President Pro Tempore by the Senate Rules shall be exercised jointly by the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore. d. The President Pro Tempore shall not exercise his appointment authority to boards, commissions, and other entities without the prior agreement of the co-President Pro Tempore. This provision shall not apply to appointment authority specifically granted in this agreement which is to be exercised solely by the President Pro Tempore or the co-President Pro Tempore.
2. CO-PRESIDING OFFICERS a. The President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore shall serve as co-presiding officers of the Senate during its daily sessions but may designate other members of the Senate to serve as presiding officers. b. The co-presiding officers shall serve individually when the Senate is in daily session and shall alternate daily. c. The designated co-presiding officers shall perform the duties traditionally associated with the position as provided in the Senate Rules.
3. CO-FLOOR LEADERS a. The President Pro Tempore shall designate a floor leader from his political party. b. The co-President Pro Tempore shall designate a floor leader from his political party. c. The co-floor leaders jointly shall determine the order in which legislation is considered by the Senate. d. If the co-floor leaders cannot agree on the order in which legislation is determined, such determination shall be made jointly by the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore. e. The co-floor leaders shall serve individually when the Senate is in daily session and shall alternate daily. The Republican floor leader shall serve on days when a Democrat is serving as presiding officer. The Democratic floor leader shall serve on days when a Republican is serving as presiding officer. f. Measures on general order shall be heard unless the party leader of the author requests the measure not be heard.
4. ORGANIZATION OF STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE a. Each standing committee shall be composed of an equal number of members from each political party. b. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint the standing committee members from his political party. The co-President Pro Tempore shall appoint the standing committee members from his political party. c. Each standing committee shall have co-chairs from each political party. d. Unless they otherwise agree, the co-chairs shall alternate the duty to preside over their committees from meeting to meeting. e. The co-chairs shall jointly schedule special meetings and jointly cancel any meeting. f. There shall be no ex officio voting members of any committee. g. Measures shall be assigned to committees jointly by the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore. If they cannot agree on an assignment, the measure shall be sent to the Rules Committee; provided, however, each leader shall have the right each year to assign to the committees of his choice three (3) Senate measures and three (3) House measures authored by members of his political party without the assent of the other. h. A committee agenda shall be determined by joint agreement of that committee’s co-chairs; provided, however, each co-chair shall have the right to place on the agenda each year three (3) Senate and three (3) House measures authored by members of his or her political party without the assent of the other. i. Any measure assigned to a committee agenda by a co-chair without the assent of his or her co-chair shall be communicated in writing by the assigning co-chair to his or her co-chair and to the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the committee meeting at which the measures are scheduled to be heard. j. Subsection D of Rule 7-7 of Senate Rules 2005-2006 shall remain in effect during the term of this agreement. “D. A quorum shall be present when any committee votes on any matter. Any member of a committee may request a quorum call at any time the committee is meeting. A number equal to a majority of the appointed members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.” k. Paragraph 9 of subsection F of Rule 7-7 of Senate Rules 2005-2006 shall remain in effect during the term of this agreement. “F. When considering legislation or conducting other business, committees shall observe the following procedures: . . .9. The vote on a recommendation by the committee to the Senate concerning a legislative measure shall be by recorded roll call and shall require a majority vote of a quorum of the members of the committee for passage. The only permitted recommendations to the Senate on a legislative measure are DO PASS or DO PASS, AS AMENDED.” l. A tie vote in a committee on the motion of “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED” shall result in failure of the motion. m. All committee votes on the motion of “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED” shall be entered in the Journal.
5. ORGANIZATION OF SUBCOMMITTEES OF THE SENATE a. Each subcommittee shall be composed of an equal number of members from each political party. b. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint the subcommittee members of his political party. The co-President Pro Tempore shall appoint the subcommittee members from his political party. c. Each subcommittee shall have co-chairs from each political party. d. Unless they otherwise agree, the co-chairs shall alternate the duty to preside over their committees from meeting to meeting. e. The co-chairs shall jointly schedule special meetings and jointly cancel any meeting.
6. OTHER COMMITTEES Conference Committees shall be composed of three (3) members from the Democratic Party and three (3) members from the Republican Party unless the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore agree otherwise. a. Joint Committees and any other committee composed of members of the Senate shall be composed of an equal number of members from each political party. b. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint the members from his political party. The co-President Pro Tempore shall appoint the members from his political party. c. The committees shall have co-chairs from each political party.
7. FINAL ACTION If final action is such as to defeat a bill or resolution, no other bill or resolution having the same effect and covering the same specific subject matter shall be considered by the Senate during either session of the current Legislature, unless the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore agree otherwise. Action constituting “final action” includes: failure of the motion “Do Pass” or “Do Pass as Amended” in a committee, if a motion to reconsider the vote on Third Reading or Fourth Reading fails to prevail, if a motion to table the motion to reconsider prevails, or if a vote is taken on Third Reading or Fourth Reading and no notice is served to reconsider the vote.
8. LEADERSHIP STAFF The President Pro Tempore and co-President Pro Tempore shall be allocated equal budgets for the staffing of leadership personnel.
9. AMENDMENTS a. It is agreed that a Senate Rule will be adopted to provide a two-day notice to members prior to the consideration of an amendment on the floor and a one-day notice on any amendment to a proposed floor amendment. b. The terms of this agreement may be amended upon two-thirds vote of the members of the Senate.
10. CONFLICT Where there is a conflict between the terms of this agreement and the Senate Rules, the terms of this agreement supersede the Senate Rules.
11. TERMINATION In the event a Senate seat becomes vacant and a special election results in either party reaching twenty-five members or more, this agreement shall terminate, otherwise this agreement shall terminate on November 20, 2008.
Here is the agreement: The Oklahoma State Senate has a rich history as the model of civility, stability, and leadership in our state government. Now, as Oklahoma prepares to enter its second century, history has been made by the creation of an unprecedented 24 to 24 tie in the State Senate. The 2007 legislative session will be the first time that an equal number of Democratic and Republican state senators have been seated in this august legislative body. While some skeptics have seen this historic equilibrium as a recipe for gridlock, we view it as an opportunity to work together to do the people’s business. Therefore, in order to ensure that the Oklahoma State Senate continues to function as the Oklahoma Legislature’s center of debate and deliberation, we, the members of the Oklahoma State Senate, set forth the following agreement and pledge to conduct the people’s business in a fair and impartial manner, to work in good faith and to honor both the letter and the spirit of this agreement.
1. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE and CO-PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE a. One member nominated by the Democratic Party shall be elected to serve as President Pro Tempore from January 2, 2007 through June 30, 2007 and from August 1, 2007 through November 19, 2008, and shall be elected to serve as co-President Pro Tempore from July 1, 2007 through July 31, 2007. b. One member nominated by the Republican Party shall be elected to serve as co-President Pro Tempore from January 2, 2007 through June 30, 2007 and from August 1, 2007 through November 19, 2008, and shall be elected to serve as President Pro Tempore from July 1, 2007 through July 31, 2007. c. The administrative duties imposed upon the President Pro Tempore by the Senate Rules shall be exercised jointly by the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore. d. The President Pro Tempore shall not exercise his appointment authority to boards, commissions, and other entities without the prior agreement of the co-President Pro Tempore. This provision shall not apply to appointment authority specifically granted in this agreement which is to be exercised solely by the President Pro Tempore or the co-President Pro Tempore.
2. CO-PRESIDING OFFICERS a. The President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore shall serve as co-presiding officers of the Senate during its daily sessions but may designate other members of the Senate to serve as presiding officers. b. The co-presiding officers shall serve individually when the Senate is in daily session and shall alternate daily. c. The designated co-presiding officers shall perform the duties traditionally associated with the position as provided in the Senate Rules.
3. CO-FLOOR LEADERS a. The President Pro Tempore shall designate a floor leader from his political party. b. The co-President Pro Tempore shall designate a floor leader from his political party. c. The co-floor leaders jointly shall determine the order in which legislation is considered by the Senate. d. If the co-floor leaders cannot agree on the order in which legislation is determined, such determination shall be made jointly by the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore. e. The co-floor leaders shall serve individually when the Senate is in daily session and shall alternate daily. The Republican floor leader shall serve on days when a Democrat is serving as presiding officer. The Democratic floor leader shall serve on days when a Republican is serving as presiding officer. f. Measures on general order shall be heard unless the party leader of the author requests the measure not be heard.
4. ORGANIZATION OF STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE SENATE a. Each standing committee shall be composed of an equal number of members from each political party. b. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint the standing committee members from his political party. The co-President Pro Tempore shall appoint the standing committee members from his political party. c. Each standing committee shall have co-chairs from each political party. d. Unless they otherwise agree, the co-chairs shall alternate the duty to preside over their committees from meeting to meeting. e. The co-chairs shall jointly schedule special meetings and jointly cancel any meeting. f. There shall be no ex officio voting members of any committee. g. Measures shall be assigned to committees jointly by the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore. If they cannot agree on an assignment, the measure shall be sent to the Rules Committee; provided, however, each leader shall have the right each year to assign to the committees of his choice three (3) Senate measures and three (3) House measures authored by members of his political party without the assent of the other. h. A committee agenda shall be determined by joint agreement of that committee’s co-chairs; provided, however, each co-chair shall have the right to place on the agenda each year three (3) Senate and three (3) House measures authored by members of his or her political party without the assent of the other. i. Any measure assigned to a committee agenda by a co-chair without the assent of his or her co-chair shall be communicated in writing by the assigning co-chair to his or her co-chair and to the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the committee meeting at which the measures are scheduled to be heard. j. Subsection D of Rule 7-7 of Senate Rules 2005-2006 shall remain in effect during the term of this agreement. “D. A quorum shall be present when any committee votes on any matter. Any member of a committee may request a quorum call at any time the committee is meeting. A number equal to a majority of the appointed members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.” k. Paragraph 9 of subsection F of Rule 7-7 of Senate Rules 2005-2006 shall remain in effect during the term of this agreement. “F. When considering legislation or conducting other business, committees shall observe the following procedures: . . .9. The vote on a recommendation by the committee to the Senate concerning a legislative measure shall be by recorded roll call and shall require a majority vote of a quorum of the members of the committee for passage. The only permitted recommendations to the Senate on a legislative measure are DO PASS or DO PASS, AS AMENDED.” l. A tie vote in a committee on the motion of “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED” shall result in failure of the motion. m. All committee votes on the motion of “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED” shall be entered in the Journal.
5. ORGANIZATION OF SUBCOMMITTEES OF THE SENATE a. Each subcommittee shall be composed of an equal number of members from each political party. b. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint the subcommittee members of his political party. The co-President Pro Tempore shall appoint the subcommittee members from his political party. c. Each subcommittee shall have co-chairs from each political party. d. Unless they otherwise agree, the co-chairs shall alternate the duty to preside over their committees from meeting to meeting. e. The co-chairs shall jointly schedule special meetings and jointly cancel any meeting.
6. OTHER COMMITTEES Conference Committees shall be composed of three (3) members from the Democratic Party and three (3) members from the Republican Party unless the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore agree otherwise. a. Joint Committees and any other committee composed of members of the Senate shall be composed of an equal number of members from each political party. b. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint the members from his political party. The co-President Pro Tempore shall appoint the members from his political party. c. The committees shall have co-chairs from each political party.
7. FINAL ACTION If final action is such as to defeat a bill or resolution, no other bill or resolution having the same effect and covering the same specific subject matter shall be considered by the Senate during either session of the current Legislature, unless the President Pro Tempore and the co-President Pro Tempore agree otherwise. Action constituting “final action” includes: failure of the motion “Do Pass” or “Do Pass as Amended” in a committee, if a motion to reconsider the vote on Third Reading or Fourth Reading fails to prevail, if a motion to table the motion to reconsider prevails, or if a vote is taken on Third Reading or Fourth Reading and no notice is served to reconsider the vote.
8. LEADERSHIP STAFF The President Pro Tempore and co-President Pro Tempore shall be allocated equal budgets for the staffing of leadership personnel.
9. AMENDMENTS a. It is agreed that a Senate Rule will be adopted to provide a two-day notice to members prior to the consideration of an amendment on the floor and a one-day notice on any amendment to a proposed floor amendment. b. The terms of this agreement may be amended upon two-thirds vote of the members of the Senate.
10. CONFLICT Where there is a conflict between the terms of this agreement and the Senate Rules, the terms of this agreement supersede the Senate Rules.
11. TERMINATION In the event a Senate seat becomes vacant and a special election results in either party reaching twenty-five members or more, this agreement shall terminate, otherwise this agreement shall terminate on November 20, 2008.
Labels: Senate Leadership
posted by Mike McCarville @ 3:05 PM
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