Statewide Term Limits Proposal Passes Senate

The Oklahoma Senate voted today to send a proposal for term limits for statewide officials to a vote of the people.

Senator Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, successfully attached an amendment to SB 1987 for a legislative referendum that would place a 12 year limit on the terms of Oklahoma’s statewide elected officials.

Brogdon’s proposal was adopted on a bipartisan 26 to 22 vote, with 2 Democrats joining all 24 Republican senators in support of the amendment. After adoption of the amendment, the Senate voted 31 to 17 for SB 1987.

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OFRG Urges Term Limits Approval

Oklahomans for Responsible Government (OFRG), the new taxpayer advocacy group that promotes fiscal responsibility, accountability and transparency in state government, today urged the Oklahoma House of Representatives to approve a term limits bill for statewide elected officials.

By a 5-4 vote Monday, the House Rules Committee approved House Joint Resolution 1078 by state Rep. Trebor Worthen (R-Oklahoma City).

Worthen's bill would let Oklahoma voters decide whether to establish term limits for the offices of Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor and Inspector, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner, State Treasurer, Labor Commissioner and the members of the Corporation Commission.

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Democrats Kill Term Limits Bill; Brogdon, Sweeden Exchange Words Over Action

Democrats on the Senate Rules Committee killed legislation Wednesday that would have sent term limits for statewide officials to a vote of the people and two senators exchanged words over the action.

SJR 33 by Senator Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, would have put a 12 year term limit on Oklahoma's statewide elected officials except the governor if approved by voters.

Governors are already limited to 2 terms (8 years) of service, and state legislators are already limited to 12 years of service.

"Senate Democrats killed the chance for the people to vote to apply the same term limits on statewide officials that currently exist for state legislators," Brogdon said.

"Term limits have brought fresh ideas to the state legislature, and I believe term limits would have a similarly positive effect on statewide offices," he stated. "The Democrats' blatantly partisan attempt to protect career politicians is very disappointing."

Democrat Joe Sweeden responded that, “If Senator Brogdon were truly serious about term limits for statewide elected officials, he would trust Oklahomans to begin their own initiative petition process, rather than use government to interfere with the decisions made by Oklahomans every four years at the ballot box. Unlike Senator Brogdon and the Republican members of the Senate Rules committee who voted for the bill today, we don’t believe it is government’s responsibility to take the rights away of Oklahomans to make their own decision when they exercise their right to vote. We didn’t see a big push for term limits on statewide elected officials when Republicans held key statewide offices and I think everyone can see his bill for exactly what it is: sour grapes over a 2006 election year gone bad for Republicans across the nation and what is shaping up to be a momentous election year for Democrats in 2008.”

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Reynolds: Kill Easley's Term Limits Repealer

State Sen. Mary Easley's legislation to repeal Oklahoma's term-limit law should be shot down as soon as possible, Rep. Mike Reynolds said today.

"If Senator Easley is going to run a constitutional amendment, it should probably lift the requirement that senators live in their district since she apparently doesn't live in hers," Reynolds said.

"Frankly, Senator Easley shouldn't have been eligible to run for her seat in 2006 and she will likely have to resign midterm because her 12 years will be up in 2008."

Reynolds noted that Easley first won her Senate seat when her son, Kevin, resigned from the Senate to become head of the Grand River Dam Authority. Before he resigned, Kevin Easley drafted legislation to get rid of the old GRDA board members and reappoint a new board that proved willing to appoint him to the position in possible violation of a Constitutional prohibition on lawmakers working for the state within two years of leaving office.

Reynolds predicted Easley's term-limits bill will "never see the light of day" in the 2008 Legislature "nor should it."

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Laughlin Says Term Limits 'A Great Thing'

Term-limited State Senator Owen Laughlin is about to enter his final year in office, and he believes legislative term limits have been a great thing for Oklahoma, he said today.

Laughlin said he is disappointed that a senior Democrat Senator, Mary Easley of Tulsa, has introduced a bill for the 2008 legislative session that would repeal term limits for state legislators.

“Term limits were overwhelmingly approved by the people, and they have been a wonderful thing for the Legislature and for the state of Oklahoma. Getting rid of term limits would be a very bad idea,” stated Laughlin, R-Woodward, the Senate’s Republican floor leader.

“Thanks to term limits, the Oklahoma Legislature has attracted new legislators who have experience in the ‘real-world.’ There is a different mindset because the newer legislators have come here to serve for a finite time, and to make a difference. They don’t want to make a career out of being in the Legislature,” Laughlin said.

He noted that the change of leadership at the Legislature is a positive development for the state.

“The Legislature now has a new generation of leaders who are energetic and forward-thinking. We’re considering fresh ideas and dynamic reforms that would not have seen the light of day back when members of the ‘Old Guard’ dominated the Capitol,” Laughlin said.

“I can’t think of a single good reason to repeal term limits,” Laughlin stated. “If anything, we need to look for ways to expand term limits to other offices in our state.”

Easley’s legislation is Senate Joint Resolution 35.

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