State Feed: Oklahoma

Oklahoma: Lawmakers Look to Send Various Issues to Public Vote

AmandaKathryn — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:18:31 -0500

A ballot measure that would criminalize abortion by granting “personhood” status to a human embryo is one of nearly a dozen proposals that Oklahoma lawmakers want to send to voters in November.

The personhood amendment is similar to a proposal that was rejected by Mississippi voters last year, but the author of the Oklahoma proposal, Rep. Mike Reynolds, said Monday that he’s modified the language to specify that the measure does not apply to miscarriages or to cases where the pregnancy threatens the life of the mother.

Petition seeks to change Oklahoma's redistricting process

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:02:08 -0400

Critics of redistricting filed an initiative petition on Wednesday seeking a statewide vote on a new process. They are trying to gather nearly 83,000 signatures to get the measure on the 2012 general election ballot. If the measure is approved by voters, it would toss out the recently drawn boundaries for legislative and congressional districts.

Still Tough, But Not Any Tougher

Staff — Mon, 23 May 2011 16:26:17 -0400

Oklahoma’s legislature wrapped up its 2011 legislative session Friday, and while the state still has arguably the toughest petition process in the nation, it didn’t get any tougher this year.

Citizens in Charge Letter Increases Criticism of Oklahoma SJR 37 - Take Action

Staff — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:24:05 -0400

A letter sent Wednesday to members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives by Citizens in Charge President Paul Jacob shows increasing criticism of a plan by some Oklahoma legislators to make state petition proponents gather signatures based on congressional districts instead of statewide.

Patrick B. McGuigan of CapitolBeatOK reports:

Oklahoma Legislators Running Scared?: Something Actually Made the Ballot

Staff — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:18:01 -0400

Oklahoma already has one of the nation’s toughest petition processes: state lawmakers have suceeeded in making the process so hard that few citizen initiatives ever make the ballot. One citizen initiative, State Question 744 from the 2010 ballot, apparently has the legislature running scared.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma Senate works to restrict initiative process

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:30:43 -0500

On March 3, the Oklahoma Senate passed SJR 37, which would make it more difficult for initiatives to get on the ballot. The bill adds a U.S. House district distribution requirement. Current law requires an initiative that changes an ordinary law to get the signatures of 8% of the last gubernatorial vote. The bill would provide that the petition would need 8% in each of the five districts. This is a proposed Constitutional change, and if it passes the House as well, would go on the ballot in November 2012. The vote in the Senate was 28-15.

Read the story from Ballot Access News

Require a Plan for Initiative Funding?

Staff — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:57:25 -0500

In a story out of Oklahoma, a state representative is proposing a bill that would force those looking to put a measure on the ballot to also propose how to fund the measure. From the Tulsa Beacon:

State Question 744 could not have reached the ballot if legislation filed this month by state Rep. Pat Ownbey had been in place.
House Bill 1225 would require initiative petitions that mandate new spending to identify a funding source. Those submitting the petition would have to include a statement “outlining all sources of funding to be used in the measure.”

Oklahoma: Funding requirement for petitions goal of proposed bill

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:22:14 -0500

State Question 744 could not have reached the ballot if legislation filed this month by state Rep. Pat Ownbey had been in place. House Bill 1225 would require initiative petitions that mandate new spending to identify a funding source. Those submitting the petition would have to include a statement “outlining all sources of funding to be used in the measure.”

Read the story from the Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma: State Question 750 approved by voters

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:54:29 -0400

Oklahoma voters approved most of the 11 state questions that appeared on the ballot in the November 2nd general election. The two amendments, which addressed education spending and were the focus of statewide debates, were repelled.

Read the story from KSBI 52

VICTORY! Voters in Arizona, Oklahoma Move to Protect Petition Rights

Staff — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 09:19:14 -0400

With the defeat of two measures that would have curtailed Arizonans’ petition rights and the narrow passage of an amendment streamlining Oklahoma’s initiative process, yesterday’s election went quite well for petition rights advocates.

Editorial Supporting SQ 750 from The Oklahoman

Staff — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:09:25 -0400

The Oklahoman has an editorial out today supporting passage of SQ 750 in order to make the state initiative process more open and accessible to citizens:

Capitol Beat Oklahoma Website Story on SQ 750

Staff — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:00:26 -0400

CapitolBeatOK.com, a nonpartisan news site that provides information on Oklahoma politics had a piece Wednesday about the radio ad Citizens in Charge is currently running in the state urging a ‘YES’ vote on SQ 750:

VIDEO: 'YES' on Oklahoma SQ 750

Staff — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:47:19 -0400

Citizens in Charge is running a radio ad in Oklahoma until election day urging state voters to vote ‘YES’ on State Question 750.

If passed, State Question 750 will streamline Oklahoma’s petition signature requirements for placing measures on the ballot and make it easier for citizens to utilize the process.

PRESS RELEASE: National Group Urges 'YES' on Oklahoma SQ 750

Staff — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:19:25 -0400

(LAKE RIDGE, VA) – Today, Citizens in Charge, a national voter rights group focused on protecting the ballot initiative and referendum process, began running a radio ad in Oklahoma urging citizens to vote ‘YES’ on State Question 750.

“Oklahoma is currently the most difficult state in the country for voters to place an initiative on the ballot,” said Citizens in Charge President Paul Jacob. “State Question 750 is an opportunity to make Oklahoma’s initiative and referendum process more open and accessible to citizens.”

National Group Urges 'YES' on Oklahoma SQ 750

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:16:24 -0400

Oklahoma: Vote YES on State Question 750: Make Signature Requirements Consistent

Staff — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:06:13 -0400

Citizens in Charge takes no position whatsoever on ballot measures - either from the people or the legislature - unless they relate to the initiative or referendum process. This November one of those initiatives is Oklahoma State Question 750.

Oklahoma: Anti-Sharia initiative starts media push

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:45:34 -0400

A group vowing to fight “Islamofascism” has launched a media blitz in Oklahoma supporting a state constitutional amendment that would prohibit the courts from considering Islamic or other international law when ruling on cases in Sooner State courtrooms. The campaign by Act! For America, founded by Lebanese American journalist Brigitte Gabriel, includes a radio ad that began airing Monday, opinion articles and robo-calls from former CIA director and Tulsa native James Woolsey urging residents to vote for the ballot initiative.

Read the story from Fox News

Oklahoma: Group to file initiatives to change city government

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 12:58:02 -0400

The nonprofit corporation created by a group of Tulsans will have 90 days after the city clerk approves its charter change petitions to circulate them. The goal is to get enough signatures - about 16,500 on each petition - to place the charter changes on the November 2011 municipal general election ballot. John Brock, a businessman who is the chairman of the group, said there is “overwhelming” belief throughout Tulsa that changing the form of government will end the discord between elected city officials.

Conference Overview from Oklahoma Reporter

Staff — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:01:36 -0400

The U.S. Conference on Initiative & Referendum and 2010 Global Forum were a great success. Hundreds of citizens, activists, reporters, and scholars attended.

National Group’s TV Spot Lauds Sen. Brogdon For Protecting Petition Rights of Oklahomans

Staff — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:54:22 -0400

(LAKE RIDGE, VA) – Today, Citizens in Charge, a national voter rights group focused on the ballot initiative and referendum process, began running a television ad on FOX News in Tulsa and Oklahoma City to educate the public about State Senator Randy Brogdon’s long-standing and effective support for the citizen initiative rights of Oklahomans.