Oklahoma Legislature Rubber Stamps 99% of 2024 Legislation Heard
And what about the bills that were not heard, you ask? The other legislation that wasn’t heard (well over half of all the legislation introduced in 2024) died quietly and never even received a vote. So much for deliberation.
The Oklahoma legislature is not a deliberative body. It is a hirearchy of power wherein the few oppress the many, and the constituents get only the crumbs.
What is The Problem?
A Disparity of Representation.
Many legislators and subsequently districts through out the state of Oklahoma go completely unrepresented. The legislative rules which most Oklahomans are completely unaware of sanction the situation. Only after the rules are reformed will we see meaningful reform in our state government. The following reports seek to demonstrate the problems that exist in the Oklahoma legislature.
* Notes for viewing reports. Names of legislators in red are republicans; those in blue are democrats. Tables are sorted by yellow columns. This report consists only of bills and joint resolutions introduced in 2024.
Reports
Senate Authors of Senate Measures
The Senate failed to hear 50.23% of all legislation introduced in the Senate. The pass rate for the measures heard was over 99%. Bills that leadership doesn’t want to hear are swept quietly under the rug so that they never see the light of day. Many of the measures that were never heard are the ones that would actually reform government. This is standard operating procedure according to the current Senate rules.
Senate Authors of House Measures
Twenty-four out of the 48 senators in the Oklahoma Senate carried over 88% of all House measures introduced in 2024. The pass rate was 99.28%. Only one House measure was killed on the Senate floor.
Senate Authors of Measures from Both Chambers (Combined Report)
Ten Senate districts in the state of Oklahoma were represented with less than 3% of the legislation heard in Senate committees. Conversely, ten Senate districts in the state of Oklahoma combined had 44% of all legislation heard in Senate committees. These are not just Senators. Each of these two groups represent more than 800,000 Oklahomans. Which group would you like to be in?
House Authors of House Measures
Of the 1,228 House measures introduced, only 474 were heard in committee. Surprisingly, not one measure failed in committee. The other 754 were not scheduled for hearing by the committee chairman and died quietly due to procedural deadlines without ever receiving a vote.
House Authors of Senate Measures
Of the 233 Senate measures heard in House committees, 100% were once again given the green light. Fourteen of the 101 House representatives carried over 50% of all Senate measures heard.
House Authors of Measures from Both Chambers (Combined Report)
Of all measures available to be heard in the Oklahoma House, 52.74% never received a hearing. Out of 707 total committee votes, not one time did the reds outnumber the greens. The purpose for committees to exist is to vet bills prior to being heard on the floor, but it seems the Oklahoma House has fallen short.
What is the Fix? Reform the Rules.
According to the Oklahoma Constitution, every other year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January the legislature must convene. On this day each chamber adopts Rules by which each will operate for the next two years. The culture of the Oklahoma legislature currently is one that disallows some districts from ever having a seat, all the while ensuring that other districts sit at the head of the table. Some would blame this on the Pro-Tempore who is the elected leader of the Senate, but the individual who occupies that position only has as much power as what the rules give him.
Write the right rules and the character of the Pro-Tempore matters not. Write the wrong rules and we are helplessly dependent on the whim of one man for the next two years.
We claim that the following rules are the “right” rules. These rules have been written in such a way as to provide each district in the State with an equality of Representation. They do not pick winners and losers but rather give all legislators and all legislation an equal opportunity.
These rules were adapted using the framework of the Senate rules from the 59th Legislature. We advocate that these rules be adopted in the Oklahoma Senate over the current establishment rules in the upcoming Legislative session. We would advocate also that the current House rules be amended with the principles embodied in the following rules package.
The following sheet consists of an alternative rules package in the left column, a brief commentary in the center and the current Senate rules in the right column. We hope the differences and advantages are strikingly obvious.
Endorsements
The Golden Rules have been endorsed by these individuals or political entities.
Action Item
Call your legislative candidates before the next election and ask them if they will support the current establishment rules or if they will support The Golden Rules…and then vote accordingly!
Who We Are
Brady Butler ran for State Senate in 2022 on a platform to reform the Oklahoma Senate rules. He also worked as the Executive Assistant to State Senator Dusty Deevers during the 2nd half of the 59th Legislature. Deevers commissioned Butler to produce the above reports demonstrating the disparity in the Oklahoma legislature and to write an alternative rules package. The Golden Rules are the fruit of that labor.
Contact Info
580-330-3337
Golden Rules OK 