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Oklahoma House of Representatives
| Oklahoma House of Representatives | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Lower house |
| Term limits: | 12 year cumulative total, in either or both chambers |
| 2012 session start: | February 6, 2012 |
| Website: | Official House Page |
| Leadership | |
| House Speaker: | Kris Steele, (R) |
| Majority Leader: | Dale DeWitt, (R) |
| Minority leader: | Scott Inman, (D) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 101 |
| Democratic Party (31) Republican Party (67) Vacancy (3) | |
| Length of term: | 2 years |
| Authority: | Art V, Oklahoma Constitution |
| Salary: | $38,400/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 2, 2010 (101 seats) |
| Next election: | November 6, 2012 (101 seats) |
| Redistricting: | Legislature draws boundaries first |
Contents |
In Oklahoma, representatives serve two-year terms with a limit of a combined total of twelve years served in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Sessions
Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution establishes when the Oklahoma State Legislature, of which the House of Representatives is a part, is to be in session. Section 26 of Article V states that the Legislature is to meet in regular session on the first Monday in February of each year, and it is to adjourn its regular session by the last Friday in May of each year. Additionally, Section 26 also states that the Legislature is to meet for organizational purposes on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in January of each odd-numbered year.
Section 27 of Article V contains the rules for convening special sessions of the Legislature. Section 27 allows a special session to be called by the Governor of Oklahoma or by a written call signed by two-thirds of the members of both legislative houses.
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the House will be in session from February 6 through May 25.
Major issues
The main issue for 2012 is expected to be an overhaul of the state's tax code, which includes cutting the individual income tax. Republican legislative leaders and Governor Mary Fallin contend cutting the tax would make the state more business friendly and attract more companies to the state.[3]
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the House was in session from February 7 through May 27. [4]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the House was in session from February 1 to May 28.[5]
Elections
2012
Elections for the office of Oklahoma House of Representatives will be held in Oklahoma on November 6, 2012. All 101 seats will be up for election.
The signature filing deadline for candidates in these elections is June 6, 2012.
Oklahoma state representatives are subject to term limits, and may not serve more than 12 years between both chambers of the state legislature. In 2012, 6 state representatives will be termed-out of office.
2010
Elections for the office of Oklahoma's House of Representatives were held in Oklahoma on November 2, 2010.
The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was June 9, 2010. The primary election day was July 27, 2010.
The partisan breakdown of the senate before and after the election is as follows:
| Oklahoma House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 1, 2010 | After the 2010 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 39 | 31 | |
| Republican Party | 62 | 70 | |
| Total | 101 | 101 | |
In 2010, the candidates for state house raised a total of $8,005,830 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [6]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chickasaw Nation | $261,500 |
| Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma | $258,400 |
| Dank, David | $163,077 |
| Cherokee Nation | $141,000 |
| Pruett, Raymond (RC) C | $133,150 |
| Chesapeake Energy | $102,000 |
| Oklahoma Public Employees Association | $93,750 |
| Oklahoma Society of Anesthesiologists | $91,000 |
| Oklahoma Association of Realtors | $83,150 |
| Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians | $80,550 |
Qualifications
Article 5, Section 17 of the Oklahoma Constitution states: Members of the Senate shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and members of the House of Representatives twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. They shall be qualified electors in their respective counties or districts and shall reside in their respective counties or districts during their term of office.
Vacancies
| How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures |
 |
If there is a vacancy in the House, the Governor must call for a special election no later than 30 days after the vacancy happened. No special election can be called if the vacancy happens after March 1st during the year the seat is set to expire[7].
The person who wins the special election serves for the remainder of the unexpired term[8].
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
| Party | As of May 2012 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 31 | |
| Republican Party | 68 | |
| Vacancy | 2 | |
| Total | 101 | |
Representatives
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2011, members of the Oklahoma Legislature are paid $38,400/year during legislative sessions. Legislators receive $132/day per diem tied to the federal rate.[9]
The $38,400/year that Oklahoma legislators are paid as of 2011 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem has increased from $122/day in 2007 to $150/day in 2010 and decreased to $132/day in 2011.[10][11]
When sworn in
Oklahoma legislators assume office November 17th.
Current members
Leadership
The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body. Duties of the Speaker include preserving order and decorum, referring proposed legislation to committee, and signing bills, resolutions, and papers.[12][13][14]
Current leadership
2010 Leadership
Standing committees
The Oklahoma House has the following 19 standing committees:
- Administrative Rules and Government Oversight Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Agriculture, Wildlife, and Environment Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Appropriations & Budget Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Common Education Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Economic Development, Tourism and Financial Services Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Energy & Utility Regulation Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- General Government Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Government Modernization Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Higher Education & Career Tech Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Human Services Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Insurance Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Judiciary Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Long-Term Care & Senior Services Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Public Health Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Public Safety Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Redistricting Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Rules Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Transportation Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Veterans & Military Affairs Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
External links
- Official website of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Official list of the current members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Project Vote Smart on the Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Oklahoma House of Representatives on Wikipedia
References
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ NewsOn6, "Tax Plans Likely To Be Focus Of 2012 Oklahoma Legislative Session," February 5, 2012
- ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
- ↑ 2010 session dates for Oklahoma legislature
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Oklahoma House 2010 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Justia "Oklahoma Statutes"(Referenced Statute 26-12-106(A), Oklahoma Statutes)
- ↑ Justia "Oklahoma Statutes"(Referenced Statute 26-12-105, Oklahoma Statutes)
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
- ↑ Rules of the Oklahoma House of Representatives - Duties and Rights of the Speaker
- ↑ Oklahoma House Majority Leadership
- ↑ Oklahoma House Minority Leadership
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