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Oklahoma State Senate
| Oklahoma State Senate | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Upper house |
| Term limits: | 12 year cumulative total, in either or both chambers |
| 2012 session start: | February 6, 2012 |
| Website: | Official Senate Page |
| Leadership | |
| Senate President: | Brian Bingman, (R) |
| Majority Leader: | Mike Schulz, (R) |
| Minority leader: | Sean Burrage, (D) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 48 |
| Democratic Party (16) Republican Party (32) | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Art V, Oklahoma Constitution |
| Salary: | $38,400/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 2, 2010 (24 seats) |
| Next election: | November 6, 2012 (24 seats) |
| Redistricting: | Oklahoma Legislature has control |
Meeting place: | |
Contents |
Each member represents an average of 78,153 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[1] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 71,889 residents.[2]
The senators serve four-year terms with term limits.[3]
The composition of each district is outlined in the Oklahoma Constitution, Section V-9a, which states:
the nineteen most populous counties, as determined by the most recent Federal Decennial Census, shall constitute nineteen senatorial districts with one senator to be nominated and elected from each district; the fifty-eight less populous counties shall be joined into twenty-nine two-county districts with one senator to be nominated and elected from each of the two-county districts. [4]
Sessions
Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution establishes when the Oklahoma State Legislature, of which the Senate 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 Senate 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.[5]
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the Senate was in session from February 7 through May 27. [6]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the Senate was in session from February 1 to May 28.[7]
Elections
2012
Elections for the office of Oklahoma State Senate will be held in Oklahoma on November 6, 2012. A total of 24 seats will be up for election.
The signature filing deadline is June 6, 2012.
Oklahoma state senators are subject to term limits, and may not serve more than 12 years total in any chamber of the state legislature. In 2012, 2 state senators will be termed-out: Jim Wilson and Jonathan Nichols.
2010
- See also: Oklahoma State Senate elections, 2010
Elections for the office of Oklahoma's State Senate 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 State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 1, 2010 | After the 2010 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 22 | 16 | |
| Republican Party | 26 | 32 | |
| Total | 48 | 48 | |
In 2010, the candidates for state senate raised a total of $4,964,645 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [8]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Brinkley, Rick | $114,000 |
| Allen, Mark & Nikki | $105,155 |
| Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma | $96,500 |
| Allen, Mark Dean | $92,186 |
| Ivester, Thomas | $90,000 |
| Chickasaw Nation | $83,250 |
| Chesapeake Energy | $67,500 |
| Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association | $66,500 |
| Oklahoma Public Employees Association | $66,000 |
| Working Oklahomans Alliance | $50,000 |
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 Senate, 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[9].
The only exception to the March 1st deadline is for Senators who resign with two or more years left in their term during an election year. If the resignation was announced before June 1st and the effective date is scheduled for after the general election, a special election can be called[10].
The person who wins the special election serves for the remainder of the unexpired term[11].
Term limits
- See also: State legislatures with term limits
The Oklahoma legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Oklahoma Term Limits Act in 1990. That initiative says that Oklahoma state legislators senators are subject to term limits of no more than twelve years in the Oklahoma State Legislature. These 12 years can be served in any combination of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
The first year that the term limits enacted in 1990 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2004.[12]
Senators
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.[13]
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.[14][15]
When sworn in
Oklahoma legislators assume office November 17th.
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
| Party | As of May 2012 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 16 | |
| Republican Party | 32 | |
| Total | 48 | |
List of current members
Leadership
The Lieutenant Governor serves as President of the Senate, but has rarely presided over the senate session since the 1960's. The President Pro Tempore is chosen by the members of the Senate and acts as chief executive officer of the Senate. The majority and minority caucuses choose their leaders.[16] As of January 4, 2011, the new senate had chosen its new leaders.
Current leadership
2010 Leadership
Standing committees
The Oklahoma Senate has fifteen standing senate committees. They are:[17]
- Agriculture and Rural Development
- Appropriations
- Business and Labor
- Education
- Energy
- Finance
- General Government
- Health and Human Services
- Judiciary
- Public Safety and Homeland Security
- Retirement and Insurance
- Rules
- Tourism and Wildlife
- Transportation
- Veterans and Military Affairs
External links
- Oklahoma Senate official government website
- Vote Smart profile of Oklahoma Senate
- Wikipedia:Oklahoma Senate
- Senate rules
References
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ List of state legislative term limits
- ↑ Section V-9A: Senatorial districts - Tenure
- ↑ 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 Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Justia "Oklahoma Statutes"(Referenced Statute 26-12-106(A), Oklahoma Statutes)
- ↑ Justia "Oklahoma Statutes"(Referenced Statute 26-12-106(B), Oklahoma Statutes)
- ↑ Justia "Oklahoma Statutes"(Referenced Statute 26-12-105, Oklahoma Statutes)
- ↑ State legislative term limits
- ↑ 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"
- ↑ Oklahoma Senate Leadership
- ↑ Oklahoma Senate,"Standing Committees," retrieved August 11, 2009
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