Press Releases

Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman comments on U.S. Senior District Judge Terence Kern’s ruling today regarding Oklahoma’s constitutional ban on gay marriage, which was approved by 76 percent of Oklahoma voters in 2004.

Sen. Ralph Shortey today said any potential increase in tax rates on horizontal drilling would have an adverse effect on the energy industry, and economic growth in Oklahoma.

A tax incentive establishing a one percent tax on horizontal wells is set to expire in 2015, and would rise to seven percent if allowed to sunset. Shortey said that if lawmakers are truly committed to creating a more pro-growth environment in Oklahoma, they must continue working to eliminate barriers to development like higher taxes and excessive regulation.
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Sen. Patrick Anderson has filed legislation that would allow Oklahoma voters to reduce the size of the Legislature by 101 members. Senate Joint Resolution 43 would send to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment creating a unicameral Legislature consisting of 48 legislators.

Transitioning to a unicameral Legislature would reduce costs, while providing increased transparency and procedural openness, Anderson said. The Nebraska Legislature has operated as a unicameral body with just 49 legislators since 1937.
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While the Oklahoma legislature cant pull the plug on the National Security Agency (NSA), Sen. Nathan Dahm believes the state does have the ability to make it more difficult for them to use unconstitutionally gathered information against citizens.

Dahm, R-Tulsa, is the son of missionaries and grew up in Eastern Europe where governments routinely spied on their own citizens and encouraged citizens to spy and inform on one another.

I have noticed that when our members of Congress fail to support issues important to us or support ones we dislike, we have no problem publicly chastising them.  As Americans, this is our right, and I am grateful we live in a country where we can speak out without fear of reprisal.  However, I wonder if we spend the same amount of time thanking them when they vote in ways we agree with.