Senate Co-President Comments on Tie Vote

State Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, issued the following statement regarding the first tie vote to occur under the evenly divided Senates power-sharing agreement.

First of all, the process worked as the framers of our constitution intended. There was a tie vote and the lieutenant governor exercised her authority as president of the Senate to break the tie.

Second, its important to note that many senators were concerned by Senate Bill 1550s provisions that put burdensome and costly paperwork requirements on many small businesses, sole proprietors, and direct sellers such as stay-at-home moms who sell products like Amway or Herbalife, Coffee said.

Note to editor: The initial vote on SB 1550 showed 24 voting aye, and 24 voting nay, mostly along party lines. (Two Democrats voted against the bill. Two Republicans voted it for it.) Democrat Lt. Gov. Jari Askins broke the tie with an aye vote.