Time Running Out On Legislature: Senate Republicans Call For Reform

OKLAHOMA CITY - With some 250 bills in conference committee still awaiting final action, and another 171 in various GCCA subcommittees, Republican lawmakers complain legislators simply will not have enough time to give careful consideration to each piece of legislation.

"When you take into account the number of bills remaining, and the fact that we only have two weeks left, we'll only have a few minutes to deliberate each of these measures. We know for a fact from past experience that this isn't the best way to run state government," complained Senator Carol Martin.

Martin, Senate Minority Whip pointed out these conference committees are held in secret behind closed doors preventing public input and purposely keeping the media from scrutinizing these public officials and keeping them accountable.

"While it sounds like some far off third world dictatorship, it's really the Oklahoma legislature as work begins in conference committee to finalize these bills," said Martin.

"Too often after the session has ended, we learn some of these bills had serious flaws in them, or were designed in such a way to directly benefit the districts of a privelaged few Senators in leadership" noted Senator Martin.

Martin says these problems could be corrected with the adoption of the Republican Legislative Reform Plan. Under this plan, the legislature would adopt a two-year budget cycle for all state agencies.

"I think this would give us an opportunity to more closely examine the actual needs of these state agencies, better prioritize spending, and give us more time to deal with important issues like education, economic development, public safety and family issues, " noted Martin.

"The present system doesn't serve the best interest of our state. Procrastinating for weeks, then holding secret meetings to write legislation in the waning hours of the session is no way to do the people's business," said Martin.