Coffee Talk

It has long been said that the Oklahoma State Senate is a place where good bills are sent to die. That has begun to change as Republicans have gained seats in the Senate in recent years, but recent events at the State Capitol are proof that there are still some legislators who do not want to relinquish that dubious distinction.

This past week, Senate Democrats decided to vote in lockstep to obstruct several conservative reforms. Republicans had proposed legislation to let the people vote on whether to extend term limits to statewide offices. When this bill first passed earlier this session, seven Democrats voted for the bill. After the Attorney General raised concerns that the referendum would apply retroactively, the principal author of the measure, Senator Randy Brogdon from Owasso, worked with Drew Edmondson to craft amendatory language to ensure that would not occur. But when he tried to add that important amendment to the bill, not one member from across the aisle would help us. Democrat senators then locked up to defeat the term limits bill, resulting in it being sent to conference committee.

Senate Republicans had also won initial passage for legislation aimed at protecting the integrity of Oklahoma’s electoral process by requiring voters to provide some form of identification when casting their ballots. Democrats had initially jointed us in passing this measure, but when it came time for a final vote, they refused to cross party lines and the measure was killed.

We also authored a measure that would have let the people of this state decide whether to enact a law declaring English to be the official language of Oklahoma. This is something our citizens want, but when it came to the floor, Senate Democrats effectively gutted the measure, and then sent it to conference committee.

I believe it is highly unlikely the Democrat leadership will allow the term limits or English as the official language proposals come out of conference—the truth is these bills are more than likely dead for the session as well.

It is disappointing that these important, conservative reforms have fallen victim to partisan politics, but we have had success in other areas of reform, including greater protection for the unborn, tax relief, and as stronger commitment to properly funding Corrections as well as roads and bridges.

In the meantime, Senate Republicans will keep fighting for Oklahoma values. Good ideas cannot be buried forever.