House Completes Bill-Filing Process

At the conclusion of the filing process at 5 p.m. on Jan. 15 – the last day for state representatives to file legislation – there were 1,269 bills, 46 joint resolutions, and six concurrent resolutions filed in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the 2009 legislative session.

This is the first year members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives were able to file bills electronically, increasing efficiency and moving the state one step closer to a “paperless” government.

The new electronic bill filing system is one of the first in the nation and puts Oklahoma at the forefront of developing and using new technologies to make government more efficient and cost-effective.

Until this year, members filed their bills in person, which then were hand numbered by the House Bill Clerk. Each member is allowed to file as many as eight separate bills. Each individual bill packet contained six copies of each bill that would be hand-numbered. Last year, the House Chief Clerk’s Office reported that more than 1,200 bills were filed, meaning more than 7,200 bills were hand numbered.

Since Republicans took control of the House in 2004, they have attempted to bring the legislative process into the 21st century by introducing new technology, including implementing wireless Internet service in the House, providing each representative with a laptop computer for the first time and creating an electronic system that allows members to file amendments to bills and access the House Calendar from the chamber floor.