Category: Bill Watch

The 2013 Legislative Primer is your guide to Oklahoma’s lawmaking process

Where do bills come from? How many make it into law? Who makes up Governor Fallin’s cabinet? How does the committee process work, and who leads which committee? As the 2013 Oklahoma Legislative session gets underway, our fully-updated and redesigned… Read more [More...]

A Word Map for 2012: Out of the mouths of Legislators

Over the past year, Oklahomans have coped with another year of severe drought, raging wildfires, rising poverty, sluggish job growth, rising health care and insurance costs, and the ongoing large scale deployment and return of National Guard and Army reservist… Read more [More...]

Guest blog (Barry Friedman): What happened to promise of America?

Barry Friedman writes a monthly column, “Barry Friedman At Large” for Tulsa People Magazine, is a  stand-up comedian, and the author of two books, “Road Comic” and “Funny You Should Mention It”. His website is at http://barrysfriedman.com/. This column originally… Read more [More...]

Voices of Oklahoma: Henry Bellmon – Déjà vu all over again

Voices of Oklahoma is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “preserving Oklahoma’s legacy, one voice at a time.” Click here to hear Henry Bellmon’s story, in his own words, interviewed by John Erling. George Santayana (1863 – 1952) wrote “…Those who… Read more [More...]

2012 Session: Prospects look better for immigrants, worse for the poor, loaded for gun enthusiasts

The 2012 legislative session convened last Monday and will run until the end of May (click here for a complete run-though of how this works in our handy Legislative Overview). With 1,934 new bills  filed, it takes awhile before we… Read more [More...]

Bills, Bills, Bills: The weird, delightful, and truly strange

The state legislature is back in session with a slate of serious (we would argue dire) propositions.  In search of comic relief, we’ve decided once again to highlight the bills filed this session that deserve a spot on the blooper… Read more [More...]

The 2012 Legislative Primer: Your program for Opening Day of the legislative session

How many bills are filed each year? Who is the Cabinet Secretary of Science and Technology? How much money is there in the Rainy Day Fund? Why does it take so long for a bill to be passed? As the… Read more [More...]

Jimson Weed, Runaway Cows, and Henna Tattoos: Highlights from the 53rd Legislature

We all know that the state legislature is tasked with addressing the state’s most urgent and important public policy problems.  From program budgeting to educational standards to defining and specifying criminal penalties for unlawful acts, state senators and representatives enter… Read more [More...]

Now Available: The 2011 Legislative Overview – your program and playbook for the legislative session

Do you know who chairs the Senate Appropriations committee? Who serves as Governor Fallin’s Secretary of Energy? When the deadline is for passing bills out of their original chamber? How much money there is in the Rainy Day Fund? The… Read more [More...]