Oklahoma House of Representatives

Oklahoma House of Representatives
Oklahoma State Legislature
Type
Type	Lower house
Term limits	12 year cumulative total, in either or both chambers
New session started	February 7, 2011
Leadership
Speaker	Kris Steele, (R) since January 4, 2011
Majority Leader	Dale DeWitt, (R) since January 4, 2011
Minority Leader	Scott Inman, (D) since January 4, 2011
Structure
Members	101
Political groups	Republican Party (70) Democratic Party (31)
Length of term	2 years
Authority	Article V, Oklahoma Constitution
Salary	$38,400/year + per diem
Elections
Last election	November 2, 2010 (101 seats)
Next election	November 6, 2012 (101 seats)
Meeting place
House of Representatives Chamber Oklahoma State Capitol Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Website
Oklahoma House of Representatives

The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the state's budget.^[1] The upper house of the Oklahoma Legislature is the Oklahoma Senate.

Originally, each county in Oklahoma was represented in the House proportional to its population, but a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1964 forced the state to redistrict. Today, there are 101 House districts of equal population. Representatives serve two-year terms and each House member represents approximately 35,000 constituents. The presiding officer of the House is known as the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

The House meets in regular session in the west wing of the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City, from early February to the last Friday in May. Special sessions may be called by the Governor of Oklahoma, or by supermajority vote of the Legislature.

Qualifications

Oklahoma

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Oklahoma

Constitution United States Constitution Oklahoma Constitution Executive Government Governor: Mary Fallin Lieutentant Governor: Todd Lamb Secretary of State: Glenn Coffee State Auditor: Gary Jones Attorney General: Scott Pruitt State Treasurer: Ken A. Miller State School Superintendent: Janet Barresi Labor Commissioner: Mark Costello Insurance Commissioner: John Doak Corporation Commission: Bob Anthony - Chair Jeff Cloud - Vice Chair Dana Murphy - Secretary Governor's Cabinet and State Agencies State Budget Legislature Legislature: 53rd Senate President Pro Tem of the Senate: Brian Bingman House of Representatives Speaker of the House: Kris Steele Judiciary Court System Supreme Court Court of Criminal Appeals Court of Civil Appeals Court on the Judiciary Court of Impeachment Nominating Commission Elections Elections State Election Board Last election Political parties Democratic Party Republican Party Political party strength Divisions Counties Cities and Towns Federal Relations Federal representation Senate Jim Inhofe (R) Tom Coburn (R) House of Representatives 1: John Sullivan (R) 2: Dan Boren (D) 3: Frank Lucas (R) 4: Tom Cole (R) 5: James Lankford (R) Politics of the United States

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In order to file for election to the House of Representatives, candidates must be 21 years of age at the time of their election.^[2] The candidate must also be a qualified elector in their respective counties or districts and shall reside in their respective counties or districts during their term of office.^[2] No person is eligible to serve as a member of the Legislature if they're an officer of the United States or State government. Also, any person who has been adjudged guilty of a felony is not eligible to election to the Legislature. If a member of the Legislature is expelled for corruption, they shall not be eligible to return to the Legislature.^[3]

No member of the legislature can serve more than 12 years in the Oklahoma State Legislature.^[4] Years in Legislative office need not be consecutive and years of service in both the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be added together and included in determining the total number of Legislative years in office. The years served by any member elected or appointed to serve less than a full Legislative term to fill a vacancy in office shall not be included in the 12-year limitation; but no member who has completed 12 years in office shall thereafter be eligible to serve a partial term.

Membership

Representation

Old method

Representation in the House used to be determined by taking the total population of the state, according to the most recent Federal Decennial Census, and that number was divided by one hundred, with the quotient equaling one ratio. Counties having a population less than one full ratio were to be assigned one Representative; every county containing an entire ratio but less than two ratios was to be assigned two Representatives; every county containing a population of two entire ratios but less than three ratios was to be assigned three Representatives; and every county containing a population of three entire ratios but less than four ratios was to be assigned four Representatives. After the first four Representatives, a county was to qualify for additional representation on the basis of two whole ratios of population for each additional Representative.

New method

After the constitutionally-mandated method was found to be unconstitutional, a new method was instituted. Now the House has the power to draw its own district lines. Under the holding of Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964) all districts must be apportioned within a five percent margin of the average target size district as determined by the U.S. Census population figures divided by the one hundred and one districts. This allows for some districts to be slightly smaller or larger than others. The House draws its own maps of its district lines, which are subject to the approval of both the Senate and the Governor. Should the redistricting not occur in the time limits prescribed by law, the lines are determined by a panel of five statewide elected officials.

Composition

(*) One vacancy due to the death of Republican Rusty Farley, who passed away on July 4, 2011.

Leadership

Leadership in the Oklahoma House of Representatives begins with the Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore of the House, who is elected by his fellow lawmakers. The speaker in turn appoints many of the remaining leadership positions, which are divided into three types.^[1]

Generally, members of each party elect a majority floor leader, assistant floor leaders, whips, and caucus officers. These positions are considered floor leadership.

The speaker appoints the committee leadership, which includes committee chairs, vice chairs, subcommittee chairs, and subcommittee vice chairs.^[1] The majority floor leader selects an informal leadership team that aids in decision-making.^[1]

Officers

Members

District 1 became vacant on July 4, 2011, with the death of Representative Rusty Farley.

Committees

As of 2011, The Oklahoma House of Representatives has the following 18 committees:^[5]

• Administrative Rules and Government Oversight
• Agriculture, Wildlife & Environment
• Appropriations and Budget
• Common Education
• Economic Development, Tourism & Financial Services
• Energy & Utility Regulation
• General Government
• Government Modernization
• Higher Education and Career Tech
• Human Services
• Insurance
• Judiciary
• Long-term Care & Senior Services
• Public Health
• Public Safety
• Rules
• Transportation
• Veterans and Military Affairs

As of 2011, The Oklahoma House of Representatives has the following eight budget subcommittees:^[6]

• Education
• General Government & Transportation
• Human Services
• Judiciary
• Natural Resources & Regulatory Services
• Public Health & Social Services
• Public Safety
• Revenue & Taxation

See also

• Oklahoma Legislature
• Oklahoma Senate

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Farmer, Rick, "Legislature," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed June 23, 2010).
2. ^ ^{a b} Article V, Section 17: Age - Qualified electors - Residents, Constitution of the State of Oklahoma at Oklahoma Legal Research System, University of Oklahoma College of Law (accessed May 3, 2010).
3. ^ Section V-19: Expelled member ineligible - Punishment not to bar indictment, Constitution of the State of Oklahoma at Oklahoma Legal Research System, University of Oklahoma College of Law (accessed May 3, 2010).
4. ^ Section V-17A: Limitation of time served in the Legislature, Constitution of the State of Oklahoma at Oklahoma Legal Research System, University of Oklahoma College of Law (accessed May 3, 2010).
5. ^ House Committees, Oklahoma House of Representatives (accessed January 25, 2011).
6. ^ House Committees, Oklahoma House of Representatives (accessed January 25, 2011).

External links

• Oklahoma House homepage