Oklahoma House of Representatives

Oklahoma House of Representatives
Type
Type	Lower house of Oklahoma Legislature
Leadership
Speaker of the House	Chris Benge, R since January 28, 2008
Speaker pro tempore	Kris Steele, R since January 6, 2009
Structure
Members	101
Meeting place
Oklahoma State Capitol
Web site
http://www.okhouse.gov/

The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house and larger body of the two houses of the Oklahoma Legislature, the other being the Oklahoma Senate. Originally, each county in Oklahoma was represented in the House proportional to its population, but after a court case in the early 1960s, the state has been divided into 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 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: Brad Henry Lieutentant Governor: Jari Askins Secretary of State: M. Susan Savage State Auditor: Steve Burrage Attorney General: Drew Edmondson State Treasurer: Scott Meacham State School Superintendent: Sandy Garrett Labor Commissioner: Lloyd Fields Insurance Commissioner: Kim Holland Corporation Commission State Cabinet and State Agencies Legislature Legislature: 52nd Senate President of the Senate: Jari Askins President pro tempore: Glenn Coffee House of Representatives Speaker of the House: Chris Benge 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: Mary Fallin (R) Politics of the United States

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In order to file for election to the House of Representatives, candidates must be twenty-one years of age at the time of their election. 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. 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.

No member of the legislature can serve more than 12 years in the Oklahoma State Legislature. 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

Leadership

Majority Leadership

• Speaker of the House: Chris Benge (R-Tulsa)
• Speaker Pro Tempore: Kris Steele
• Majority Floor Leader: Tad Jones (R-Claremore)
• First Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Ron Peters (R-Tulsa)
• Assistant Majority Floor Leaders: Lisa Billy (R-Purcell), George Faught (R-Muskogee), Dennis Johnson (R-Duncan), Charles Key (R-Oklahoma City), Todd Thomsen (R-Ada), Harold Wright (R-Weatherford)
• Majority Whip: Mike Jackson
• Deputy Majority Whips: Marian Cooksey (R-Edmond), Fred Jordan (R-Jenks), Steve Martin (R-Bartlesville), Randy McDaniel (R-Oklahoma City), Leslie Osborn (R-Tuttle), Mike Sanders (R-Kingfisher), Colby Schwartz (R-Yukon), Mike Thompson (R-Oklahoma City), Weldon Watson (R-Tulsa)
• Majority Caucus Chairman: John Wright
• Majority Caucus Vice Chairman: Lisa Billy
• Majority Caucus Secretary: Ann Coody ^[1]

Democratic Leadership

• Democratic Leader: Danny Morgan
• Democratic Floor Leader: James Covey
• Deputy Democratic Floor Leaders: David Braddock, Ben Sherrer, Dale Turner
• Assistant Democratic Floor Leaders: Mike Brown, Wallace Collins, Joe Dorman, Rebecca Hamilton, Wes Hilliard, Jerry McPeak, Wade Rousselot, Jabar Shumate
• Democratic Whip: Terry Harrison
• Democratic Caucus Chairman: Kenneth Corn
• Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman: Ryan Kiesel
• Democratic Caucus Secretary: Cory T. Williams ^[2]

Members

House Membership as of the 52nd Legislature: ^[3]

Committees

On Dec. 4, 2008, Speaker of the House Chris Benge announced the following 18 standing committees and seven budget subcommittees: ^[4]

• Administrative Rules and Agency Oversight - Rep. John Wright (R-Broken Arrow), Chair; and Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee), Vice Chair
• Agriculture and Rural Development - Rep. Don Armes (R-Faxon), Chair; Rep. John Enns (R-Enid), Vice Chair
• Common Education - Rep. Ann Coody (R-Lawton), Chair; Rep. Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City), Vice Chair
• Business and Economic Development - Daniel Sullivan (R-Tulsa), Chair; and Rep. Randy McDaniel (R-Edmond), Vice Chair
• Energy and Utility Regulation - Rep. Mike Thompson (R-Oklahoma City), Chair; and Rep. Weldon Watson (R-Tulsa), Vice Chair
• General Government - Rep. Lisa Billy (R-Purcell), Chair; and Rep. Dennis Johnson (R-Duncan), Vice Chair
• Government Modernization - Rep. Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie), Chair; and Rep. David Derby (R-Owasso), Vice Chair
• Higher Education and Career Tech - Rep. Todd Thomsen (R-Ada), Chair; and Rep. Bill Nations (D-Norman), Vice Chair
• Human Services - Rep. Pam Peterson (R-Tulsa), Chair; and Rep. Wade Rousselot (D-Wagoner), Vice Chair
• International Relations and Tourism - Rep. Shane Jett (R-Tecumseh), Chair; and Rep. Purcy Walker (D-Elk City), Vice Chair
• Judiciary - Rep. Rex Duncan (R-Sand Springs), Chair; and Rep. Fred Jordan (R-Jenks), Vice Chair
• Public Health - Rep. John Trebilcock (R-Broken Arrow), Chair; and Rep. David Derby (R-Owasso), Vice Chair
• Public Safety and Homeland Security - Rep. Sue Tibbs (R-Tulsa), Chair; and Rep. Steve Martin (R-Bartlesville), Vice Chair
• Rules - Rep. Gus Blackwell (R-Goodwell), Chair; and Rep. Mike Jackson (R-Enid), Vice Chair
• Transportation - Rep. T.W. Shannon (R-Lawton), Chair; and Rep. Charlie Joyner (R-Midwest City), Vice Chair
• Veterans and Military Affairs - Rep. Gary Banz (R-Midwest City), Chair; and Rep. John Carey (D-Durant), Vice Chair
• Wildlife - Rep. Phil Richardson (R-Minco), Chair; and Rep. R.C. Pruett (D-Durant), Vice Chair
• Appropriations and Budget - Rep. Ken Miller (R-Edmond), Chair; and Rep. Scott Martin (R-Norman), Vice Chair
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Education - Rep. Lee Denney (R-Cushing), Chair; and Rep. Earl Sears (R-Bartlesville), Vice Chair
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Transportation - Rep. Guy Liebmann (R-Oklahoma City), Chair; and Rep. Colby Schwartz (R-Yukon), Vice Chair
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Health and Social Services - Rep. Doug Cox (R-Grove), Chair; and Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (R-Moore), Vice Chair
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services - Rep. Ron Peters (R-Tulsa), Chair; and Rep. Marian Cooksey (R-Edmond), Vice Chair
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Judiciary and Public Safety - Rep. Randy Terrill (R-Moore), Chair; and Rep. Mark McCullough (R-Sapulpa), Vice Chair
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Regulatory - Rep. Dale DeWitt (R-Braman), Chair; and Rep. Skye McNiel (R-Bristow), Vice Chair
  • Appropriations Subcommittee on Revenue and Taxation - Rep. Jeff Hickman (R-Dacoma), Chair; and Rep. Neil Brannon (D-Arkoma), Vice Chair

References

1. ^ Oklahoma House Majority Leadership. Retrieved on May 8, 2009.
2. ^ http://www.okhouse.gov/Members/HouseOrgMinority.aspx
3. ^ Oklahoma House Membership. Retrieved on July 27, 2009.
4. ^ Standing Committees and Subcommittees, Oklahoma House of Representatives. Retrieved on May 7, 2009.

See also

• Oklahoma Legislature
• Oklahoma Senate

External links

• Oklahoma House homepage