Kaye Beach
May 15, 2011
Those who have been fighting for years to help get the Republican majority remember the vows made by the then minority to fix the corrupt house and senate leadership system. When they got the chance they blew it.
(Listen to this conversation recorded at a Republican meeting about a week ago)
Background
Restoring Representative Government
On Jan 4, 2011 Rep. Charles Key offered an Amendment to the legislative rules (dubbed the “Open Government rule”) designed to correct legislative procedure to allow for bill to at least get a hearing before a committee. It failed.
(Read OK-SAFE’s OK House Fails First Test and GOP Strut Elitism Making Fun of Constituents by James Parsons for excellent summaries of the entire debacle)
A republican form of government, which we are guaranteed by the Constitution, is one in which “the sovereign power resides in a certain body of the people – the electorate – and is exercised by representatives elected by, and responsible to, them.” Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary
Restoring Representation is not going to happen as a result of any one act-it is a process.
How did we fare without the open government rule?
Enjoy your chips, hide your clips and watch those zippers!!
2011 Good Bills R.I.P
Here are just three of the good bills that were killed before they ever made it to committee:
- HB 1399 The Anti chipping bill This is a bill that would have simply prohibited RFID tracking devices from being embedded on our driver’s licenses and ID cards was quashed by a petulant committee chair. The bill actually passed both houses with overwhelming support the year before only to be killed by the Governor on behest of a powerful industry lobbyist seeking to protect the future market for his surveillance devices.
- HB 1245 the TSA agent anti groping bill which would have added some measure of protection for us and our children from being groped by TSA employees.
- HB 1647 Open Carry
In the meantime, measures like this have not had any trouble getting a hearing or passed out of committee;
OKLAHOMA CITY – A measure working its way through the Legislature would give another $40 million in state bond money to the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City – raising the state’s bond investment in the project to more than $103 million. Senate and House committees approved legislation authorizing the $40 million bond issue Thursday, clearing the way for legislative votes as soon as Friday.
Tulsa World 2011-05-13
As it stands now, without the Key amendment, power is firmly entrenched in the hands of a few.
Let’s Get Them On The Record
You may remember from earlier efforts this session to get the open carry bill to the floor that House rules allow for discharge petitions as a means to get a bill brought out of a committee for a vote on the floor if 68 Representatives sign.
It’s time to do another one for the Key Amendment!
Once 68 signatures are collected the Key amendment can go straight to the floor.
Do I think we can get the Key amendment for open government back to the floor? Who knows? But remember-this is a process and the petition will be a valuable tool.
The goal is better representation and more accountability.
At the beginning of session 53 members voted against the Key open government rule.
The grassroots were outraged and have made this abundantly clear to these representatives. Now that we are near the end of session has any of them changed their minds?
We need to know which one of our legislators really believes in fair representation so we can vote and campaign and educate others accordingly come election time. The petition gives us this starting point.
The stranglehold of leadership needs to end. Let’s get them on the record so we can act accordingly.
Your help is needed.
Monday the 16 through Wednesday the 18th 11am through 5pm I will be at the Capitol asking each House member to sign the discharge petition.
Please contact me by email ladyaxiom@yahoo.com or phone 405-818-3224
If you can physically come to the capitol and help by visiting and asking legislators for their support that would be best. Just let me know so that I can meet you and get you the information you need.
If you can’t come to the Capitol, calls and emails to your Representative asking that they sign the petition would be a great way to support the effort.
Tell them to sign the petition and support the Key open government rule.
Why This Rule Change is Needed
It’s simple. The current practice of the Oklahoma Legislature is to allow the Committee Chair to kill any bill he/she wants, thereby limiting the bill process from the outset. Conversely, this current practice means that the Chair controls which bills are allowed to move forward. This is a top-down, dictatorial control of the legislative process. OK-SAFE
I will post our progress as frequently as possible on my blog site
Thank you,
Kaye Beach
House Directory (names, district, phone and room number)
House email addresses:
donarmes@okhouse.gov; garybanz@okhouse.gov; john.bennett@okhouse.gov; lisajbilly@okhouse.gov; gusblackwell@okhouse.gov; mikebrown@okhouse.gov; david.brumbaugh@okhouse.gov; ed.cannaday@okhouse.gov; dennis.casey@okhouse.gov; mike.christian@okhouse.gov; josh.cockroft@okhouse.gov; donnie.condit@okhouse.gov; anncoody@okhouse.gov; mariancooksey@okhouse.gov; dougcox@okhouse.gov; david.dank@okhouse.gov; leedenney@okhouse.gov; david.derby@okhouse.gov; daledewitt@okhouse.gov; joedorman@okhouse.gov; john.enns@okhouse.gov; rusty.farley@okhouse.gov; george.faught@okhouse.gov; will.fourkiller@okhouse.gov; larryglenn@okhouse.gov; randy.grau@okhouse.gov; elise.hall@okhouse.gov; rebeccahamilton@okhouse.gov; tommy.hardin@okhouse.gov; jwhickman@okhouse.gov; weshilliard@okhouse.gov; corey.holland@okhouse.gov; chuck.hoskin@okhouse.gov; scott.inman@okhouse.gov; mikejackson@okhouse.gov; dennis.johnson@okhouse.gov; fred.jordan@okhouse.gov; charlie.joyner@okhouse.gov; sallykern@okhouse.gov; charles.key@okhouse.gov; dan.kirby@okhouse.gov; steve.kouplen@okhouse.gov; guyliebmann@okhouse.gov; james.lockhart@okhouse.gov; scott.martin@okhouse.gov; stevemartin@okhouse.gov; al.mcaffrey@okhouse.gov; mark.mccullough@okhouse.gov; jeanniemcdaniel@okhouse.gov; randy.mcdaniel@okhouse.gov; skye.mcniel@okhouse.gov; jerrymcpeak@okhouse.gov; lewis.moore@okhouse.gov; dannymorgan@okhouse.gov; richardmorrissette@okhouse.gov; glen.mulready@okhouse.gov; jason.murphey@okhouse.gov; jason.nelson@okhouse.gov; tom.newell@okhouse.gov; jadine.nollan@okhouse.gov; charles.ortega@okhouse.gov; leslie.osborn@okhouse.gov; pat.ownbey@okhouse.gov; ronpeters@okhouse.gov; pampeterson@okhouse.gov; anastasia.pittman@okhouse.gov; eric.proctor@okhouse.gov; rcpruett@okhouse.gov; marty.quinn@okhouse.gov; brian.renegar@okhouse.gov; mikereynolds@okhouse.gov; philrichardson@okhouse.gov; mike.ritze@okhouse.gov; paulroan@okhouse.gov; dustin.roberts@okhouse.gov; sean.roberts@okhouse.gov; waderousselot@okhouse.gov; todd.russ@okhouse.gov; mike.sanders@okhouse.gov; colby.schwartz@okhouse.gov; seneca.scott@okhouse.gov; earl.sears@okhouse.gov; tw.shannon@okhouse.gov; mikeshelton@okhouse.gov; bensherrer@okhouse.gov; jerryshoemake@okhouse.gov; jabarshumate@okhouse.gov; krissteele@okhouse.gov; aaron.stiles@okhouse.gov; danielsullivan@okhouse.gov; randyterrill@okhouse.gov; todd.thomsen@okhouse.gov; suetibbs@okhouse.gov; johntrebilcock@okhouse.gov; steve.vaughan@okhouse.gov; emily.virgin@okhouse.gov; purcywalker@okhouse.gov; weldon.watson@okhouse.gov; paulwesselhoft@okhouse.gov; cory.williams@okhouse.gov; harold.wright@okhouse.gov
Also-Don’t forget about the “new” Health Insurance Exchange bill
AxXiom for Liberty 