Change is funny. Sometimes it seems like change will never come. Then, all of the sudden, it’s here.
For years, I’ve been hoping for some changes in Oklahoma politics. That’s because the state’s voter initiative process was blocked. It’s also because, as regular readers know, the state’s Attorney General Drew Edmondson launched a politically-motivated prosecution against myself and two others, threatening us with prison for working on a petition.
Those ridiculous charges have now been dropped. A friend recently said, “Well, I guess you’re glad not to be thinking about Oklahoma anymore.”
But I am thinking about Oklahoma. Quite fondly.
These days some wonderful Okies are winning important victories. Oklahomans for Responsible Government has made initiative reform one of its top issues. Oklahomans for Initiative Rights is touring the state pulling a giant 10-foot tall, 18-foot long float to draw attention to initiative reform.
Already a constitutional amendment to lower the state’s petition requirement has passed the legislature and is headed to a vote of the people.
And two other bills to improve the initiative have made it through both Houses, through a conference committee and now must be re-approved by both chambers before going to the governor for his signature.
These bills will clean up the process and give the people of Oklahoma more time to gather signatures to put issues on the ballot.
Change is coming — sweeping down the plains.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
2 replies on “Change, Sweeping Down the Plains”
I’m happy to report that both of those important bills just passed the House. House Bill 2246 (passed 87 – 1)increases the time to gather signatures from 90 days (second-shortest in the country) to one year. It also allows for out-of-state petition gatherers and provides some protections for those gathering petitions. it has to go to the Senate for one last vote.
Senate Bill 800 (passed 82 – 13)requires any legal challenges to the ballot title to happen early in the process, before signatures are gathered. this is an important reform that ensures that the time and money spent on gatting signatures isn’t wasted because of a technicality. It now goes to the governor for his signature!
[…] been the toughest “initiative state,” the one with the most restrictions. Thanks to SQ-750, and previous reforms pushed by Citizens in Charge and several Oklahoma groups, the state will sport more rational […]