Magna Carta News
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Bill to Penalize Lawmakers for Special Sessions Denied Vote
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Sally Kern
Capitol: (405) 557-7348
Bill to Penalize Lawmakers for Special Sessions Denied Vote
OKLAHOMA CITY (February 14, 2007) - In the private sector, employees who
don't do their job face financial consequences and may be fired.
State Rep. Sally Kern hoped to apply that principle to the Oklahoma
Legislature by cutting lawmakers' pay if a special session is convened
to complete the state budget, but she has been informed that legislation
will not receive a hearing this year.
"My legislation would make lawmakers accountable to the citizens
who elect us," said Kern, R-Oklahoma City. "For most Oklahomans, if they
don't do their job, there are consequences, but that's not the case at
the Legislature. Our main job is to write the state budget, but when we
didn't get it done on time last year no one paid a price. That's not
right."
House Joint Resolution 1001, by Kern, would allow a vote of the
people to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to include penalties for
lawmakers should a special session be required to complete the state
budget.
The amendment would require a special budget session to begin
the first Monday after adjournment of the regular session and limits the
session to just two weeks. Lawmakers could not recess the special
session for more than two days under the proposal.
Perhaps most importantly, legislative leaders (the Senate
President Pro Tempore, Speaker of the House, and the minority leaders of
both chambers) would forfeit one-third of their salary for the month of
the special session. All other members would lose 25 percent of their
income that month if a special session occurs for budget reasons.
Kern said she is disappointed the bill will not be scheduled for
a vote and believes that most Oklahomans agree.
"The legislation may need some improvements, but the concept is
good," Kern said. "When I talk about this bill at public events, it gets
enthusiastic support. The people like this bill and I think it's a
crying shame the legislation won't get a vote."
Kern said she hoped to amend her legislation to ensure no
participant in the budget process is exempted.
"Right now, House Joint Resolution 1001 penalizes only members
of the Legislature, but I think the governor also needs to be included,"
Kern said. "He is one-third of the budget process and bears some
responsibility anytime the process doesn't work."
Because Senate Democratic leaders fought tax cuts for working
families, lawmakers did not finish the state budget by the end of the
2006 regular session, which adjourned in late May, and did not reconvene
in a special session until the end of June. Had lawmakers not completed
the budget by July 1, a government shutdown loomed.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Sally Kern
Capitol: (405) 557-7348
Bill to Penalize Lawmakers for Special Sessions Denied Vote
OKLAHOMA CITY (February 14, 2007) - In the private sector, employees who
don't do their job face financial consequences and may be fired.
State Rep. Sally Kern hoped to apply that principle to the Oklahoma
Legislature by cutting lawmakers' pay if a special session is convened
to complete the state budget, but she has been informed that legislation
will not receive a hearing this year.
"My legislation would make lawmakers accountable to the citizens
who elect us," said Kern, R-Oklahoma City. "For most Oklahomans, if they
don't do their job, there are consequences, but that's not the case at
the Legislature. Our main job is to write the state budget, but when we
didn't get it done on time last year no one paid a price. That's not
right."
House Joint Resolution 1001, by Kern, would allow a vote of the
people to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to include penalties for
lawmakers should a special session be required to complete the state
budget.
The amendment would require a special budget session to begin
the first Monday after adjournment of the regular session and limits the
session to just two weeks. Lawmakers could not recess the special
session for more than two days under the proposal.
Perhaps most importantly, legislative leaders (the Senate
President Pro Tempore, Speaker of the House, and the minority leaders of
both chambers) would forfeit one-third of their salary for the month of
the special session. All other members would lose 25 percent of their
income that month if a special session occurs for budget reasons.
Kern said she is disappointed the bill will not be scheduled for
a vote and believes that most Oklahomans agree.
"The legislation may need some improvements, but the concept is
good," Kern said. "When I talk about this bill at public events, it gets
enthusiastic support. The people like this bill and I think it's a
crying shame the legislation won't get a vote."
Kern said she hoped to amend her legislation to ensure no
participant in the budget process is exempted.
"Right now, House Joint Resolution 1001 penalizes only members
of the Legislature, but I think the governor also needs to be included,"
Kern said. "He is one-third of the budget process and bears some
responsibility anytime the process doesn't work."
Because Senate Democratic leaders fought tax cuts for working
families, lawmakers did not finish the state budget by the end of the
2006 regular session, which adjourned in late May, and did not reconvene
in a special session until the end of June. Had lawmakers not completed
the budget by July 1, a government shutdown loomed.
