Map: Majority/Plurality Party by County

In this update to my Voter Registration Maps series, we're looking at majority/plurality party by county.

Republican majority: 35 counties (31 in 2019)
Republican plurality: 10 counties (12 in 2019)
Democratic plurality: 18 counties (12 in 2019)
Democratic majority: 14 counties (22 in 2019)

There are multiple majority-Democratic counties that are in the low-50% range, and many of them will likely slip down into plurality status next year. The following eight counties are most likely to go from blue to red within the next twelve months: Marshall (0.13% Dem lead), Kiowa (1.46% Dem lead), Pontotoc (1.55% Dem lead), Ottawa (1.8% Dem lead), Tillman (2.58% Dem lead), Bryan (2.75% Dem lead), Seminole (5.21% Dem lead), and Jefferson (5.34% Dem lead).

For comparison, here's the map from last year. Comanche and Cotton counties flipped from Democratic pluralities last year to Republican pluralities this year. The following counties slipped from outright Democratic majorities to simple pluralities: Adair, Craig, LeFlore, Love, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Pittsburg, and Sequoyah.

County-by-county voter registration swings, 2019 to 2020

This Voter Registration Maps series post shows the county-by-county trend in voter registration since last January.

Registration swung toward the Republican Party in 76 of 77 counties, with the only exception being (once again) Oklahoma County, although this year it was almost nil at -0.06%. Haskell County had the largest swing for the second year in a row, posting a shift to the GOP of +11.03%. Oklahoma County slid by 0.06% toward the Democrats, due to Republicans dropping there slightly more than the Democrats did.

Gov. Stitt releases first annual administration accomplishments report

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT RELEASES INAUGURAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT

Oklahoma City, Okla. (Jan. 22, 2020)— Governor Kevin Stitt released today the 2019 Stitt Administration Annual Accomplishments Report. The inaugural report focuses on the Stitt administration's progress thus far and displays the work being done to improve transparency, accountability and efficiency in state government.

“Oklahomans gave us a mandate to deliver more accountability in State government and to protect taxpayers by strengthening the state’s fiscal transparency,” said Governor Stitt. “We have made great progress and continue to build the road map for delivering a better state government that moves Oklahoma towards Top Ten status.”

Highlights of the report include:

Agency Accountability: 
Gov. Stitt signed into law legislation that allows the governor to hire the directors at five of the 12 largest state agencies. Past governors have produced blue ribbon studies showing that responsibility and power is spread so far and thin across state government that essentially few can truly be held accountable by the voters. Within the first two months of the Stitt administration, the governor and the Legislature worked together to produce historic reform that delivers much-needed accountability for the delivery of critical services and the management of billions in tax dollars.

Since being sworn in, the Governor has been a part of hiring 18 new agency directors and making more than 410 appointments across state government.

Largest Savings Account in State History:
Gov. Stitt led the state to build its largest savings account in state history.

The cornerstone of Gov. Stitt’s budget was centered on setting aside an additional $200 million, beyond the Rainy Day Fund’s automatic collection, while also increasing funding for core services by more than 5%. As a result, the state has more than $1 billion in savings, allowing Oklahoma to better protect the taxpayer and core services during inevitable and unforeseen changes in the economy.

Teacher Pay Raises:
Gov. Stitt called for and signed into law another teacher pay raise, for a second year in a row, and increased the state’s spending in public education to a historic high of $3 billion in state revenue annually.

Historic Commutation Release:
Gov. Stitt signed the largest single-day commutation in U.S. history.

On Nov.1, Gov. Stitt signed 523 commutations, with over 450 immediately released, that were sent to his desk by the Pardon and Parole Board under the HB 1269 docket, giving hundreds of nonviolent, low-level offenders an opportunity at a second chance. This historic commutation docket was the result of months-long collaboration between the Department of Corrections, Pardon and Parole Board, 200 nonprofit volunteers and many more. On Nov. 4, Gov. Stitt and First Lady Sarah Stitt greeted the 55 women at the Dr. Eddie Warrior Correctional Facility who were released through the HB 1269 docket.

Top Ten Cabinet Tours:
Gov. Stitt launched the Top Ten Cabinet Tour to engage with Oklahomans across the state.

The Stitt administration is committed to listening to and working with the people of Oklahoma to deliver a Top Ten state, which is why the governor took cabinet members on the road to hold public meetings and tour local businesses and state field offices. The Top Ten Cabinet Tour made stops in Woodward, Owasso, Lawton and McAlester.

Digital Transformation:
Governor Stitt appointed the state’s first Secretary of Digital Transformation to help accomplish a vision to bring Oklahoma state government fully into the digital age. By leveraging technology, the state will become more transparency, efficient, and customer friendly. Since the beginning of 2019, Oklahoma has begun to implement digital transformation measures by:

• Launching checkbook.ok.gov, moving the state’s online budget transparency ranking from 47th in 2018 to seventh place at the end of 2019.
• Launching the Oklahoma Mobile ID application, allowing Oklahomans to have their licenses accessible on their smartphone devices.
• Modernizing state parks by making it possible for parks to accept credit cards in the field for the first time in state history. 
• Beginning the process to modernize the administrative rules website to make it more user friendly and transparent. 

A copy of the complete report is available by clicking here.

Voter Registration Maps: Party Growth, 2019 to 2020

Continuing my Voter Registration Maps series update, here are maps representing the changes in percentage by county of Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Libertarians.

Republicans made some slight improvements on the 2019 figures, gaining ground in 74 counties and dropping in just three (as opposed to 71 to 6 last year). The losses came in the urban counties of Cleveland, Oklahoma, and Tulsa, but maxed out at a shift of -0.31% in Oklahoma County. The average drop in those three counties in 2019 was -0.62%, but this year it was -0.19%, so... something to be grateful for as a Republican, I suppose.

Haskell County was once again the highest growth spot for the GOP, increasing as a percentage of the registered voters there by +5.35%. Increases were the lowest in northern and central Oklahoma, and greatest in the southeast, each indicative of the overall registration ratios in the regions.

Statewide, Republicans rose to 48.25% of all registered voters, an increase of +0.82%.

As with every year since 2014, Democrats declined as a percentage of registered voters in all 77 counties. Their best county was Oklahoma County, where they fell by 0.25%. Tulsa County was close behind at -0.26%. Haskell County was the worst performer for the Democrats, with their percentage plummeting by 5.68%.

Statewide, the Democrats fell by 1.25% to 35.32% of all registered voters.

Independents lost ground in 14 counties, and increased percentages in 63 counties. Ottawa County led the way for the third time in four years, with an increase of +0.81%, while Woodward County had the greatest loss at -0.74%.

Independents had higher increases than Republicans in 8 counties (Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Garfield, Oklahoma, Payne, Tulsa, and Washington). Statewide, Independents increased by +0.32%, bringing them up to 15.89% of all registered voters.

While numerically miniscule compared to the other three identifications, Libertarians have continued to have steady growth. They posted gains in 76 counties, while losing one voter and 0.02% in Alfalfa County.

Libertarians outgrew Independents in 20 counties (Atoka, Beaver, Bryan, Cherokee, Coal, Craig, Delaware, Ellis, Grant, LeFlore, Lincoln, Logan, Muskogee, Nowata, Pittsburg, Rogers, Texas, Washington, Washita, and Woodward).

For that matter, they increased their share of registered voters more than the Democrats in all 77 counties, and more than the GOP in the following five counties: Canadian, Cleveland, Oklahoma, Tulsa, and Washington.

Statewide, Libertarians increased by +0.098%, putting them at 0.534% of all registered voters in Oklahoma. Their highest percentage is in Payne County, at 0.754%.

Oklahoma Voter Registration Map, January 2020

In the latest installment of my long-running Voter Registration Maps series, we will once again take a look at voter registration across the state. These statistics are from the annual January 15th report from the State Election Board. (For nostalgia purposes, Democrats can look at my first map and see how much of Oklahoma was still blue and dark-blue in 2013)

Since last January, the GOP has taken the lead in Roger Mills County (6.63% GOP lead), Cotton County (4.34% lead), and neighboring Comanche County (0.74% lead). Democrats still cling to narrow margins in Marshall County (0.13% Democrat lead), Kiowa County (1.46% lead), Pontotoc County (1.55% lead), Ottawa County (1.8% lead), Tillman County (2.58% lead), Bryan County (2.75% lead), Seminole County (5.21% lead), and Jefferson County (5.34% lead).

Coal (68.78%), Latimer (61.24%), and Pushmataha (60.35%) are the lone counties with over 60% registered Democrats. Even in Coal County, however, the Democratic lead over GOP registration has dropped to 47.07%; a decade ago, that lead in Coal County was 70.38%, with 82.53% of registered voters being Democrats.

Major County is the most polarized county, with 77.6% Republicans and 13.9% Democrats.

Comanche County has the highest percentage of registered Independent voters at 20.03%, while Payne County has the highest percentage of registered Libertarians at 0.754%. Incidentally, Comanche County has the highest percentage of voters outside of the two main parties, with 20.62% registered Independent or Libertarian -- 1.55% higher than the next closest county (Carter, 19.14%). That's the largest such gap in the rankings.

Tulsa voters to decide on $640,000,000 tax package

Tomorrow, voters in Tulsa will casting final ballots on a package of temporary taxes for over $620,000,000 in addition to a new permanent sales tax of 0.05% (about $20,000,000 for the time period of the other taxes).

Dubbed Improve Our Tulsa 2, the package is touted as funding improvements for streets, public safety, and infrastructure. A combination of sales and property taxes form the proposal.

Michael Bates of BatesLine.com has an in-depth analysis of the proposal, with a legion of accompanying research links for perusal. As always, Bates is the place to go when it comes for thoughts on Tulsa issues.

Bates has also posted a column by Brent Isaacs that goes into further detail on why Tulsans should vote the proposal down. You can access that article at this link.

Results Map: Muskogee voters pass $110M school bond

(click to view larger)

Voters in Muskogee approved a $110M school bond today with 68.15% of the vote, clearing the 60% approval threshold for bond passage. The above graphic shows precinct-by-precinct results, illustrating the percentages above or below the 60% mark in each voting district.

Two minuscule precincts were unanimous in their voting -- Precinct 36 (the far western edge of the school district) had five votes cast in favor and none opposed, while Precinct 46 (the darkest red) has a single vote cast in opposition and none in favor.

Aside from the unanimous precincts, the top three precincts for the Yes vote were Precinct 23 (84.4% yes; 238-44), Precinct 17 (83.05% yes; 98-20), and Precinct 38 (79.96% yes; 455-114).

The top three precincts voting No were Precinct 55 (49.06% yes; 26-27, the only outright majority for the No side), Precinct 45 (54.04% yes, 107-91), and Precinct 37 (56.67% yes, 17-13).

Below is a table with results by precinct. I'm hoping the formatting holds and is readable. If not, you can go to the State Election Board website and navigate through their results page, find the Muskogee election, click 'View As', then 'County Details', then click 'Precincts' to get the raw figures without percentages.

Precinct	Yes vote	%	No vote	%	Total Vote	+/- 60%
5	246	61.50%	154	38.50%	400	+1.5%
7	457	63.03%	268	36.97%	725	+3.03%
9	423	67.79%	201	32.21%	624	+7.79%
11	95	60.90%	61	39.10%	156	+0.9%
13	147	59.76%	99	40.24%	246	-0.24%
17	98	83.05%	20	16.95%	118	+23.05%
21	177	75.64%	57	24.36%	234	+15.64%
22	278	71.47%	111	28.53%	389	+11.47%
23	238	84.40%	44	15.60%	282	+24.4%
28	100	68.03%	47	31.97%	147	+8.03%
36	5	100%	0	0%	5	+40%
37	128	58.45%	91	41.55%	219	-1.55%
38	455	79.96%	114	20.04%	569	+19.96%
45	107	54.04%	91	45.96%	198	-5.96%
46	0	0%	1	100%	1	-60%
47	45	66.18%	23	33.82%	68	+6.18%
49	13	68.42%	6	31.58%	19	+8.42%
55	26	49.06%	27	50.94%	53	-10.94%
61	17	56.67%	13	43.33%	30	-3.33%
	3055	68.15%	1428	31.85%	4483	+8.15%

Stitt signs bill to track Federal dollars in state agencies

Sen. Dahm (left) and Rep. Hilbert (right) are joined by Dave Bond of OCPA and his son as Gov. Stitt signs SB271.

Gov. Signs Dahm, Hilbert Bill to Track Federal Dollars in State Agencies

OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill to improve government transparency in a ceremony at the State Capitol last week. Senate Bill 271 was authored by Sen. Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) and Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow).

The bill requires all state agencies to annually disclose and rank all federally affiliated funds, programs and priorities. Hilbert, who serves as the vice chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, said any agency receiving and administering federal funds that require any level of security clearance in order to administer received funds is exempt from the disclosure requirements.

“As elected officials, we should always take into consideration transparency and accountability,” Dahm said. “Unfortunately, many agencies choose not to share all the information in order for fully-informed decisions to be made. This bill will allow us to better represent our constituents by having this information known when making budget decisions. And by having the agencies post it on their website, this financial information will be directly available to the citizens of Oklahoma as well. It’s a huge step forward for transparency in how agencies spend our money.”

“The Legislature currently does not have a clear understanding of how many federal dollars various state agencies are receiving, how they’re being used or what strings are attached to those federal dollars,” Hilbert said. “The state agencies already have this information available, and Senate Bill 271 will make this information readily accessible to state legislators while considering funding and appropriations.”

SB 271 was officially signed by Stitt on April 29 and will go into effect on Nov. 1.

2019 Conservative Index released, rating OK legislators

Legislators Rated

by Oklahoma Constitution Staff

The Oklahoma Constitution presents the 41st annual Oklahoma Conservative Index, rating our state legislators. Members of each house of the Oklahoma Legislature were rated on ten key votes. A favorable vote on these issues represents a belief in conservative principles.

After taking suggestions from conservative leaders, the staff of the Oklahoma Constitution submitted proposed bills to a vote of the membership of the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee (OCPAC) to determine the ten key votes. The legislators were rated based on their votes on bills which included such issues as protecting free speech, protecting the right to keep and bear arms, protecting life, obstructing overbearing government regulations, against subsidizing businesses, and in opposition to revisionist history.

The average score this year was 48% in the House and 61% in the Senate. The Top Conservative and Top Liberal legislators were selected by their scores on the Index. Making the Top Conservatives list were 29 lawmakers who scored 80% or more. On the Top Liberals list were 31 lawmakers scoring 20% or less.

TOP CONSERVATIVES

Four legislators, two in the House and two in the Senate, scored a perfect 100% conservative rating this year. House members scoring 100% were Tom Gann of Inola, and Jim Olsen of Roland. Senators scoring 100% were Mark Allen of Spiro, and Nathan Dahm of Broken Arrow.

The next highest score was 93%, made by Representative Kevin West of Moore. Also scoring 93% were Senators Marty Quinn of Claremore, and Gary Stanislawski of Tulsa. Scoring 90% were House members Denise Crosswhite of Yukon, Tommy Hardin of Madill, Mark Lepak of Claremore, and Sean Roberts of Hominy.

One legislator, Sen. Joe Newhouse of Broken Arrow, score 86 percent. Two House members, Chad Caldwell of Enid, and Rande Worthen of Lawton, scored 83 percent. Also scoring 83% were Senators Larry Boggs of Red Oak, Julie Daniels of Bartlesville, and Casey Murdock of Felt.

Completing the list of Top Conservatives were 13 legislators who scored 80 percent. House members scoring 80% were Rhonda Baker of Yukon, Justin Humphrey of Lane, Mike Sanders of Kingfisher, Jay Steagall of Yukon, and Zack Taylor of Seminole. Senate members scoring 80% were Michael Bergstrom of Adair, David Bullard of Durant, John Haste of Broken Arrow, John Montgomery of Lawton, Roland Pederson of Burlington, Dewayne Pemberton of Muskogee, Wayne Shaw of Grove, and Darrell Weaver of Moore.

TOP LIBERALS

A large number of legislators scored zero conservative this year, including the Minority (Democrat) Leaders in both chambers. Thirteen representatives and three senators took the liberal position on all ten bills included on this year’s Oklahoma Conservative Index. Members of the House scoring zero were Kelly Albright of Midwest City, Merleyn Bell of Norman, Forrest Bennett of Oklahoma City, Chelsey Branham of Edmond, Mickey Dollens of Oklahoma City, Monroe Nichols of Tulsa, Melissa Provenzano of Tulsa, Trish Ranson of Stillwater, Jacob Rosecrants of Norman, Shane Stone of Oklahoma City, Emily Virgin of Norman (House Minority Leader), John Waldron of Tulsa, and Collin Walke of Oklahoma City. Members of the Senate scoring zero were Kay Floyd of Oklahoma City (Senate Minority Leader), Julia Kirt of Oklahoma City, and Kevin Matthews of Tulsa.

The next lowest score was 3% made by four representatives: Denise Brewer of Tulsa, Regina Goodwin of Tulsa, Jason Lowe of Oklahoma City, and Cyndi Munson of Oklahoma City. Two other representatives, Meloyde Blancett of Tulsa and Jason Dunnington of Oklahoma City, scored 6 percent. Three members of the House scored 10 percent, including Andy Fugate of Oklahoma City, Ben Loring of Miami, and David Perryman of Chickasha. Also scoring 10% were Senators Mary Boren of Norman, Michael Brooks of Oklahoma City, Carri Hicks of Oklahoma City, and George Young of Oklahoma City. One legislator, Rep. Ajay Pittman of Oklahoma City, received a 15% score. It is worthy of note that she missed five of the ten votes and voted liberal on the other five. Completing the Top Liberals list was one legislator, Rep. John Talley of Stillwater, who scored 20 percent.

Read more details here at the Oklahoma Constitution's website, including PDF versions of the index. 

If you want to view the Index in non-PDF format, go to this link, courtesy of SoonerPolitics.

Oklahoma Senate 2019 interim studies approved

Oklahoma Senate 2019 interim studies approved

OKLAHOMA CITY – Education, health care and mental health services, criminal justice policies, and retirement issues are among the topics approved for interim studies in the Oklahoma Senate.

The Senate President Pro Tempore’s Office on Tuesday released the list of 72 interim studies.

The members of the Oklahoma Senate use interim studies to take a more in-depth look at and hear from subject-matter experts about potential legislation and policies on a variety of topics. Interim studies are assigned to the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the subject matter contained within the request. Committee chairs are responsible for scheduling meetings for interim studies. All interim studies must be completed by November 8. Meeting notices will be posted on the Senate website (www.oksenate.gov).

*indicates a joint request with a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives

Agriculture and Wildlife Committee

• Senator Mary Boren, D-Norman, a study on farm-to-table reforms.
• Senator Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, a study of urban agriculture.

Appropriations Committee

• Senator Allison Ikley-Freeman, D-Tulsa, a study of disaster response funding protocols.
• Senator John Michael Montgomery, R-Lawton, and Senator Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, a study on innovating state capital asset management.
• Senator Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, a study on digital service.
• Senator Paul Scott, R-Duncan, a study on funding systems providing storm-shelter space.
• Senator Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, a study of how charter schools are funded and the real cost per student.*

Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee

• Senator Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, a study on blockchain, virtual currencies, and potential implementation in Oklahoma.
• Senator Brent Howard, R-Altus, a study on streamlining small business start-ups and entrepreneur growth.*
• Senator Matthews, a study on reducing poverty by increasing home ownership and entrepreneurship opportunities.
• Senator Casey Murdock, R-Felt, a study comparing Oklahoma pawn shop financing with other states.
• Senator Scott, a study of requirements for obtaining a barbering license.
• Senator Scott and Senator Howard, a study on stopping “robo calls”.
• Senator Rob Standridge, R-Norman, a study on how the state and subdivisions put Oklahoma first.
• Senator Standridge, a study of consolidation of workforce innovation boards.

Education Committee

• Senator Boren, a study on textbook adoption and funding reforms.*
• Senator David Bullard, R-Durant, a study on how best to use excess revenue from the Commissioners of the Land Office for schools.
• Senator Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, a study of professional development requirements for school districts.
• Senator Ikley-Freeman, a study of school policies on seclusion and restraint.
• Senator Kirt, a study on access to arts education.
• Senator Scott, a study of amending the Reading Sufficiency Act.
• Senator Scott, a study of summer feeding programs for youth.
• Senator Sharp, a study on oversight responsibilities of charter school sponsors.*
• Senator Standridge, a study on Teacher and Leader Effectiveness (TLE).
• Senator Standridge, a study on the impact of cyberbullying on children and ways to combat it.
• Senator Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, a study on House Bill 1017 school mandates.
• Senator Stanislawski, a study on the common education building equalization fund.
• Senator Stanislawski, a study on personalized learning.

Energy Committee

• Senator Boren, a study on solar energy in schools.*

Finance Committee

• Senator Boren, a study on affordable housing initiatives.
• Senator Tom Dugger, R-Stillwater, a study on Oklahoma Green Cards.
• Senator Matthews, a study on accessing community reinvestment act funds.
• Senator Montgomery, a study on conditional cash transfers, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and development.
• Senator Montgomery, a study on student loan debt and its impact on the state economy.
• Senator Montgomery, a study of consumer debt.
• Senator Montgomery, a study on debt affordability and areas of potential investment.
• Senator Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, a study on the aerospace equipment resource program.

General Government Committee

• Senator Joe Newhouse, R-Broken Arrow, a study of municipal regulation of aesthetic design elements in residential construction.*
• Senator Standridge, a study on hospital districts.

Health and Human Services Committee

• Senator John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, a study of the Safe Babies Court Team program.
• Senator Hicks, a study of the cost of prescriptive medications.
• Senator Ikley-Freeman, a study on youth access to mental health programs
• Senator Ikley-Freeman, a study on child care deserts.
• Senator Greg McCortney, R-Ada, a study on raising the smoking age to 21.
• Senator McCortney, a study on medication assisted treatment for addiction.
• Senator Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, a study of requirements for assisted living/memory care units.
• Senator Scott, a study of Department of Human Services practices for investigating daycare facilities.
• Senator Scott, a study of the Family First Prevention Services Act.
• Senator Frank Simpson, R-Springer, a study on solutions to the opioid epidemic.
• Senator Simpson, a study of state services for children with Type 1 diabetes.
• Senator Standridge, a study of the Developmental Disabilities Services Division wait list.
• Senator Standridge, a study on improving Oklahoma health by pharmacy practice.

Judiciary Committee

• Senator Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, and Senator Howard, a study of the Oklahoma Trust Act.
• Senator Sharp, a study on limited liability corporations.
• Senator Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, a study on recovering evidence from abandoned vehicles.

Public Safety Committee

• Senator Bullard, a study on transportation of mental health patients.
• Senator Daniels, a study of fines and fees in the criminal justice system.
• Senator Hicks, a study of current seatbelt laws.
• Senator Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, a study on cellular and electronic devices in Oklahoma prisons.
• Senator Mary Quinn, R-Claremore, a study on driver's license testing.
• Senator Wayne Shaw, R-Grove, a study of the felony larceny threshold.
• Senator Weaver, a study of workplace violence on medical professionals.

Retirement and Insurance Committee

• Senator Montgomery, a study on retirement security.
• Senator Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, a study on pension law reform.
• Senator Rosino, a study of insurance coverage of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strep (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS).

Rules Committee

• Senator Montgomery, a study of Article 10 of the Oklahoma Constitution.
• Senator Scott, a study on the 2020 Census.
• Senator Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, a study on county home rule.
• Senator George Young, D-Oklahoma City, a study on community impact studies.

Transportation Committee

• Senator Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, a study on advanced transportation technology readiness.
• Senator Bergstrom, a study of state and federal requirements for commercial driver’s license training and testing.

2019 Republican District Ratings for Oklahoma Legislature

Here's the 2019 update to my Republican District Ratings, the 2017 version of which can be viewed here.

This rating system is to determine how "Republican" each state house and state senate district is. The formula is comprised of three elements: federal-level (most recent Republican presidential nominee's in-district vote percentage), state-level (most recent Republican gubernatorial nominee's in-district vote percentage), and local-level (in-district voter registration).

If a district might be rated 50.0, that does not mean the Democrat rating would also be 50.0, as I didn't split the remaining portion up between Democrat, Libertarian and Independent. This system simply rates on how Republican a district is. Perhaps another way of putting it is this: a generic Republican candidate should be able to get no less than the RDR in his district.

Have a look at each full list. Given the massive turnover in the 2018 election, I marked which members are freshmen (i.e. elected in 2018). I also added in a new feature, the upward or downward movement of each district compared to my first rating in 2016.

I'll post the related 2019 Conservative Performance Index soon, likely in the next month or so, where we'll examine each legislator's conservative score (an average of two different conservative rating systems) and compare it to their district's Republican rating.

Up first, State House:


Northwest Oklahoma has the top three Republican districts; HD61 maintained top-status with a rating of 72.4, with HD58 (71.4) and HD59 (70.9) in second and third. There's a four-point gap to fourth place, where HD41 comes in with a rating of 66.9. Broken Arrow's HD80 comes in fifth at 66.5, which is a drop of 3.1 since my first ratings were released in 2016.

The five least Republican districts are HD73 in north Tulsa (10.2), HD99 (16.3) and HD97 (22.6) and HD88 (26.0) in Oklahoma City, and HD44 (28.0) in Norman.

The average rating for all House seats is down 0.2 points to 52.0 (2016 average was 51.9). For Republican-held seats, the average held flat at 56.7, the same as in 2016, while Democrat-held seats fell 3.3 points to an average of 37.1 (2016 was 40.4).

The five most-Republican seats held by Democrats are HD7 (51.5) in the northeast, HD79 (50.3) in Tulsa, HD83 (48.0) and HD85 (46.6) in OKC, and HD46 (46.5) in Norman..

The five least-Republican seats held by Republicans are HD62 (39.8) in Lawton, HD13 in Muskogee and McIntosh counties, HD64 (40.7) in Lawton, HD95 (44.4) in Midwest City, and HD14 (46.0) in Muskogee and Cherokee counties.

Average change since 2016 for urban House districts:

• OKC metro, GOP-held: -3.52
• OKC metro, Dem-held: -4.7
• OKC metro, combined: -4.07
• Tulsa metro, GOP-held: -2.74
• Tulsa metro, Dem-held: -3.92
• Tulsa metro, combined: -3.09
• Other urban (Lawton/Stillwater/Enid): -2.4
• All urban, GOP-held: -3.15
• All urban, Dem-held: -4.47
• All urban, combined: -3.58

Average change since 2016 for rural House districts:

• Rural, GOP-held: +4.32
• Rural, Dem-held: +2.9
• Rural, combined: +4.23

Now, let's look at the State Senate:


The most Republican district is again in far northwest Oklahoma and the Panhandle - SD27 at a rating of 72.8. Next are SD19 (65.9) in the Enid area, SD20 (63.7) in the Guthrie and Pawnee area, SD23 (63.6) on the west side of the OKC metro, and SD25 (63.6) in south Tulsa.

The five least Republican districts are SD11 in  north Tulsa (26.3), SD48 (27.3) and SD46 (35.8) in Oklahoma City, SD16 (41.2) in Cleveland County, and SD9 (42.7) in Muskogee and Cherokee counties.

The average rating for all Senate seats is up 0.6 points to 54.1. For Republican-held seats, it's up 1.1 points to 56.6, while for Democrat-held seats it's up 1.7 points to 43.5.

The five most Republican seats held by Democrats are SD34 in Owasso at 58.7, SD37 in Tulsa (57.5), SD44 (50.2) and SD30 (49.6) and SD40 (44.7) - all in OKC.

The five least Republican seats held by Republicans are SD9 (42.7), Midwest City's SD42 (47.0), Lawton's SD32 (47.5), two rural southeast districts, SD8 (47.5) and SD7 (48.7).

Average change since 2016 for urban Senate districts:

• OKC metro, GOP-held: -3.41
• OKC metro, Dem-held: +1.37
• OKC metro, combined: -1.36
• Tulsa metro, GOP-held: -3.32
• Tulsa metro, Dem-held: +4.0
• Tulsa metro, combined: -1.23
• All urban, GOP-held: -3.38
• All urban, Dem-held: +2.03
• All urban, combined: -1.32

Average change since 2016 for rural Senate districts:

• Rural, GOP-held: +4.91
• Rural, Dem-held: [none]
• Rural, combined: +4.91

If you'd like to see maps to show where all the different districts are, go here for State House maps and here for State Senate maps.

BONUS

I've added two more sheets: one showing all House and Senate districts together for comparison, and the other sorted by the percentage changes each district had since the 2016 rating.

Here's the House and Senate combined, to show the RDR for all 149 districts:

This one is is sorted by the percentage changes each district had since 2016:

Walkingstick to introduce pay raise for Cherokee Nation employees

DAVID WALKINGSTICK TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATIVE ACT TO RAISE SALARIES FOR CHEROKEE NATION EMPLOYEES

(TAHLEQUAH, OK) - Ahead of the July 15th Rules Committee meeting where the Cherokee Nation tribal council will vote upon a measure to block proposed massive pay raises for elected officials, District 3 Tribal Councilor David Walkingstick has announced that he will introduce legislation that would provide for a pay raise of $2,000 to $3,000 for all full- and part-time Cherokee employees.

In a statement, Walkingstick said the following:

"I am excited to announce the "Cherokee Nation Employees Pay Raise Act of 2019", which will raise salaries for Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses employees by $2,000 to $3,000. Our Cherokee employees have gone without a true pay increase for too long, and we have seen the result of this as we continue to lose some of our best workers to better-paying employers. Over the past eight years, the Cherokee Nation has lost over 140 doctors due to pay and poor working conditions, and our health systems have suffered because of this."

"The Cherokee Nation Compensation Committee has proposed massive pay raises for Cherokee Nation politicians, citing the need for better pay to recruit 'top talent'. I've visited with hundreds of Cherokee citizens since this pay hike was proposed, and nearly all of them agree that this was the wrong course of action. I am proposing Act because I believe that we have top talent in the staff of our Cherokee Nation departments and businesses, and we have not been paying them what they are worth. I hope that my fellow tribal councilors feel the same way and that they will support this modest pay increase for our great Cherokee Nation employees."

The Cherokee Nation Rules Committee will meet publicly at 11:00 am on Monday, July 15th at the W. W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah to discuss and vote on the proposed pay increases. Walkingstick will move to amend the agenda of this meeting to place "The Cherokee Nation Employee Pay Raise Act" up for consideration and a vote.

REID issues 2019 grades for Legislators

FRESHMEN LEGISLATORS, NEW GOVERNOR DEFINE LEGISLATIVE SESSION;

LEGISLATURE SEES FIRST SURPLUS IN FOUR YEARS

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, June 21, 2019 – The Research Institute for Economic Development (RIED), a non-partisan organization and producer of the annual RIED Report, a grading system of Oklahoma legislators’ votes on key economic development and business issues, announced today its 2019 RIED Report. The scores were awarded to lawmakers who served during the first regular session of the 57th Oklahoma Legislature. Over 50 freshmen served during the session 

Under the RIED evaluation system, legislators earn points when they support job creation and economic development issues or vote against legislation that is harmful to job creation and economic development.  A score of 70 and above represents a passing grade while 69 and below represents a failing grade. Sixteen measures were utilized to compile the 2019 RIED Report.

“This was an interesting session on many fronts with legislators faced with a myriad of issues, including opportunities to advance pro-business and pro-job creation legislation,” said Mark Williams, RIED president.

“The vast majority of Senate and House members received passing grades of 70 or above with 14 members scoring 91 which was the highest score of the session. One bill, HB 2632, prevented these legislators from obtaining a perfect 100 score, and other legislators from scoring higher. The bill was hotly debated throughout the session with pro and con advocacy groups weighing in throughout the process. After much negotiation, the measure ultimately passed both chambers unanimously and was signed by Governor Kevin Stitt. Despite the robust debate surrounding the bill, and its unanimous passage, the measure is anti-business on multiple levels and could not be supported by RIED. First, the bill requires contracts between private entities to be reviewed by the Oklahoma Insurance Department rather than be contracted on the open market without government intervention. Second, the bill raises the cost of health insurance for any business that provides health coverage for its employees, and it raises the cost to consumers who purchase their own policies. Lastly, the measure fails to exempt plans governed by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which translates into ERISA plans now being governed by state law which preempts federal law which will almost certainly lead to legal challenges. The legislature’s passage of HB 2632 unfortunately cast a negative cloud over what otherwise was a positive and pro-business session for state lawmakers.”

Overall, 109 of 149 legislators received passing scores of 70 or higher, including 40 of 48 Senate members and 69 of 101 House members. Fourteen senators and 32 representatives scored 85 or higher.

“With so many new faces in the legislature, I was curious to see how the entire body approached issues that impact Oklahoma’s business climate and economy, both positive and negative,” said Greg Love, RIED board chairman. Overall, I am pleased with the pro-business votes of the majority of legislators, however it is important to note how just one anti-business vote on a singular piece of legislation can send the wrong message outside our borders. Following the 2018 session, I stated how important it was for the executive and legislative branches to seriously address budget reform, and the manner in which fiscal decisions are made across state government.  Progress was made this session, specifically in the form of SB 1, and I urge the legislature and Governor Stitt to continue to embrace policies and procedures that advance Oklahoma economically while positioning our state as a premier business destination.”

The 2019 RIED Report is available at riedreport.com.

The Research Institute for Economic Development was founded in 1997 and promotes economic growth through the evaluation of business, job and economic growth issues considered by the Oklahoma Legislature.  RIED is non-partisan and does not lobby issues, endorse candidates or campaigns.

Cong. Hern joins House Minority Whip team

REP. HERN JOINS HOUSE WHIP TEAM

Washington, DC – Representative Kevin Hern announced Wednesday that he has joined House Minority Whip Steve Scalise’s Whip Team.

“It’s an honor to join this group of my peers to advance President Trump’s pro-growth agenda that has transformed the American economy in the last two years,” said Rep. Hern. “Serving under the leadership of someone like Whip Scalise is a rare opportunity. I look forward to being on his team and contributing to the work our party is doing for the American people.”

Whip Scalise said, “I’m excited to welcome Rep. Hern to the Whip Team. Kevin’s extensive experience as a small business owner and reputation as a problem solver will be an asset as we fight to land Republican priorities on President Trump’s desk. In the battle between conservative solutions and the Democrats’ socialist agenda, I’m glad to have Kevin on board as a champion for our values and policies.”

Background:
The Whip Team is made up of Republican Representatives who work closely with party leadership to ensure every American’s voice is heard in Congress. Whip Team members liaise between members of the Republican Conference and party leaders to address legislative concerns and advocate for the priorities of their colleagues.

Speaker McCall Names Members to LOFT Oversight Committee

Speaker McCall Names Members to LOFT Oversight Committee

House Budget Chair Kevin Wallace Named Co-Chair 

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Speaker Charles McCall today appointed members to the oversight committee for the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT), a recently created legislative office to evaluate agency budgets and programs for lawmakers.

Speaker McCall named House Appropriations and Budget Chairman Kevin Wallace as co-chair of the LOFT Oversight Committee. In addition, he appointed the following members to the Committee:

• State Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, Co-Vice Chair
• State Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City
• State Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond
• State Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa
• State Rep. Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City
• State Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa

LOFT was created, effective immediately, when Gov. Stitt signed Senate Bill 1 into law. Senate Bill 1, by House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, creates LOFT within the existing Legislative Service Bureau (LSB). The LSB is a shared office between the House of Representatives and the Senate that currently has limited functions. LOFT will be similar to the federal Government Accountability Office within Congress.

LOFT will have an oversight committee made up of seven members of the House and seven members of the Senate. All members and the co-chairs of the committee are to be appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, with at least two members from each chamber being members of the minority party.

"Taxpayers expect lawmakers to ensure their dollars are being spent efficiently, without waste and as they were intended," said Speaker McCall, R-Atoka. "LOFT will give the Legislature an office that works for lawmakers, not the state agencies, and give us confidence that the information and analysis it provides our members will be unbiased, timely and accurate. The members I have chosen to serve Oklahomans on the LOFT Oversight Committee have shown the temperament and willingness to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work that digging through agency budgets and complex agency programs requires."

LOFT would employ financial examiners who would routinely audit agency budgets and spending and evaluate the effectiveness of agency programs and services. The office would then provide reports to the House and Senate.

"LOFT has been a priority for House Republicans for several years, and I am glad we finally got this legislation passed and are ready to utilize these new resources to benefit citizens," said Co-Chair Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston. "Having worked on the state appropriated budget for three years now, I can tell you it can be difficult at times to get accurate information from the agencies, and there have been times when some agencies have provided different information to the House and Senate. As lawmakers, we have to get useful information quickly in order to make good budgeting decisions on behalf of the Oklahomans that sent us here. LOFT will help us do that."

Senate Bill 1 requires agencies, boards and commissions to turn over to LOFT upon request all records, documents and budgets and make personnel available. LOFT will also have subpoena and investigation authority.

The Legislature appropriated $1.7 million to fund LOFT in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget that just passed.

OCPA column: A notable contrast in legislative priorities

A notable contrast in legislative priorities

By Jonathan Small

The 2019 legislative session passed many good reforms, but its failures provided a glimpse of lawmakers’ priorities that should disturb Oklahomans.

Rather than act, lawmakers chose to sideline two measures that would have addressed some of Oklahoma’s most pressing needs in education and health care.

Lawmakers failed to raise the cap on the successful Equal Opportunity Scholarship program, which uses tax credits to inject millions of private dollars into public schools and private-school scholarships. Independent evaluators have concluded the program actually saves taxpayer money even as it increases student opportunity. Yet lawmakers chose not to expand this successful program, leaving thousands of children with special needs, kids struggling with addiction, and students living with the challenges of poverty unable to attend the schools that can best serve them.

Similarly, lawmakers failed to give voters the chance to direct state tobacco settlement payments to rural health care needs through a constitutional amendment. As rural hospitals close, lawmakers chose to instead leave tobacco dollars in a fund that pays for walking paths and advertisements that tell people to drink water.

But legislators did find the will to double the “Hollywood handout” film rebate, a de facto voucher program that sends millions out of state. Consultants hired by the state Incentive Evaluation Commission concluded the film program does nothing to permanently boost the Oklahoma film industry and does little for the state’s image. They recommended the program be ended.

Instead, lawmakers doubled program payments this year and even voted to allow some filmmakers to get payments from the Oklahoma Quick Action Closing Fund. Apparently, they concluded that the Harvey Weinsteins of the world are more deserving of Oklahoma taxpayer cash than homeless children or elderly rural patients in need of care.

The Legislature did advance some good reforms in other areas, including proposals OCPA has endorsed for many years. Those measures, if implemented correctly, should result in better oversight of government, less waste, and greater freedom for citizens.

Those measures include legislation giving the governor the ability to name the leaders of five major agencies, creation of a Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency to conduct performance evaluations of agencies, boosting state savings by $200 million, and requiring state agencies to report the use of all federal funds in a transparent manner.

Other worthwhile bills that became law provided for Oklahoma Supreme Court redistricting that increased the pool of potential jurists by hundreds in some cases, further criminal justice reforms, free speech protections on college campuses, and lawmakers’ commendable decision to not expand Medicaid and keep their focus on aiding the truly needy.

Put simply, the Legislature did some good this year. But when it was bad, it was really bad.

Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (www.ocpathink.org).

Optometric Physicians applaud passage of new optometry laws

Optometric Physicians Thank Governor, Legislature for Passage of New Optometry Laws

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma optometrists [Tuesday] thanked the Legislature and Governor Kevin Stitt for passing and signing legislation that will protect Oklahoma’s vision health standards while increasing convenience for consumers.

Senate Bill 100, authored by State Representative Carl Newton, himself an optometrist, removes from statute a prohibition on the sale of eyewear in non-medical, retail settings. It would allow retail stores to sell frames and lenses. It would also allow retail stores to lease space to optometrists. However, unlike previous proposals (including the previously rejected State Question 793), SB 100 contains vigorous protections for patient safety, quality of care, and the independence of the doctor.

Under SB 100, any optometry clinic leasing space from a retail store would need to be a separate legal entity owned and operated by an optometric physician licensed in Oklahoma. That optometrist cannot be an employee of the retail entity. Furthermore, the optometry clinic would be required to be physically separate from the retail space, with its own external entrance. The language maintains Oklahoma’s status as one of 16 so-called “two door” states, which include neighboring Texas and Kansas.

Also unlike State Question 793, SB 100 clarifies that the independently operating Board of Examiners in Optometry regulates optometrists’ scope-of- practice, and that a corporate entity cannot restrict or influence how a doctor practices.

Dr. Selina McGee, an Edmond optometrist and president of the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians, said the bill is a positive development for optometric physicians and their patients.

“Our primary concern as eye doctors is protecting Oklahoma’s very high standards for quality of care and patient safety,” said Dr. McGee. “To preserve those high standards, optometrists need to be operating independently, free of corporate control or interference, and governed by a medical board. SB 100 is consistent with those principles, where State Question 793 and other previous proposals were not.”

More on SB 100:

SB 100 stipulates:

• That retail outlets may sell frames and lenses;
• That retail outlets may begin to lease space to optometric physicians in a phased-in, gradual manner with a timeline based on population density;
• That the doctor may not be an employee of the retail outlet;
• That the doctor will not receive any additional compensation for referring patients to the retail stores’ optical services;
• That the care given to the patient be the main concern of the optometric physician, or other physician providing vision care;
• That the doctor’s office be separate from the retail outlet’s optical shop; and
• That the current laws be followed in giving a patient a prescription for glasses or contact lenses.

SB 100 also:

• Defines the responsibility of the doctor to his patients;
• Sets out penalties for infraction of the law;
• Includes language disallowing the retailer to sell below costs; and
• Adds new language that puts into law requirements for a contact lens prescription and requirements for the renewal of contact lens prescriptions by persons other than the prescribing doctor.

Legislature adjourns 'Sine Die'

"There is nothing that will upset a state economic condition like a legislature. It's better to have termites in your house than the legislature [in session]." - Will Rogers

"The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets." - Will Rogers

"Never blame a legislative body for not doing something. When they do nothing, they don't hurt anybody. When they do something is when they become dangerous." - Will Rogers

Earlier today, the Oklahoma Legislature wrapped up the legislative session for this year and adjourned "Sine Die". Between work and events here, I haven't had a chance to put together a wrap-up of the closing flurry of legislative activity, and likely won't be able to for a while. In the meantime, check out SoonerPolitics.org for more news feeds and information.

OklahomaWatch.org also has a good article here -- Making the Cut: What Lawmakers Did (and Didn’t Do) This Year.

OCPA comments on 2019 legislative session

OCPA comments on 2019 legislative session

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 23, 2019) – Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, issued the following statement today as the 2019 session of the Oklahoma Legislature wrapped up.

“This year the Legislature advanced many important reforms that OCPA has endorsed for years. Those measures, if implemented correctly, should result in better oversight of government and less waste,” Small said. “However, the Legislature’s inability to expand the Equal Opportunity Scholarship program is a particularly glaring failure, especially since lawmakers doubled a ‘Hollywood handout,’ a voucher that sends millions of dollars to out-of-state producers such as disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Thousands of children with special needs, kids struggling with addiction, and students living with the challenges of poverty are desperately seeking to attend schools that can best serve them, and this session let them down. Those children deserve better, and OCPA will continue to advocate for them.”

House Passes Bill Creating Legislative Budget Office

House Passes Bill Creating Legislative Budget Office

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today passed a measure creating a legislative office to evaluate agency budgets and programs for lawmakers.

Senate Bill 1, by House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, would create the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) within the existing Legislative Service Bureau (LSB). The LSB is a shared office between the House of Representatives and the Senate that currently has limited functions. LOFT would be similar to the federal Government Accountability Office within Congress.

“The Legislature has an obligation to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent by the agencies appropriately and without waste, and we need the resources to do that effectively,” said Speaker McCall, R-Atoka. “LOFT will be a legislative-level office, not an executive branch office, that ensures lawmakers are getting accurate and timely information from the agencies so we can make better informed decisions for citizens. This office has been a shared priority between House and Senate leadership this session, and I am very pleased that we accomplished this goal before the end of session.”

LOFT would employ financial examiners who would routinely audit agency budgets and spending and evaluate the effectiveness of agency programs and services. The office would then provide reports to the House and Senate. LOFT would have an oversight committee made up of an equal number of bipartisan House and Senate members. All members and the co-chairs of the committee would be appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

“The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency will increase transparency and accountability by providing the public and lawmakers with in-depth information on agency budgets and program performance,” said President Pro Tempore Treat, R-Oklahoma City. “Rather than depending on agencies or third parties that receive state funding, lawmakers will have independent data as they make budgetary decisions and evaluate the effectiveness of individual programs. I appreciate Speaker McCall’s commitment and collaboration on the idea of a legislative budget office and thank him for his work in seeing Senate Bill 1 passed.”

The bill also requires agencies, boards and commissions to turn over to LOFT upon request all records, documents and budgets and make personnel available. LOFT will also have subpoena and investigation authority.

The Legislature appropriated $1.7 million to fund LOFT in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget that just passed.

The bill passed by a vote of 69-18 and now heads to the governor’s desk to await his signature.