Legislative leadership forms medical marijuana 'working group', Dems want special session

Legislative leaders traded press releases and announcements regarding the future of medical marijuana in Oklahoma, following semi-controversial actions by the Oklahoma State Board of Health.

First, House Speaker McCall (R-Atoka) and Senate Pro Tempore-designate Greg Treat (R-OKC) annonced the creation of a bipartisan working group on the issue:

House Speaker McCall, Senate President Pro Tempore-designate Treat Announce Creation of Bi-Partisan Working Group on Medical Marijuana

Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore-designate Greg Treat today announced the creation of a bi-partisan working group of House and Senate members to begin working with all medical marijuana stakeholders to determine a path forward for implementation that conforms to the will of the voters who recently approved State Question 788.

“We have an obligation to voters to get this right,” said Speaker McCall, R-Atoka. “The House is committed to implementing the will of our citizens in a responsible way that respects the desire of voters while also protecting public safety and addressing concerns from the business and medical communities. We have many lawmakers who want to be involved in crafting a permanent regulatory framework more in line with what the voters want and expect. This group will begin evaluating the Department of Health’s recently adopted and approved rules and meeting with the governor’s office, medical marijuana industry representatives, Health Department officials, healthcare providers and other stakeholders to determine the best approach forward.”

“The Oklahoma Senate will not undo the will of voters, who spoke loudly by passing State Question 788,” said Sen. Treat, R-Edmond. “While the Health Department and its commissioner did yeoman’s work in drafting emergency rules, the Board of Health’s adoption of last-minute amendments without public comments has undermined the public’s confidence in the system. Lawmakers have the ability to amend this law as we move forward to address any issues which may arise. A group of senators has been working diligently on this issue since April, and the new bipartisan, bicameral working group will be able to build upon that work. Lawmakers will work with all stakeholders to ensure we get this right. The legislative working group will help ensure a stable and effective regulatory framework is put in place so that State Question 788 can be implemented efficiently, effectively and safely in accordance with the will of Oklahoma voters.”

Speaker McCall and Pro-Tem-designate Treat will announce members of the working group early next week. The group has no set timetable yet for meeting or making recommendations.

This afternoon, House Democrats responded by calling for a special session:

House Democrats Release Statement Calling for Special Session

OKLAHOMA CITY – Minority Leader Steve Kouplen, D-Beggs, released the following statement today after Gov. Mary Fallin signed the emergency rules for State Question 788. The rules, which were passed Tuesday by the Oklahoma State Department of Health, forbid “smokeable” marijuana and require a pharmacist to be on staff in medical marijuana dispensaries.

“Today, the House Democratic Caucus stands together to urge Governor Fallin to reverse course and call the legislature into a special session so that we can setup a structure for legal medical marijuana.

We are glad to see the Speaker and the incoming majority leader of the Senate have committed to upholding the will of the people. We support the idea of a bipartisan working group only if a date for special session is chosen. Otherwise, we feel that the working group would be nothing more than a political stunt to ease the justified outrage of Oklahoma voters. If the Governor refuses to lead on this issue, we are calling on our Republican colleagues in the House and Senate to stand with us and use the two-thirds provision in the state constitution to bring the legislature back into session.

Although the majority of our caucus supported state question 788, we do have some members that did not. However, even those members stand with us today to say that the will of the people must be protected and that we cannot have a government that disregards election results. All members of the House Democratic Caucus feel that allowing the Oklahoma Department of Health rules to stand would be an act of complicity by this body to undermine the will of the people, and we feel that is unacceptable.”

OCPA column: 529s now for K-12, too

529s now for K-12 too

by Jonathan Small

President of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA)

Since 2015, annual taxes and other revenue taken from Oklahomans by the state’s Republican-controlled government has increased by $1.1 billion.

By contrast, Republicans at the national level have cut taxes. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump just days before Christmas, has been great news for job growth and for Oklahomans’ take-home pay.

But taxes aren’t the only issue on which national officials delivered recently while state officials fell short. Consider school choice.

The Oklahoma Legislature hiked taxes for government-run schools this year without demanding any reforms. Meanwhile, the Trump tax bill expanded the use of college savings plans, known as 529 accounts, to include tuition for private schools at the K-12 level. And why shouldn’t we treat basic education as just as important as higher education?

Oklahoma is among the majority of states in which contributions to 529 accounts qualify for a state income tax deduction. In those states, both federal and state tax policies incentivize saving for educational costs.

The Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan announced on April 3, 2018, that “effective January 1, 2018, distributions for tuition in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school are Oklahoma and federal income tax free up to a maximum of $10,000 of distributions for such tuition expenses per taxable year per Beneficiary from all 529 Plans.”

529 holdings today are roughly $275 billion. That’s a lot of money parents have sacrificed to provide for higher education. Now, parents can create a 529 account upon the birth of a child and start saving for K-12 tuition as well.

Moreover, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced legislation last month that would expand school choice even further, broadening 529 eligibility to include home-school expenses.

It’s no secret that Oklahomans want educational options. A recent statewide survey commissioned by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and conducted by Cor Strategies (margin of error: plus/minus 4.37 percent) asked 502 likely Oklahoma voters what type of school they would select for their own children if financial costs and transportation were of no concern.

While 49 percent said they would choose a traditional public school, 36 percent said they would choose a private or parochial school. Eight percent would opt for home-schooling and 8 percent for a charter school.

Oklahoma policymakers should take note: political leaders must enact policies that empower parents and expand options for students.

Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

Election Results Map: Libertarian Gubernatorial Primary

For the latest installment in my Election Results Maps series, we now take a look at the GOP primary for Corporation Commission. As is my custom, I try to match primary results map colors to campaign logos when possible.

In the only Libertarian primary this year, three candidates split the vote enough to bring Libertarian voters back to the polls in August for a runoff election.

Chris Powell took in 48.9% of the vote, falling just shy out clinching the nomination for Oklahoma's newest political party. He garnered a majority in 34 counties, and plurality wins in another 19 counties.

Rex Lawhorn came in second with 32.43% of the vote. He won 12 counties outright, and had plurality victories in four more counties.

Third-place candidate Joe Exotic received the majority vote in two counties, and a plurality in one county. He took 18.66% of the vote statewide.

Two counties ended in a tie between Powell and Lawhorn, while one was a tie between Lawhorn and Exotic. Two counties on the western border with Texas had no votes cast in the Libertarian primary.

With only 3,558 votes statewide, some counties had very few Libertarian ballots cast. In Beaver, Cimarron, Coal, Ellis, Grant, Harper, and Major counties only one Libertarian voted, while in Tillman County two Libertarian votes were cast.

Election Results Map: GOP Corporation Commission Primary

For the latest installment in my Election Results Maps series, we now take a look at the GOP primary for Corporation Commission. As is my custom, I try to match primary results map colors to campaign logos when possible.

As with every other Republican statewide race with three or more candidates, this one is going to the August runoff.

Incumbent Commissioner Bob Anthony led the field with 47.16%, garnering a majority vote in 11 counties, and plurality leads in another 50 counties.

Former Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman made it into the runoff with 38.42% of the vote, winning a majority in his home of Creek County, and plurality leads in 15 counties.

Third-place candidate Harold Spradling took in 14.42% of the vote, but managed a second-place showing in Atoka, Coal, Jefferson, Johnston, Love, and McCurtain counties. Spradling has since endorsed Anthony.

Music Monday: Hail to the Spirit of Liberty

This week's Music Monday is Hail to the Spirit of Liberty, by John Philip Sousa, played here by the "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band.


Enjoy!

See below for all previous Music Monday posts. Do you have a song you'd like to suggest for a future Music Monday? Email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.

July 2nd, 2018: Turn The Tide
June 25th, 2018: Good Guys Win
June 18th, 2018: Watching You
June 11th, 2018: Adoration
June 4th, 2018: March from 'A Moorside Suite'
May 28th, 2018: Taps
May 21st, 2018: Listz's La Campanella
May 14th, 2018: Handful of Weeds
May 7th, 2018: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
April 30th, 2018: Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53 ("Heroic")
April 23rd, 2018: Blow Ye The Trumpet
April 16th, 2018: Asturias (Leyenda)
April 9th, 2018: Old Mountain Dew
April 2nd, 2018: His Life For Mine
March 19th, 2018: See, the Conqu'ring Hero Comes!
March 12th, 2018: Choctaw Nation
March 5th, 2018: Hark, I Hear The Harps Eternal
February 19th, 2018: The Olympic Spirit
February 12th, 2018: Olympic Fanfare and Theme
January 29th, 2018: Hail to the Chief
January 23rd, 2018: Waltz in A-Flat Major, Op. 39 No. 15
January 15th, 2018: Bleed The Same
January 8th, 2018: Saint-Saëns' Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Maestoso)
December 25th, 2017: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
December 18th, 2017: I Saw Three Ships (The Piano Guys)
December 11th, 2017:Who Is He In Yonder Stall
December 4th, 2017: Carol of the Bells (Mannheim Steamroller)
November 27th, 2017: Joy to the World!
November 20th, 2017: We Gather Together
November 13th, 2017: Mansions of the Lord
November 6th, 2017: Träumerei
October 30th: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
October 23rd, 2017: In Christ Alone
October 16th, 2017: When I'm Knee Deep In Bluegrass
October 9th, 2017: I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb
October 2nd, 2017: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major (Brahms)
September 25th, 2017: Beethoven's Sonata No. 8 in C minor ('Pathétique')
September 11th, 2017: Have You Forgotten?
September 4th, 2017: Bach's Double Violin Concerto
August 28th, 2017: Noah Found Grace In The Eyes Of The Lord
August 21st, 2017: The Heavens Are Telling The Glory of God
August 14th, 2017: Beethoven's 5th Symphony
August 7th, 2017: 'Lift High The Name Of Jesus' medley
July 31st, 2017: Fanfare for the Common Man
July 24th, 2017: Variations on 'Happy Birthday'
July 10th, 2017: Summer (Presto) from Vivaldi's Four Seasons
July 3rd, 2017: Freelance Fireworks Hall of Fame
June 26th, 2017: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
June 19th, 2017: A Christian Home
June 12th, 2017: Ol' Man River
June 5th, 2017: Choctaw Cowboy
May 29th, 2017: Armed Forces Salute
May 22nd, 2017: Double Bass Concerto No.2 in B minor
May 15th, 2017: Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D major
May 8th, 2017: The Army Goes Rolling Along
April 17th, 2017: He Is Alive
April 10th, 2017: Surely He Hath Borne/And With His Stripes/All We Like Sheep
April 3rd, 2017: Here Comes Carolina
March 27th, 2017: 'Spring' from Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons'
March 20th, 2017: Symphony No. 5 ("Reformation") Finale
March 13th, 2017: The Pigeon on the Gate
March 6th, 2017: Finlandia
February 27th, 2017: When I Can Read My Title Clear
February 20th, 2017: William Tell Overture - Finale
February 13th, 2017: 'Romance' from 'The Gadfly'
February 6th, 2017: White Winter Hymnal
January 30th, 2017: Hail, Columbia
January 23rd, 2017: Hail to the Chief
January 16th, 2017: Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
January 2nd, 2017: Auld Lang Syne
December 26th, 2016: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
December 19th, 2016: I Wonder as I Wander
December 12th, 2016: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
December 5th, 2016: A Christmas Festival
November 28th, 2016: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
November 21st: Beethoven's 'Hymn of Thanksgiving'
November 14th: Hymn to the Fallen
November 7th: This World Is Not My Home
October 31st, 2016: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
October 24th, 2016: 'Mars', from 'The Planets'
October 17th, 2016: My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
October 10th, 2016: Spain
October 3rd, 2016: International Harvester
September 26th, 2016: 'The Imperial March' from Star Wars
September 19th, 2016: Awake the Trumpet's Lofty Sound
September 12th, 2016: Before the Throne of God Above
September 5th, 2016: The Hunt
August 29th, 2016: Liberty
August 22nd, 2016: Summon the Heroes
August 15th, 2016: Bugler's Dream
August 8th, 2016: Olympic Fanfare and Theme
August 1st, 2016: 'Prelude' and 'Parade of the Charioteers' from Ben-Hur
July 25th, 2016: How The West Was Won
July 18th, 2016: Six Studies in English Folk Song
July 11th, 2016: From Everlasting To Everlasting
July 4th, 2016: The Stars and Stripes Forever
June 27th, 2016: Rule, Britannia!
June 20st, 2016: Bugler's Holiday
June 13th, 2016: Ride of the Valkyries
June 6th, 2016: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, Allegro Vivace
May 30th, 2016: Armed Forces Salute
May 23rd, 2016: Paid in Full (Through Jesus, Amen)
May 16th, 2016: Overture from 'Carmen'
May 9th, 2016: L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1 - Prelude
May 2nd, 2016: My God Is a Rock
April 25th, 2016: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
April 18th, 2016: Paganini's Caprice No. 24 in A Minor
April 11th, 2016: Fantasia on a 17th Century Tune
April 4th, 2016: Hark The Sound/I'm a Tarheel Born
March 28th, 2016: Rustle of Spring
March 21st, 2016: 'Ode to Joy' sung by a 10,000-voice choir
March 14th, 2016: Hard Times Come Again No More
March 7th, 2016: 'The Suite' from Downton Abbey
February 29th, 2016: Moonlight Sonata
February 22nd, 2016: Liebestraum No. 3
February 15th, 2016: Help Is On The Way
February 8th, 2016: God of Grace and God of Glory
February 1st, 2016: 'My Story'
January 25th, 2016: Israeli Concertino
January 18th, 2016: What Grace is Mine
January 11th, 2016: "Meditation" from Thaïs
January 4th, 2016: Praeludium and Allegro
December 28th, 2015: Appalachian Carol
December 21st, 2015: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
December 14th, 2015: O Holy Night
December 7th, 2015: Christmas Fantasy
November 23rd, 2015: Simple Gifts
November 16th, 2015: Preacher Tell Me Like It Is
November 9th, 2015: Armed Forces Salute
November 2nd, 2015: Amazing Grace
October 26th, 2015: The Harmonious Blacksmith
October 19th, 2015: Liberty Fanfare
October 12th, 2015: The Majesty and Glory of Your Name
October 5th, 2015: Elgar's 'Enigma' Finale
September 28th, 2015: Stayed on Jesus
September 21st, 2015: Great Gate of Kiev
September 14th, 2015: Nearer, My God, To Thee

Election Results Map: GOP LtGov Primary

For the latest installment in my Election Results Maps series, we now take a look at the GOP primary for Lieutenant Governor. As is my custom, I try to match primary results map colors to campaign logos when possible.

As with every other Republican statewide race with three or more candidates, this one is going to the August runoff. Four candidates meant it was difficult to reach a majority, and Dana Murphy led the pack with 45.84% of the vote. The runner-up was Matt Pinnell, with 35.69%.

Dana Murphy received a majority of the vote in 16 counties, primarily the OKC metro and northwestern Oklahoma. She had pluralities in another 33 counties, including very narrow leads in some of the Tulsa metro.

Matt Pinnell had majority wins in Atoka and Choctaw counties, and plurality leads in another 24 counties. He did very well in the 2nd Congressional District and the southern border counties.

Third place candidate Eddie Fields had plurality victories in Osage and Pawnee counties; he has represented Osage in the State House and Senate since 2008. He received between 10% and 16% in most of the state, but broke into the 20-25% range in some eastern and northern counties.

Election Results Map: Dem LtGov Primary

For the latest installment in my Election Results Maps series, we now take a look at the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor. As is my custom, I try to match primary results map colors to campaign logos when possible. I normally don't do the Democratic primaries, but this one was... fairly interesting.

Anastasia Pittman is a month past due on filing her campaign finance report, while at last reporting period Anna Dearmore had spent a mere $27,000 on her statewide campaign. Neither candidate had widespread name recognition, although Pittman is a term-limited Oklahoma County legislator who spent eight years in the State House and four in the State Senate.

Pittman won the race by 3,129 votes, besting Dearmore in five OKC metro counties and one northwestern county. Dearmore breached 60% in six counties, but the winner in most of the rest of the counties had less than 55%. Dearmore ultimately won 71 counties, but couldn't overcome Pittman's Oklahoma County landslide (she received 65% there).

This is probably the most lopsided map I've ever done.

Election Results Map: GOP State Auditor Primary

For the latest installment in my Election Results Maps series, we now take a look at the GOP primary for State Auditor & Inspector. As is my custom, I try to match primary results map colors to campaign logos when possible.

In a hotly-contested three-way primary, Cindy Byrd nearly pulled off a majority vote, falling 0.55% shy of avoiding a runoff. Despite a 3-to-1 spending advantage, Charlie Prater only won majorities in 9 rural counties (mostly in western Oklahoma), and pluralities in another 19.

Byrd scored outright majorities in the Tulsa metro and her native southeast (including over 77% in Coal County), with a few elsewhere, for a total of 21 counties. She took pluralities in the remaining 28 counties.

Several counties were decided by less than 10 votes. Third-place candidate John Uzzo reached 20% in his home of Cherokee County, but was well below 10% in most other counties.

Election Results Map: GOP Insurance Comm Primary

For the latest installment in my Election Results Maps series, we now take a look at the GOP Insurance Commissioner race. As is my custom, I try to match primary results map colors to campaign logos when possible.

In one of the less well-known downballot races, State Rep. Glen Mulready was the only statewide Republican candidate to clinch the nomination in the primary election* -- seemingly only due to the fact that there was only one other candidate.

Mulready spent at least $500,000 in the primary, while Chasteen spent less than $10,000. Nevertheless, Chasteen still won 16 counties, including a string of counties in southern Oklahoma.

The closest result was in Mayes County, where Chasteen beat Mulready by a vote of 2,295 (50.05%) to 2,290 (49.95%). Mulready received over 60% in Alfalfa, Ellis, Harmon, Harper, Kingfisher, Nowata counties, while Chasteen took 62% in Stephens County.


* - Republican State Rep. Randy McDaniel clinched the GOP nomination for State Treasurer by virtue of being the only individual to file on the Republican side.

Election Results Map: GOP Labor Comm Primary

For the latest installment in my Election Results Maps series, we now take a look at the GOP Labor Commissioner race. As is my custom, I try to match primary results map colors to campaign logos when possible.

Both vote leader Cathy Costello and second-place Leslie Osborn had outright majorities in one county each. Costello held a plurality lead in 51 counties, while Osborn did so in 18 counties.

Third-place candidate Keith Swinton got plurality leads in five southeastern counties, and received 30%+ and/or second-place in almost every other county in the southeastern quadrant of the state. In most of the rest of the state, he was in the high-teens or low- to mid-20s.

Latimer County was a dead tie between Costello and Osborn (166 votes, 33.67%), with Swinton a close third (161 votes, 32.66%).

As no candidate received an outright majority, Costello and Osborn will face each other in the August 28th runoff election.

UPDATE: Leslie Osborn has been caught issuing a false claim of endorsement by Swinton, whose voters will decide the runoff election. Read all about it here.

Election Results Map: GOP AG Primary

For the latest installment in my Election Results Maps series, we now take a look at the GOP primary for Attorney General. As is my custom, I try to match primary results map colors to campaign logos when possible.

Vote leader Mike Hunter had outright majorities in 18 counties along the Texas and Arkansas borders, with plurality leads in 43 counties. Second-place candidate Gentner Drummond pulled majority totals in two counties, while posting plurality leads in 14 others, primarily in the Tulsa metro and media market.

Third-place candidate Angela Bonilla received a low vote of ~9% and a high of ~21%, mostly in the 13% to 18% range statewide.

As no candidate received an outright majority, Hunter and Drummond will face off in the August 28th runoff.

I will be getting to other races in the coming week.

Muskogee GOP announces Lincoln Reagan Dinner, Gubernatorial Runoff Forum

The Muskogee County Republican Party's annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner fundraising event this year will feature a gubernatorial runoff forum between GOP candidates Mick Cornett and Kevin Stitt.

Tickets and sponsorship RSVPs can be printed off at this link.

The MCRP's Lincoln-Reagan Dinner is the main source of funds for party operations, candidate donations, and has funded over 40 $500 college scholarships to Muskogee County high-school seniors in the past decade.

For more information, contact MCRP Vice-Chair Jaime Stout at muskogeerepublicans@gmail.com or 918-869-8930.