Governor Henry Vetoes Common-sense Reform

Rejects bill that passed by a combined 128-1 vote!

From Oklahomans for Responsible Government:

Governor Brad Henry showed how out-of-step he is with the average citizen in the state Friday by vetoing a bill that passed by a combined 128-1 vote in the legislature – House Bill 2246, a common-sense reform that would have improved the ability of citizens to petition their government.

HB 2246 would have extended the period for a citizen-led initiative petition to gather signatures from 90-days – currently the second-shortest period in the country – to one year. It also would have provided protections for those gathering the signatures from being harassed by opponents.

“For the Governor to veto a bill which could have easily been overridden if the legislature was in session goes beyond petty politics,” said Brian Downs, Executive Director of Oklahomans for Responsible Government. ““With his action, Governor Henry delivered a slap to the face of citizens who want to petition their government and leaves Oklahoma with one of the highest barriers for citizens to put a measure on the ballot in the country.”

In his veto message, Governor Henry claimed that a provision to protect petition circulators from being harassed or intimidated by opponents has, “the effect of discouraging and even criminalizing such basic constitutional rights as free speech and freedom of assembly.”

“Apparently Governor Henry doesn’t care about the rights of citizens to be free to petition their government without being intimidated or threatened by opponents,” said Downs.

“In a year when initiative petition reform bills got overwhelming support in the legislature, Governor Henry decided that he would play Supreme Court Justice with his veto pen,” said Downs. “It continues to amaze that the Governor thinks he knows what is constitutional and what is not when a bill he signed last year was declared unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court.”

OFRG will continue to fight for the rights of the average citizen to petition their government despite the actions of Governor Henry to maintain the status quo.