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.

 

Ask Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry to Sign OK HB 2246!

From Oklahomans for Responsible Government (OFRG.org):

This past legislative session was a very successful one for our policy agenda, but there is still an important bill left for the Governor to sign.

House Bill 2246 makes important reforms to the initiative petition process, including extending the period to gather signatures from 90-days to one year. The right of citizens to petition their government is an important one and HB 2246 will improve what is currently a very burdensome initiative system.

Call Governor henry’s office at 405-521-2342 or follow this link to message the Governor from his webpage.

With your help, we can make it easier for the average citizen to try and get a measure on the ballot!

Also see: Oklahoma House Bill 2246, 2009 on Ballotpedia, and read the text of the bill HERE.

And remember to become a fan of the Oklahomans for Responsible Government Page on Facebook, to receive more updates like these.

 

Call Governor Henry; Let Oklahoma Vote

From Norma Sapp, Executive Director of Oklahomans for Initiative Rights:

Here in Oklahoma we have the toughest ballot initiative process in the country. With only 90 days to collect hundreds of thousands of signatures, it’s no wonder that only three initiatives have made the ballot in the last ten years! Right now, we have a historic chance to change that, but only if you contact Governor Brad Henry today.

Ask Governor Henry to do his part to clean up the initiative process and give Oklahomans time to petition by signing two important initiative reform bills that passed the legislature overwhelmingly.

These bipartisan bills—Senate Bill 800 and House Bill 2246—make important improvements to the initiative process. HB 2246 increases the 90 day time limit for circulating a petition to one year, giving citizens enough time to collect signatures. SB 800 streamlines the process and protects citizens from having petitions unjustly thrown out on a mere technicality.

I have traveled all over the state in the past few weeks talking to citizens at the grassroots level about the initiative process. After going to 70 cities and towns and braving nearly as many tornadoes, I can tell you firsthand that the people of Oklahoma want an accessible initiative process. Right now we can have it.

Both of these bills are on the governor’s desk waiting for his signature. These changes are desperately needed to give Oklahomans back a voice in government. Pick up the phone right now and call the Governor’s office at (405) 521-2342. You can also email the governor by clicking here.

 

Another Reform to Oklahoma’s Initiative Petition Laws Passes

From Oklahomans for Responsible Government:

Common-sense bill makes ballot more accessible to citizens

Oklahoma’s very restrictive laws governing ballot initiatives will be opened up under House Bill 2246 which got final approval in the Senate last night and is now going to the governor for his signature. It’s the third major reform to the system which allows citizens to come up with laws and put them up for a vote.

“It’s a fundamental right of Oklahomans to petition their government,” said Brian Downs, Executive Director of Oklahomans for Responsible Government. “But the laws limited that to the point where only well-funded and well-organized groups could mount such an effort.”

There are several provisions to HB 2246, but the main components will:

• lengthen the amount of time to gather signatures from 90-days to one year
• require legal challenges to petition language be handled before signatures are collected
• create a Task Force that will look at other aspects of the initiative and referendum process

HB 2246 is the third measure to deal with the initiative petition process this session. Senate Joint Resolution 13, which already passed both houses, will ask voters to change the law so that the number of signatures needed to put a measure on the ballot is based only on the last election for governor. Senate Bill 800 deals with the legal challenges to ballot initiatives. It got final approval earlier this week and also awaits the governor’s signature.

“Changing the initiative petition process has been a major policy agenda issue for OFRG this session,” said Downs. “We commend the legislators for supporting the initiative petition process and encourage the governor to sign them into law.”

 

Oklahoma SB 800 Now Goes to Governor Henry

More good news from Oklahoma: The State House just passed Senate Bill 800 by a vote of 83-12. The Senate passed it last week, 39-0. Now it goes to Governor Brad Henry for his signature.

SB 800 changes the ballot title process to the beginning of the petition process, so that proponents of initiatives cannot be thrown off the ballot after doing all the work to gather hundreds of thousands of signatures.

Since emerging from conference committee, House Bill 2246 has also passed the House, by a vote of 87-1, and is expected to be on the Senate floor tomorrow or Thursday. HB 2246 lengthens the petition period from the current mere 90 days to a full year.

If passed by the Senate before Friday’s scheduled adjournment, this bill would also go to Governor Henry.

We would be surprised if the Governor were to veto either bill. These are common sense reforms. Further, the margin of victory in both chambers is so whopping and thoroughly bipartisan that it ought to discourage any veto.

But the governor has been busy with his veto pen this session and we’re taking nothing for granted.

A week ago, we switched over to getting postcards urging Governor Henry to sign the bills. Oklahomans for Initiative Rights continues to visit more cities (63 thus far) and grab more news coverage. The 10-foot tall state replica is concentrating on the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas for the remainder of the campaign. Oklahomans for Responsible Government is beginning an effort asking thousands of Oklahomans to call the governor’s office. A number of prominent supporters have sent or are sending op-ed columns urging the governor to sign the reform legislation passed by legislators.

Already this session, the constitutional amendment, SJR-13, that lowers the signature requirement passed the legislature. It awaits a popular vote next year.

Now two important statutory reforms inch closer to enactment. Once the bills reach the his desk, Governor Henry will have 5 days to sign. So, this week and next will tell the tale for Oklahoma this year.

As for Colorado, California, Missouri, Nevada, etc., well, the fight goes on.

Oklahoma-3 Are Free! AG Dismisses Charges

Free at last! Oklahoma AG Drew Edmondson today dropped all charges against the “Oklahoma 3″—Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter—in response to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeal’s refusal to approve his request for a rehearing.

Edmondson had asked the court to rehear the case in which the 10th Circuit judges invalidated Oklahoma’s residency requirement for petition circulators. Edmondson had indicted the Oklahoma 3, claiming they had willfully violated the requirement.

In addition to dropping charges, Edmondson told the Tulsa World that he has decided not to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn 10th Circuit court. Edmondson acknowledged that the out-of-state petioner ban “is no longer enforceable.”

Paul Jacob released the following statement in response to the charges being dismissed:

Today is a great day for justice, for freedom of speech and the right to petition one’s government. It is a great day for Rick Carpenter, Susan Johnson, and me—now known as the Oklahoma Three.

The charges brought against us by the attorney general have now been dismissed. They should never have been brought in the first place. We did not break the law and, as we all now know, the law itself is unconstitutional.

Our prosecution has sadly had a chilling effect on Oklahomans, who want to reform their government and to hold it accountable through the petition process. My goal throughout this ordeal has been to encourage Oklahomans and Americans everywhere not to let their rights be eroded through fear and intimidation. Today we have won a victory.

But the battle to protect citizen rights is far from over.

As President of Citizens in Charge, I look forward to working with all Americans to see the voter initiative process triumph over attacks from politicians. The will of the people should always prevail over the desires of politicians.

Thanks to all of you for the support you have given to Paul and the Oklahoma 3 during this terrible ordeal!