49th Oklahoma Legislature explained

49th Oklahoma Legislature
Coa Pic:	Flag of Oklahoma (1988–2006).svg
Leader1 Type:	President of the Senate
Leader1:	Mary Fallin (R)
Leader2 Type:	President Pro Tem of the Senate
Leader2:	Mike Morgan (D)
Leader3 Type:	Speaker of the House
Leader3:	Larry Adair (D)
Leader4 Type:	Term:
Leader4:	January 7, 2003 – January 4, 2005
Leader5 Type:	Composition:
Leader5:	Senate 26 22 House 54 47

The Forty-ninth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 7, 2003 to January 4, 2005, during the first two years of the first term of Governor Brad Henry. It was marked by the passage of a ballot proposal, the Oklahoma Education Lottery Act.

Dates of sessions

• Organizational day: January 7, 2003^[1]
• First regular session: February 3, 2003 – May 30, 2003^[1]
• Second regular session: February 2, 2004 – May 28, 2004^[1]
• Special session: May 19, June 14, and June 17, 2004^[1]

Previous: 48th Legislature • Next: 50th Legislature

Party composition

Senate

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Democratic	Republican
nowrap style="font-size:80%"			26		22	48
Voting share		54.2%		45.8%

House of Representatives

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Democratic	Republican
nowrap style="font-size:80%"			54		47	101
Voting share		53.5%		46.5%

Major legislation

2003

Enacted

• Beer – SB 353 allowed low-point beer manufactured in Oklahoma to be sold both in-state and out-of-state, designated low-point beer manufactured for exporting as tax exempt, and allowed manufacturers such as a restaurant brewery to serve customers free samples produced on the premises.^[2]
• Child pornography – HB 1562 made downloading child pornography onto a computer a crime.^[2]
• Insurance – SB 635 strengthened the financial oversight of HMOs by the state, combined the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ model legislation for HMO regulation and risk-based capital with key provisions from current Oklahoma law, transferred the licensure of HMOs from the state health department to the state insurance department, delineated the authority of the state insurance commissioner and state health commissioner, and required each HMO to maintain minimum net worth of $1.5 million^[2]
• Jobs – HB 1605 amended the Quality Jobs Act and Small Employer Quality Jobs Incentive Act by decreasing the percentage of inventory processed through distribution centers shipped out-of-state.^[2]
• Labor – SB 741 modified the Oklahoma Employment Security Act; allowed a claimant to voluntarily terminate employment and still draw benefits if quitting to avoid domestic violence evidenced by a victim protective order; appropriated money made available by federal Reed Act and used it to make up for shortfall in the budget of the Employment Service and the Unemployment Insurance Program, One-Stop Career Centers, and to pay for reprogramming of the computer system to allow for names and Social Security numbers to be placed on the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission’s wage file.^[2]
• Lawsuit reform – SB 629 created a $300,000 cap on noneconomic damages for obstetric and emergency room cases except in wrongful death cases or if negligence is shown and made other changes to regulate medical liability actions.^[2]
• Lending – HB 1574 created new requirements on lending practices to deter and penalize predatory lending.^[2]
• Local government – HB 1724 authorized local governments to issue bonds to finance public and private economic development projects and repay the bond through tax increases.^[2]
• Military – HB 1396 created a commission to analyze state policies affecting military facilities in Oklahoma, examine methods for improving the potential private sector market value, and recommend new state policies needed to protect and expand Oklahoma’s military facilities.^[2]
• Payday lending – SB 583 authorized payday lending.^[2]
• Water – SB 288 placed a moratorium on the sale of water from the sole source aquifer to cities and towns until a study is done by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.^[2]
• Water – SB 408 directed the Secretary of Environment to conduct a comprehensive study of the watershed of the Grand Lake area to identify factors that may impact the economic growth and environmental uses of the lake. Several state environmental agencies are also directed to participate in the study.^[2]

Failed

• Livestock care – SB 557 would have required veterinarians to report to the state agriculture board within 24 hours animals suspected of having a disease that could cause of a public health emergency, but was vetoed by the governor.^[2]

Ballot proposals

• Oklahoma Education Lottery Act – HB 1278 established State Question 705 to be submitted to the voters for their approval regarding the establishment of a statewide lottery to benefit schools and a governing board.^[2]

2004

Enacted

• State employees – HB 2005 set out a total of $2,100 in across-the-board salary increases over the next two fiscal years for state employees, public school teachers and state troopers.
• Meth – HB 2176 limited the sale of pseudoephedrine products used to make crystal meth.
• Economic development – HB 2288 created the Rural Action Partnership Program and established resources for starting businesses in rural areas.
• Volunteer Firefighter Training Incentive Act of 2004 – HB 2372 established the Oklahoma Council on Firefighter Training and an income tax credit for volunteer firefighters who achieve specified firefighter training or certification.^[3]
• Oil and gas – HB 2550 designed to quickly resolve disputes between the two segments of the oil and gas industry by enhancing state oversight of gas gathering and increasing the authority of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to examine charges of abuse in order to ensure gas gatherers are charged fair and reasonable prices.^[3]
• Municipal Employee Collective Bargaining Act – SB 1529 affected municipalities with a population of greater than 35,000 persons and special authorities, agencies, and boards created by municipalities; allows non-uniform municipal employees to form employee organizations in order to collectively bargain and negotiate for employment-related benefits.^[3]
• Finance – SB 1565 followed up payday loan bill in 2003 with protections for borrowers.^[3]

Leadership

Senate

Democratic

• President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate Cal Hobson
• Majority Floor Leader Ted Fisher
• Appropriations Chair Mike Morgan
• Caucus Chair Maxine Cissel-Horner

Republican

• Minority leader James Allen Williamson
• Republican Caucus Chair Mike Johnson

House of Representatives

Democratic

• Speaker Larry Adair
• Speaker Pro Tempore Danny Hilliard
• Majority Floor Leader Larry Rice
• Appropriations and Budget Chair Bill Mitchell
• Caucus Chair David Braddock
• Caucus Secretary Roy McClain

Republican

• Minority leader Todd Hiett
• Caucus Chair Mark Liotta
• Caucus Secretary Ron Peterson

Members

Senate

District	Name	Party	Towns Represented
	Lt-Gov		Mary Fallin		Rep		President of Senate
	1		Rick Littlefield		Dem		Miami, Grove, Jay
	2		Stratton Taylor		Dem		Claremore, Pryor
	3		Herb Rozell		Dem		Tahlequah, Stilwell
	4		Kenneth Corn		Dem		Sallisaw, Poteau
	5		Jeff Rabon		Dem		Atoka, Hugo
	6		Jay Paul Gumm		Dem		Durant
	7		Gene Stipe		Dem		McAlester, Wilburton
	8		Frank Shurden		Dem		Okmulgee, Henryetta
	9		"Bulldog" Ben Robinson		Dem		Muskogee, Ft. Gibson
	10		J. Berry Harrison		Dem		Pawhuska, Fairfax
	11		Maxine Horner		Dem		Tulsa
	12		Ted Fisher		Dem		Sapulpa, Bristow
	13		Dick Wilkerson		Dem		Ada
	14		Johnnie Crutchfield		Dem		Ardmore
	15		Jonathan Nichols		Rep		Norman
	16		Cal Hobson		Dem		Norman, Purcell
	17		Charlie Laster		Dem		Shawnee
	18		Kevin Easley		Dem		Wagoner, Tulsa
	19		Robert Milacek		Rep		Enid
	20		David Myers		Rep		Ponca City
	21		Mike Morgan		Dem		Stillwater
	22		Mike Johnson		Rep		Kingfisher
	23		Bruce Price		Rep		Chickasha
	24		Daisy Lawler		Dem		Moore, Duncan
	25		Mike Mazzei		Rep		Tulsa, Broken Arrow
	26		Gilmer Capps		Dem		Elk City, Sayre, Mangum
	27		Owen Laughlin		Rep		Woodward, Guymon
	28		Harry Coates		Rep		Seminole
	29		Jim Dunlap		Rep		Bartlesville
	30		Glenn Coffee		Rep		Oklahoma City
	31		Sam Helton		Rep		Lawton
	32		Jim Maddox		Dem		Lawton
	33		Penny Williams		Dem		Tulsa
	34		Randy Brogdon		Rep		Owasso, Tulsa
	35		James Williamson		Rep		Tulsa
	36		Scott Pruitt		Rep		Broken Arrow, Tulsa
	37		Nancy Riley		Rep		Tulsa, Sand Springs, Bixby
	38		Robert M. Kerr		Dem		Altus, Weatherford
	39		Jerry L. Smith		Rep		Tulsa
	40		Cliff Branan		Rep		Oklahoma City
	41		Mark Liotta		Rep		Edmond
	42		Cliff Aldridge		Rep		Midwest City
	43		Jim Reynolds		Rep		Oklahoma City, Del City
	44		Keith Leftwich		Dem		Oklahoma City
	45		Kathleen Wilcoxson		Rep		Oklahoma City, Moore
	46		Bernest Cain		Dem		Oklahoma City
	47		Mike Fair		Rep		Oklahoma City
	48		Angela Monson		Dem		Oklahoma City

House of Representatives

Name	District	Party	City
	1		Valliant
	2		Sllisaw
	3		Arkoma
	4		Tahlequah
	5		Grove
	6		Vinita
Larry Roberts	7		Miami
Larry Rice	8		Pryor
	9		Claremor
Gary Taylor	10		Bartlesville
Mike Wilt	11		Bartlesville
	12		Wagoner
Stuart Ericson	13		Warner
	14		Muskogee
Ray Miller	15		Porum
	16		Morris
Richard Lerblance^[4]	17		McAlester
	18		McAlester
	19		Antler
	20		Tishomingo
John Carey	21		Durant
Danny Hilliard	22		Sulphur
	23		Tulsa
Dale Turner	24		Holdenville
Bob Plunk	25		Ada
	26		Shawnee
Dale Smith	27		Tecumseh
	28		Seminole
	29		Bristow
Mike Tyler	30		Sapulpa
	31		Guthrie
	32		Prague
Dale Wells	33		Cushing
	34		Stillwater
Larry Ferguson	35		Sand Springs
	36		Pawhuska
Jim Newport	37		Ponca City
	38		Braman
	39		Edmond
Mike O'Neal	40		Enid
	41		Waukomis
Bill Mitchell	42		Purcell
Ray Young	43		Yukon
	44		Norman
	45		Norman
Doug Miller	46		Norman
	47		Chickasha
	48		Ardmore
Fred Stanley	49	Dem	Madill
	50	Dem	Duncan
Ray McCarter	51	Dem	Marlow
David Braddock	52	Dem	Altus
	53	Rep	Moore
Joan Greenwood	54	Rep	Moore
Jack Bonny	55	Dem	Burns Flat
Ron Langmacher	56	Dem	Chickasha
James Covey	57	Dem	Custer City
	58	Rep	Woodward
Clay Pope	59	Dem	Kingfisher
	60	Dem	Elk City
	61	Rep	Goodwell
	62	Dem	Lawton
	63	Rep	Faxon
Ron Kirby	64	Dem	Lawton
	65	Dem	Rush Springs
	66	Dem	Tulsa
	67	Rep	Tulsa
	68	Rep	Tulsa
Fred Perry	69	Rep	Jenks
	70		Tulsa
Roy McClain	71	Dem	Tulsa
	72	Dem	Tulsa
	73	Dem	Tulsa
John Smaligo	74	Rep	Owasso
Dennis Adkins	75	Dem	Tulsa
	76	Rep	Broken Arrow
Mark Liotta	77	Rep	Tulsa
	78	Dem	Tulsa
Chris Hastings	79	Rep	Tulsa
Ron Peterson	80	Rep	Broken Arrow
Ray Vaughn	81	Rep	Edmond
	82	Rep	Oklahoma City
Fred Morgan	83	Rep	Oklahoma City
Bill Graves	84	Rep	Oklahoma City
	85	Rep	Oklahoma City
Larry Adair	86	Dem	Stilwell
Robert Worthen	87	Rep	Oklahoma City
	88	Dem	Oklahoma City
	89	Dem	Oklahoma City
John Nance	90	Rep	Oklahoma City
	91	Rep	Oklahoma City
Bill Paulk	92	Dem	Oklahoma City
Al Lindley	93	Dem	Oklahoma City
	94	Rep	Oklahoma City
Bill Case	95	Rep	Midwest City
	96	Rep	Harrah
Kevin Cox	97	Dem	Oklahoma City
	98	Rep	Tulsa
	99	Dem	Oklahoma City
Richard Phillips	100	Rep	Oklahoma City
	101	Rep	Midwest City

See also

• Oklahoma state elections, 2002

Notes and References

1. http://www.oksenate.gov/publications.aspx Publications – Senate Journals
2. http://www.okhouse.gov/Documents/2003SessionHighlights.pdf 2003 Session Highlights
3. http://www.okhouse.gov/Documents/2004SessionHighlights.pdf 2004 Session Highlights
4. During the summer of 2003, Lerblance was elected to the state Senate and Mike Mass was elected to fill the vacancy.