People to Decide Statewide Office Term Limits

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 14, 2009) – Oklahomans will have the option to stop politicians from becoming entrenched in office following House passage of statewide term limits legislation today.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 would let the people decide whether to limit terms of office for most statewide elected officials. The change, which would amend the state Constitution, requires a vote of the people. Following passage in the House today, and the Senate previously, the legislation now proceeds to the Secretary of State for ballot assignment.

“The people decided overwhelmingly more than 15 years ago to limit the number of years a state legislator can serve because they believe an elected official should be a servant of the people. The voters want their leaders to make a sacrifice to serve the people, and then go and live under the laws they helped enact,” said Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie and House author of the bill with Senator Randy Brogden, R-Owasso. “Prior to legislative term limits, many career politicians were an elite class who made their life in politics. The people of Oklahoma want their leaders to be citizen legislators who stay in touch with the real world.”

Currently, state lawmakers are limited to 12 years in office, and the governor is restricted to serving two consecutive, four year terms. SJR 12 would instead limit the governor to serve no more than eight cumulative years in office.

That same eight total years rule would also apply to the Lt. Gov, State Auditor and Inspector, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Commissioner of Labor, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Insurance Commissioner, all of whom serve 4-year terms.

The resolution also would limit anyone from serving as Corporation Commissioner for more than a total of 12 years.

“Since term limits were approved by the people for the state Legislature, there is increasingly a wide mix of backgrounds and careers found at the state Capitol,” said House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa. “This change will ensure fresh faces and new ideas are continuously entering the political process.”

The resolution passed the House today with a bipartisan vote of 69-29.

Sponsoring Additional Term Limits

I am a big supporter of Oklahoma's term limit laws.

There is little doubt that term limits on Oklahoma legislators was a
key factor in the breaking up of the "old guard" political machine
that used to dominate Oklahoma politics.

Those of us who are fighting to put an end to the abuses of the past
face an increased likelihood of success, due in part to the fact that
there are many new elected officials who have taken office in the past
few years. Many of these individuals have not been corrupted by the
political process. Unlike some of their predecessors, they are not
career politicians. Oklahoma's term limit law allows all
representatives and senators to serve a maximum of only twelve years
in the Legislature. After that, they are under a lifetime ban from
ever again holding office in the Legislature.

This new generation of representatives and senators is fulfilling one
of the important visions of our nation's founding fathers: the concept
of a government in which an average citizen dedicates a few years of
his or her life to representing the people as a citizen/statesman. At
the end of his/her term of office, the legislator returns to the real
world to live under the laws he or she helped create. This ensures
that legislators will be more representative of the people, rather
than becoming a class of the political elite.

As a result of the term limits law, the Legislature is very different
than it was just a few years ago. Gone are many of the "old guard"
power bosses who tightly maintained the status quo. These politicians
could have stayed in office almost indefinitely and they held powerful
committee chairmanships where they would bottle up reform-minded
legislation. They have been replaced by a group of energetic
professionals, many of whom wish to enact pro-growth policies in order
to change Oklahoma for the better. And, should some succumb to the
temptation to become part of the status quo, they will inevitably be
replaced because of term limits.

I think all Oklahomans should take pride in the fact that Oklahoma was
the first state to pass a legislative term limits law, and this year I
am honored to serve as the House Author for Senate Joint Resolution
12. SJR 12 is sponsored by in the Senate by Senator Randy Brogdon and
would allow the people to vote on expanding Oklahoma's term limit laws
to include statewide elected officials. A House version of the bill
will be carried by Representative Mike Jackson, meaning there will be
two opportunities for the effort to be successful this year.

I have written about a term limits bill in two previous years, but
unfortunately it was narrowly defeated both times. Now, because of
term limits, yet another wave of freshman representatives and senators
have been elected, and they have ensured the appointment of a new
leadership team in the State Senate that will undoubtedly support the
idea.

I think this is a good sign for the future because it demonstrates the
commitment of Oklahoma's new leaders to continued reform. It is also
important to remember that none of this would have been possible
without the people of Oklahoma taking the initiative to pass the first
term limit proposal through the initiative petition process.

As your Representative, I will continue to advocate for this important reform.