by Constitution Staff
Oklahomans are just one legislative vote away from being able to vote this November on enacting term limits for statewide office holders. The bill would allow voters this fall to decide whether to enact 12-year term limits for secondary statewide offices such as attorney general, state auditor and state schools superintendent.
Sen. Randy Brogdon (R-Owasso) successfully attached an amendment to SB 1987 for the legislative referendum. The amendment was adopted on March 13 in the Senate in a bipartisan 26 to 22 vote, with two Democrats joining all 24 Republican senators in support of the amendment. After adoption of the amendment, the Senate voted 31 to 17 for the bill with seven Democrats joining their Republican colleagues in support. The measure was then sent to the House, where it was approved on April 17 by a 56-44 vote. As we went to press, the measure was being returned to the Senate for final consideration.
"Term limits have brought fresh ideas and innovative thinking to the state Legislature, and I believe term limits can have a similarly positive effect on statewide offices," Brogdon stated.
State Rep. Trebor Worthen (R-OKC), House sponsor of SB 1987, said: "Term limits ended the 'good old boy' system in the Oklahoma Legislature and allowed a new group of Republican and Democratic leaders to come to power. Those leaders ushered in much-needed reforms and policies that have helped to move the state forward."
Oklahomans for Responsible Government (OFRG) is supporting the bill. OFRG Executive Director Curt Price said, "With this important bill one step away from being on the November ballot, it is important senators don't waiver in their support for SB 1987 the second time around. OFRG will continue to work to ensure that SB 1987 makes it to the ballot," Price said.
A July 2007 Pulse Opinion Research survey of 1,000 likely voters found 77 percent of those surveyed would vote for a measure setting term limits for executive offices. A December 2007 poll by the Tulsa World and KOTV found 73 percent of those surveyed supported the idea of term limits for executive offices.
