By Constitution Staff

On July 11, the voting members of the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee (OCPAC) selected legislators to receive various awards for their performance in the 2012 session. Those include "Lawmaker of the Year" and "Freshman Lawmaker of the Year," as well as the dreaded "RINO" (Republican In Name Only) award.

The nominations for the awards are based on the legislator's performance on the Oklahoma Constitution newspaper's annual Conservative Index. OCPAC helps select the ten votes used in the Conservative Index to rate the legislators each year.

State Senator Greg Treat (R-Oklahoma City) was named "Senate Lawmaker of the Year." He scored a 90 percent conservative rating this year and has a lifetime cumulative average of 85%. Sen. Treat was the runner-up for the award last year. The runner-up in the state Senate this year was Anthony Sykes (R-Moore) who scored 100 percent, and has a cumulative average of 93%.

The "Senate Freshman Lawmaker of the Year" was Ralph Shortey (R-Oklahoma City) who scored 80 percent this year, and has a cumulative average of 77%.

State Representative Charles Key (R-Oklahoma City) was voted "House Lawmaker of the year." He had a 100 percent score this year and a cumulative average of 83 percent. The runner-up was Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie) who scored100 percent in the 2012 session, and has a cumulative average of 100 percent. This was Murphey's sixth year in the Legislature and he has scored a perfect 100% conservative all six years.

The "House Freshman Lawmaker of the Year" was Tom Newell (R-Seminole) with a session score of 100 and a lifetime score of 90 percent.

The group also selected the "RINO Award" (Republican In Name Only) recipients. The most liberal Republicans in each house are nominated for this dubious honor.

Senator Greg Childers (R-Del City) was named the "Senate RINO of theYear" with a score of 50 percent. He was elected to fill a vacancy late last year and this was his first session. The runner up for this year's Senate RINO award goes to Sen. David Holt (R-Oklahoma City) with a score this session 56 percent and a lifetime cumulative average 58 percent.

The "House RINO of theYear" was Rep. Lisa Billy (R-Lindsey) who scored 56 percent this year and has a lifetime cumulative average of 57percent. Charlie Meadows, OCPAC President, commented: "While we appreciate Representative Billy's strong stand on life issues and while that is a very important issue, there is much more to being a conservative than just being pro-life. After 8 years in the legislature, a 57 lifetime score is pitiful."

The runner up for the "House RINO of theYear" was House Speaker Kris Steele (R-Shawnee) with a session score of 60 percent and a lifetime cumulative score of 63 percent. Steele is term limited out of office. Meadows commented on Steele's selection: "While he is a wonderfully nice fellow, he might best be described as a Christian socialist. So typical of lawmakers who fail to distinguish between the proper role of government versus what family, friends, civic organizations churches should be doing in the lives of people."

The award recipients will be formally recognized and presented with their awards at a future date.