Meeting notice problems irk House Democrats
Aggravated House Democrats called on Republicans to follow their rules Tuesday to provide the required 24-hour notice of a committee meeting that decides which measures will be heard on the Oklahoma House of Representatives floor.
They especially are irked that two key bills — cutting the personal income tax rate and changing how the state pays for building repairs — that are part of a deal with the Republican governor and the GOP legislative leaders were added Tuesday to the agenda less than an hour before the House Calendar Committee met.…
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Santorum rally site changed
The site for the rally for Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has changed.
It will be at the Magnuson Hotel and Meridian Convention Center, 737 S. Meridian Ave. It’s just south of Interstate 40.
The venue was changed because of the overwhelming response, according to the Oklahoma Republican Party’s website. It originally was scheduled at the nearby H&H Shooting Sports Complex.
The time remains the same at 9 a.m. There is no charge to attend the rally.
Santorum’s visit today comes two days after he swept victories in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado.…
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Governors make bet on OU-Florida State game
Gov. Mary Fallin hopes she will soon be eating Florida’s official state pie.
The governors of Florida and Oklahoma are wagering a pie over Saturday’s University of Oklahoma-Florida State University football game.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Fallin made the friendly wager over Twitter and Facebook.
If the Sooners win, Scott will be sending a Florida-made Key lime pie to Fallin while if the Seminoles come on out on top Fallin will send a Field’s pecan pie, which is made in Pauls Valley.…
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Oklahoma lawmakers: Social media being used more
Several legislators who use social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter say they are effective ways to communicate with constituents.
Some said they were apprehensive when U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., said last week that his Twitter account had been hacked and someone sent a lewd photograph of himself to a woman. Weiner admitted Monday that he had sent the picture.
In Oklahoma, several officials or their staff frequently change passwords and monitor the accounts to delete any inappropriate names of followers or content posted by followers.…
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Former state lawmaker to head Oklahoma Democrats
Oklahoma Democrats, whose candidates received a shellacking at the polls in November, stumbled in their efforts Saturday to elect new leadership.
Former state Rep. Wallace Collins, one of many Democrats defeated last year, was elected chairman of the state Democratic Party in what started out as a six-way race.
Todd Goodman, elected two years ago, did not seek re-election. He was at the party’s helm when Republicans last year captured every statewide post on the ballot and made historic gains in the state House of Representatives and state Senate.…
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Governor to speak out against SQ 744
Gov. Brad Henry, who earlier has said he can’t support State Question 744, is expected Tuesday to make it clear he opposes the passage of the proposal which would require Oklahoma increase its per-pupil expenditure to the average of surrounding states.
The governor is to make his announcement during a news conference set for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the state Capitol.
Henry’s news conference was announced by the spokeswoman for the One Oklahoma Coalition, the campaign working to defeat SQ 744. The issue is one of 11 state questions on the Nov.…
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Calvey baby arrives
Kevin Calvey, involved in a GOP congressional runoff race that will be determined in two weeks, is a new dad.
Thomas Calvey was born Tuesday evening at an Oklahoma City hospital.
He weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and is 21 inches long, a campaign spokesman said.
Calvey’s wife, Toni, and Thomas are doing fine, the spokesman said. Thomas is their second child; Anastasia is about 22 months old.
Calvey, of Oklahoma City, faces James Lankford, of Edmond, in the Aug. 24 Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Mary Fallin, who is running for governor.…
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Governor still on the job hunt
Gov. Brad Henry remains uncertain what he will be doing when he leaves the Governor’s Mansion early next year when his second and last four-term expires.
“I have no idea,” the governor said Monday when asked about his job plans.
Henry, who is term limited and cannot run for re-election, and his wife, Kim, recently bought a home in northeast Oklahoma City near NE 122 and Bryant.
The governor said the first lady will continue to work as executive director of the Sarkeys Foundation in Norman.…
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House passes home brewing bill
A measure that would allow Oklahomans to brew their own beer at home is on the way to the governor.
The House of Representatives today passed House Bill 2348 by a vote of 76-20.
A clause that would let the bill become law when the governor signed it failed to get the required two-thids support. It needed to get at least 68 votes; the vote on the emergency clause was 58-31.
According to the measure, home brewers would be required to have a permit from the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission.
…
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Watts endorses Lankford in 5th District race
J.C. Watts, a former Oklahoma congressman from Norman who decided a year ago not to run for governor
this year, threw his support today behind a political newcomer in the 5th Congressional District GOP
primary.
Watts, who lives in Washington and operates the J.C. Watts Cos., endorsed James Lankford of Edmond.
Political figures usually stay out of primary battles, but Watts, a former University of Oklahoma football star
who served in the 4th Congressional District from 1995-2003, said. “This is the moment we must send
someone to Congress who will represent the ideals and values of Oklahomans.…
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