Constitutional amendment; requiring certain vote of people to change compensation of members of the Legislature; ballot title; directing filing.
Impact
The amendment aims to enhance transparency and accountability in legislative compensation by ensuring that any changes are subject to public consent. It introduces a structured process whereby a Board, composed of appointees from various sectors, can assess legislative pay and make recommendations without direct legislative influence. This could potentially limit the Legislature's ability to unilaterally adjust their compensation, thereby addressing concerns about elected officials awarding themselves pay increases without voter oversight.
Summary
HJR1047 is a proposed Joint Resolution that seeks to amend Section 21 of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution. The amendment stipulates that any proposed change to the compensation of members of the Legislature must be approved by a vote of the people. This process would involve the establishment of a Board on Legislative Compensation that is tasked with reviewing and recommending adjustments to legislative pay every two years. These recommendations would then require a majority approval from the electorate to take effect.
Contention
Notably, the introduction of HJR1047 has sparked debate among lawmakers and constituents alike. Supporters argue that it strengthens democratic processes and prevents potential misuse of legislative power regarding compensation changes. However, opponents express skepticism about the practicality and effectiveness of such a system, fearing it might complicate necessary adjustments in pay and inadvertently politicize the compensation process. There are also concerns regarding how the Board would be appointed and the potential for partisanship in its recommendations.
Constitutional amendment; changing the percentage of legal voters from statewide to each congressional district of the state for certain petitions; ballot title; filing.
Constitutional amendment; changing the percentage of legal voters from statewide to each congressional district of the state for certain petitions; ballot title; filing.
Constitutional amendment; creating the Oklahoma Rank Choice Voting Act; created a method of casting and tabulating votes in order of preference; ballot title; filing.
Constitutional amendment; requiring State Auditor and Inspector to have three years of experience as a certified public accountant; ballot title; filing.
Constitutional amendment; limiting state questions on ballot to odd-numbered years; requiring proposed constitutional amendments or state questions to receive certain majority vote.
A resolution to direct the Clerk of the House of Representatives to only present to the Governor enrolled House bills finally passed by both houses of the One Hundred Third Legislature.