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The Oklahoma House passed HR 1033, today. It declares an emergency & adds a House Rule 15 mid session. Rule 15 allows proxy voting for a scenario where the safety of members substantially impacts the ability to have a constitutional quorum for conducting lawmaking business.
Majority Floor Leader, Jon Echols, said; "It takes a minimum of 250 people here at the capitol, to go into session. We have 10 [Covid19] cases in Oklahoma. If it stays at 10, we'll see you in 6 days, it'll be great, it'll be business as usual". he later added; "If we have 400 cases, a week from now, it would not be a good idea.." "We sincerely hope to return next Monday, but passing this measure and invoking an emergency, allows a "Rule 15" scenario whereby proxy voting will be allowed." A multilayers security system will authenticate each legislative proxy. Voting will take more time, and be cast by the representative present and serving as proxy for the member not present. Only emergency bills will be passed via the emergency rules. One such bill was a funding of the judicial branch.
The legislature passed two very important bills today. One provided funding for the Courts and one allowed public bodies to meet online until this emergency is over or until Nov. 15, whichever comes first.
After that we adjoined to a call of the chair. We will analyze the situation and make a call regarding session next week at a later time. Please practice good hygiene and stay safe. I will keep giving updates as I have them. |
SCR8 was passed. It extends legislative Committee deadlines for passage of bills, this session. It required & received the 2/3 support of the body.
Reps. Denise Crosswhite Hader, Tom Gann, Tommy Hardin, & Kevin West were present and voted against the resolution HR1033. The House also passed a bill to amend the state's open meetings act. It allows for telephonic technologies to hold open meetings. |
