Commentary: 2007 session 'A' vintage year for the Legislature

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Dec 31, 2007 by William O Pitts

A year ago many leaders had serious concerns about the 2007 Oklahoma Legislature.

Would partisan politics sunder further the split Legislature? Republicans controlled the House of Representatives and the state Senate was evenly divided. Would there be a legislative gridlock? What about significant lawsuit reform legislation? With an abundant revenue surplus, could a reasonable budget accord be reached, along with additional tax cuts? Would the Legislature pass a strong and workable illegal immigrant law?

Differences over major issues between Republicans and Democrats occurred during 2007, but outright political partisanship was held in check better than it has been in recent years. A landmark, for Oklahoma, of coexistence in the evenly divided state Senate was the bell cow for putting partisanship aside.

Not in state history had such situation arisen in the Legislature. Not only did the co-leadership agreed to and shared by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater and Co- president Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-OKC, work well, so did the sharing of power of co-chairs of standing committees, whose membership was evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.

Worked out by leaders and agreed to unanimously by Senate Democrats and Republicans in mid-December 2006, the agreement is based on joint authority and decisions by leaders of both parties. When adopted in individual party caucuses many veteran Capitol observers and some legislators doubted the agreement would work.

Morgan was optimistic.

"I am proud of the agreement we are announcing here today. Faced with the challenge of an equal partisan divide, the members of the state Senate have chosen to respond with a bipartisan accord that will ensure that the Senate will continue to efficiently and effectively undertake the people's business and provide a steadying hand for our state," he announced following the agreement.

Coffee responded similarly.

"Many pundits and doubters predicted partisan gridlock in the state Senate because of the tie, (but) Oklahoma's state senators today have put aside partisanship to reach this historic agreement. Republicans and Democrats alike realize that we must work together to make sure the people's business gets done."

There may have been some rough spots during the 2007 legislative session but if they occurred they apparently were resolved by agreement and stayed beneath the surface. Besides Coffee and Morgan with joint leadership authority, other senators also were responsible for the agreement working.

The co-floor leaders Sens. Charlie Laster, D-Shawnee and Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward and their co-assistants Sens. Randy Brogdon, R- Owasso, Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, Mike Massei, R-Tulsa, and Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo, alternated in scheduling the daily activity of the Senate calendar. Each party shared presiding duties in the Senate chamber, rotating on a daily basis with the co-floor leaders oppositely alternating with the presiding party leader.

For an Oklahoma Legislature where partisan rancor had become rife in recent years as Republicans gradually increased their numbers and in a situation where absolute gridlock could have occurred, it was a remarkable accomplishment.

In the state House of Representatives where Republicans hold a 57- to-44 majority, Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah and minority leader Danny Morgan, D-Prague, appeared to work well together with some Democrats being named as chairs of standing subcommittees and vice chairs of major committees. Except for an early hang-up when House Democrats went lock-step to support Gov. Brad Henry's veto of a general budget measure, there appeared to be a working accord.

A good budget that was not too far from the one Henry vetoed earlier was written leaving some surplus monies unexpended. It contained pay raises for teachers with merit pay, which Cargill insisted on including.

A model illegal immigration bill was passed and signed by Henry. Tort reform was passed by the Legislature but vetoed by him. Business was well-treated by the legislature.

For 2007 legislative leaders and members of both parties deserve an "A" for successfully negotiating potentially tumultuous legislative waters.

May my readers and those same legislative leaders and members enjoy a similar and happy new year!

William O. Pitts may be reached by phone at (405) 278-2880 or by e-mailing bill.pitts@journalrecord.com.