ENROLLED SENATE
JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 25	By:	Coffee of the Senate

			and

		Benge of the House

A Joint Resolution directing the Secretary of State to refer to the people for their approval or rejection a proposed amendment to Sections 11A and 11B of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution; changing name of the Apportionment Commission; modifying membership of the Commission; providing for chair of Commission; modifying the number of members of the Commission required to sign certain orders; providing ballot title; and directing filing.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

SECTION 1.  The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, the following proposed amendment to Section 11A of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution to read as follows:

Section 11A.  The apportionment of the Legislature shall be accomplished by the Legislature according to the provisions of this article, within ninety (90) legislative days after the convening of the first regular session of the Legislature following each Federal Decennial Census.  If the Legislature shall fail or refuse to make such apportionment within the time provided herein, then such apportionment shall be accomplished by an Apportionment the Bipartisan Commission composed of the Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Treasurer of the State of Oklahoma on Legislative Apportionment, according to the provisions of this article.  The Commission shall be composed of seven (7) members as follows:  the Lieutenant Governor, who shall be nonvoting and the chair of the Commission; two members, one republican and one democrat, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; two members, one republican and one democrat, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and two members, one republican and one democrat, appointed by the Governor.

SECTION 2.  The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, the following proposed amendment to Section 11B of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution to read as follows:

Section 11B.  Each order of apportionment rendered by the Apportionment Bipartisan Commission on Legislative Apportionment shall be in writing and shall be filed with the Secretary of State and shall be signed by at least two four members of the Commission.

SECTION 3.  The Ballot Title for the proposed Constitutional amendments as set forth in SECTIONS 1 and 2 of this resolution shall be in the following form:

BALLOT TITLE

Legislative Referendum No. ____	State Question No. ____

THE GIST OF THE PROPOSITION IS AS FOLLOWS:

This measure amends Sections 11A and 11B of Article 5 of the State Constitution.  The measure would change the name of the Apportionment Commission.  The new name would be the Bipartisan Commission on Legislative Apportionment.  Currently, the members of the Apportionment Commission are the Attorney General, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Treasurer.  The membership would be changed to seven members.  The voting members of the Commission would consist of equal numbers of republicans and democrats.  One democrat and one republican would be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.  One democrat and one republican would be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  One democrat and one republican would be appointed by the Governor.  The Lieutenant Governor would be a nonvoting member.  The Lieutenant Governor would serve as chair of the Commission.  Currently, at least two members of the Commission are required to sign orders of apportionment.  The measure would change the number to four members.

SHALL THE PROPOSAL BE APPROVED?

FOR THE PROPOSAL — YES	_____________

AGAINST THE PROPOSAL — NO 	_____________

SECTION 4.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall, immediately after the passage of this resolution, prepare and file one copy thereof, including the Ballot Title set forth in SECTION 3 hereof, with the Secretary of State and one copy with the Attorney General.

Passed the Senate the 10th day of March, 2009.

	
Presiding Officer 	of the Senate

Passed the House of Representatives the 21st day of April, 2009.

	
Presiding Officer	of the House
	of Representatives