STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 54th Legislature (2014)

SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION 37	By:	Brecheen

AS INTRODUCED

A Joint Resolution directing the Secretary of State to refer to the people for their approval or rejection a proposed amendment to Sections 21 and 26 of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution; providing for regular legislative sessions in odd-numbered years for certain time period; stating legislative intent; providing for noncodification; providing ballot title; and directing filing.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 54TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:
SECTION 1.     NEW LAW     A new section of law not to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
It is the intent of the Legislature to present a question to the people for a vote, which would require the Legislature to meet every other year rather than annually, and which would further require that legislative salaries be reduced accordingly.  The Legislature finds that these changes will operate to reduce costs and expenses of state government by even more than the amount of the salary reduction, in the form of lower costs for legislative operations and utilities, and further finds that these changes will significantly reduce the costs of maintenance and renovation of the State Capitol building, which will be able to be accomplished in the more lengthy legislative interim.
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 amendments to Sections 21 and 26 of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution to read as follows:
Section 21.  A.  The Legislature shall enact laws to prohibit members of the Legislature from engaging in activities or having interests which conflict with the proper discharge of their duties and responsibilities.
B.  The Board on Legislative Compensation is hereby created.  Said The Board shall be composed of five members appointed by the Governor, two members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  The members appointed by the Governor shall be from religious organizations, communications media, nonstate-supported educational institutions, labor organizations, and retail business; the members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall be from agricultural and civic organizations; and the members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be from manufacturing and from professional fields not otherwise specified.  No member of the Legislature may be appointed to or serve on the Board.  In addition to the members above provided for, the Chairman Chair of the Oklahoma Tax Commission and the Director of State Finance shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members of said the Board.  The Chairman Chair of said the Board shall be designated by the Governor.  Members of the Legislature shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the Board on Legislative Compensation.  If a member of the Legislature is incarcerated due to being charged with a criminal offense and subsequently is found guilty of the offense or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to the offense, the legislator shall return to the state any compensation the legislator received from the state while the legislator was incarcerated prior to the guilty verdict or plea or nolo contendere plea and shall not receive any compensation from the state during any incarceration following such verdict or plea.  Said The Board shall each two years review the compensation paid to the members of the Legislature and shall be empowered to change such compensation; such change to become effective on the fifteenth day following the succeeding general election; provided, the amount of such compensation set by the Board at its first meeting after November of 2014 shall not exceed one-half the amount set by the Board at its previous meeting.  The members of the Board shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to receive necessary travel and subsistence expense as provided by law for other state officers.
Section 26.  The Legislature shall meet in regular session at the seat of government at twelve o'clock noon on the first Monday in February of each odd-numbered year and the regular session shall be finally adjourned sine die not later than five o'clock p.m. on the last Friday in May of each that same year.
The Legislature shall also meet in regular session at the seat of government on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each odd-numbered year, beginning at twelve o'clock noon for the purposes only of performing the duties as required by Section 5 of Article VI of the Constitution and organizing pursuant to the provisions of this Article and shall recess not later than five o'clock p.m. of that same day until the following first Monday in February of the same year, beginning at twelve o'clock noon.
SECTION 3.  The Ballot Title for the proposed Constitutional amendment as set forth in SECTION 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 21 and 26 of Article 5 of the State Constitution.  It would require the Legislature to meet in regular sessions in odd-numbered years.  The dates and times for meeting and adjourning would not change.  It would also require the Board on Legislative Compensation to cut the amount of legislators’ pay.  It could not exceed half the previous amount.
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.

54-2-2389	CD	12/26/2013 3:02:33 PM