Oklahoma legislators take oath of office (NewsOK)

November 17, 2016

By Rick Green

Members of the Oklahoma Senate and House of Representatives took their oath of office on Wednesday, promising to uphold the Constitution and not take any illegal compensation.

Then they spent hours publicly introducing spouses, children, parents and others. Many prefaced their remarks by thanking God for the honor of being allowed to serve in the Legislature.

In some cases, the young children of lawmakers were allowed to say a few words or tell a joke like this one from Maguire Biggs, 6, daughter of Rep. Scott Biggs, R-Chickasha:

"What did the cookie say to the doctor?

"I feel crummy."

Some legislators were still familiarizing themselves with the public address system.

"Is this thing on? Is this on?" Rep.-elect Tess Teague asked after being introduced.

Teague, R-Choctaw, is one of 32 new members in the 101-person House. There are 13 new lawmakers in the 48-person Senate. The Republican Party dominates both chambers.

House Speaker-elect Charles A. McCall, R-Atoka, issued a statement noting the House "is the legislative body closest to the people."

"Now the hard work of governing begins," he said. "I am looking forward to working with members from both sides of the aisle to find common ground on the challenges facing our state so that our next 109 years will see Oklahoma as a competitive, prosperous place to live, work and raise a family."

Teacher pay raise

Senate President Pro Tem-nominee Mike Schulz, R-Altus, said there will be an attempt to raise public school teacher pay in the coming legislative session.

Oklahoma voters defeated State Question 779, which would have raised the state sales tax by one penny per dollar to fund increased education spending, including $5,000 teacher raises.

"First and foremost on a lot of people's minds is teacher pay," Schulz said. "The defeat of 779 — I do not believe — was pointed at teachers. I think it was more about Oklahomans feeling that was not quite the right way to do a pay raise.

"I do anticipate a lot of discussion continuing in our chamber, continuing in the House and in the governor's office on how we address this issue. I feel fairly positive we will discuss it and address it this session."

Rep.-elect Forrest Bennett, D-Oklahoma City, also views education as a priority.

"Me and everyone else and their dog are going to be working on education, hopefully, and trying to find the right kind of solution for the teacher shortage and the funding crisis."

Strong turnout

In addition to lawmakers, lobbyists, family and friends, members of a nonpartisan group calling itself Let's Fix This were also present.

"This is turnout like we've never seen on a swearing-in ceremony and I think that really speaks to the fact that the public really wants to be involved from the very beginning," said Andy Moore, executive director of the organization.

"Usually the public waits until late in session when the bad news has already started coming out and I think we would like to avoid some of the bad news and get in and interact with some of our lawmakers and say this is what is important and we want to be a part of the solution."

Gov. Mary Fallin observed that swearing-in day and Statehood Day coincided this year:

"On this 109th anniversary of Oklahoma's statehood, let us commit ourselves to focus on moving our state forward, keeping in mind our shared pioneer culture and a history that stretches back even further than statehood, beginning with the Native Americans who originally settled the Oklahoma Territory."

Group seeks to put the ‘us’ in Let’s Fix This on oath day (Non Doc)

November 16, 2016  
By Josh McBee

In these highly divisive times, it’s easy to forget that some issues are universal. In Oklahoma, that would be the state’s mired-in-revenue-shortfall budget, which in turn short changes all aspects of society, from social services to infrastructure to health care.

The dire nature of last spring’s state revenue shortfall is largely what led licensed therapist Andy Moore and his friends to organize the advocacy group, Let’s Fix This. At that time, Moore began organizing friends and building a network of people to go one step beyond phoning and writing legislators and instead be physically present in the chambers. Eventually, hundreds of people began showing up.

“I realized that people were interested and started to understand that they really do have a voice in how our government runs,” Moore said today during his group’s event, Hall & Oaths.

Billed more as a casual convention of constituents rather than a rally, Hall & Oaths was designed to get citizens face-to-face with lawmakers on the day they are sworn in so as to make members’ concerns personally known from the get-go.

The timing of Wednesday’s event fit.

Tuesday, OMES announced that general revenue fund collections for October were down 10.8 percent below estimates, and sales tax collections have remained below the estimate for 20 of the last 21 months.

Moore, an OKC Democrat who serves as executive director of Let’s Fix This, said his group’s name was borne from the universal nature of civic involvement and Let’s Fix This’s lack of a specific agenda.

“We’ve tried to be very inclusive with everybody, because the issues that are most important to us — to our state — should be nonpartisan,” he said.

A mixed bag of local professionals makes up the group’s 11-member board, and its website offers resources for civic action as well as a blog of current events.

Inclusion in action

Wearing a hijab, Aliye Shimi came all the way from Tulsa for swearing-in day. Although she wore a green pin to show solidarity with other Muslims, she had added one of the red Let’s Fix This pins after encountering the group at the Capitol.

As a Muslim and as associate director with the Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, Shimi wanted to make her presence known in light of recent comments from a certain Oklahoma Representative.

“Of course we have the concern of certain individuals who have been re-elected who want to single out us particularly because of our faith and because of our nationalities and who want to marginalize us,” Shimi said, referring to Rep. John Bennett (R-Sallisaw), who in October branded local Muslim leaders as terrorists. “So we are happy that the overwhelming majority of representatives today are more aligned with what the United States stands for and what our Constitution stands for than his bigoted ideas.

“I’m trying to put it as delicately as possible,” she said with a laugh.

Increasing accountability

Oklahoma City resident JoBeth Hamon, also a Democrat, referenced local artist Jack Fowler‘s most recent cartoon for the Oklahoma Gazette as an apt summation of why she got involved with Let’s Fix This. In it, a voter considers all of the negative things happening in Oklahoma before deciding just to vote in the same people again.

She said she likes that Lets’ Fix This can increase accountability on the part of lawmakers.

“Hopefully we can encourage people who care about mental health issues and education to go talk to their representatives,” she said. “Those are kind of my two big things.”

Hamon serves as education coordinator at Mental Health Association Oklahoma.

For people unable to make in-person visits with their lawmakers, Moore said phone calls are the easiest way to increase accountability.

“People don’t understand that just five or six phone calls is enough to kill a bill sometimes,” Moore said. “Writing letters and emails is great, too.”

Missed Hall & Oaths? Join the Capitol Crawl

Those whose work obligations or other daily needs prevented them from attending the Let’s Fix This event during today’s swearing-in ceremony can still meet the members and get involved during the Capitol Crawl from 6 to 10 p.m. tonight in OKC’s Uptown district. The event is also sponsored by Let’s Fix This.

Several senators, representatives and Let’s Fix This board members are scheduled to be on hand at Guyute’s, The Pump and Rockford to socialize with constituents and talk about the matters most important to them.

 https://nondoc.com/2016/11/16/group-seeks-put-us-lets-fix-this

Legislature swears in new members under watchful eye of public (Red Dirt Report)

November 16, 2016

By Heide Brandes

OKLAHOMA CITY – On Wednesday, the Oklahoma Legislature welcomed 32 new representatives and 13 new senators in the traditional swearing in ceremony, and an organized group of citizens were on hand to witness the event and share their priorities with lawmakers new and established.

Let’s Fix This OK, organized by Andy Moore of Oklahoma City, describes it as “Regular folks who believe in a better Oklahoma. We're a nonpartisan nonprofit that helps people become actively involved with their government.” The group, which organized citizen efforts at the Oklahoma Capitol earlier this year, said they were present for the swearing in so lawmakers would know that citizens were passionate about state government.

“We are here to help regular people interact and meet their senators and representatives,” Moore said. “We are here to see the swearing in and let them know that from day one, we are invested and that the public is interested in working with them. I think there is a perception that the public doesn’t care, and that’s not true. It goes both ways. There is a perception that lawmakers don’t care, and that’s not true either.”

While fixing Oklahoma’s budget woes were at the top of most attendee’s list, Moore said having the public and the legislature interact with each other is a step in opening transparency and starting dialogue.

Kandyce Mitchell, a board member for Let’s Fix This, said she attended in an effort to educate the public on how to engage with their lawmakers.

“We want them to know how to engage and invite them to engage with their legislators to let their concerns be heard,” she said. “I’m really encouraged for the coming session. I think the legislature will have to dig deep to find ways to fund teachers’ raises. I hope they will look closely at tax incentives for oil companies, and I hope they keep the Oklahoma film rebate.”

A decline in the Oklahoma economy and the practice of “one-time” funding solutions has put a burden on Oklahoma’s budget. The new legislature is predicted to face an additional $600 to $700 million budget hole for the upcoming session.

Education took a big hit in funding following the budget shortfall this year. The state's $1.3 billion budget deficit led to $74.4 million in cuts to public education. Oklahoma City Public Schools alone laid off 208 teachers, 100 central office administrators and 100 operations workers in addition to cutting funding for supplies, textbook orders and maintenance.

A one-time state funding solution allowed the district to hire most teachers. On election day, voters declined to pass a 1 percent increase in sales tax to pay for a $5,000 pay increase for teachers, leaving incoming legislators with the task of finding a way to fund education and grant teacher pay raises.

Carol Bush, Representative for District 70, is one of the new lawmakers who will tackle that issue in 2017.

“My number one concern is the budget issue,” she said. “We need to develop a long-range strategic financial plan where our expenses match our goals. I don’t believe there is enough transparency and accountability, and those were the reasons I decided to run.”

Although Tuesday was the first time Bush had heard of Let’s Fix This OK, she said she agreed with the mission of the organization.

“I ran on the ticket of a government set up for the people, by the people,” she said. “We should represent our constituents. One of my goals is to have a twice-a-month newsletter to my constituents and also hold town meetings so the public can know what is going on. We should be the people’s voice.”

After the Nov. 7 election, Oklahoma is currently a Republican trifecta, which means Republicans hold the majority in the Senate and House, as well as the governorship. Republicans control the state Senate with 42 seats to Democrats' six seats and control the state House with 75 seats to Democrats' 26 seats.

On Tuesday, the House Republican caucus elected and reaffirmed Rep. Charles McCall of Atoka as House speaker-elect. He ran unopposed in the election this year.

Rep. Harold Wright of Weatherford was chosen as speaker pro tem-elect. The caucus chairman will remain with Rep. David Brumbaugh of Broken Arrow.

In April, Sen. Mike Schulz of Altus was voted to become the next president pro tem of the Oklahoma Senate, which was held by term-limited Sen. Brian Bingman of Sapulpa.

 http://www.reddirtreport.com/red-dirt-politics/legislature-swears-new-members-under-watchful-eye-public

Vote local, With the deadline to register to vote looming, locals call on untapped voters to plan to visit the ballot box. (Oklahoma Gazette)

October 5, 2016

By Laura Eastes

Andy Moore is full of ideas for improving voter turnout in Oklahoma, the state the U.S. Census Bureau ranked 49th in voter turnout during the last major election.

As a millennial (those born after 1980), Moore doesn’t buy arguments like votes don’t count or voting wouldn’t bring change. As the founder of Let’s Fix This, a nonpartisan movement that drove hundreds of citizens to the state Capitol advocating a myriad of issues, Moore has witnessed firsthand the impact of citizen involvement on democracy.

“It’s like drops of water in the ocean,” Moore said. “You feel a drop, it feels insignificant. If there is a wave, it makes a difference. We have an untouched ocean of voters who don’t vote.”

Five months after Let’s Fix This was first mentioned on social media, Moore is taking the organization from grassroots movement to nonprofit status. As a nonprofit, increasing voter engagement, along with establishing events to bring everyday folks to the Capitol, will be a major mission.

When it comes to voting, Moore believes many registered millennials would cast a ballot come Election Day, but they’re sometimes too busy or forget to visit their polling station. He recommends millennial voters organize their friends or coworkers together for group voting. It could be as easy as meeting a friend before work at a polling station and casting ballots together or facilitating an office lunch event that includes stopping at area polling stations.

Another option is stopping by the county election office for early voting the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before the election.

“Make voting a fun thing you do with your friends, and be proud,” Moore said.

Some of his other proposals include advocacy efforts around absentee ballots and posting reminders sharing registration tips and the elections date near campaign signs.

Voting trends

Across the nation, voting advocates have been developing and pushing for new ways to get Americans to the polls this November. Many argue it’s a needed effort, with voter turnouts in the 2014 midterm election hitting the lowest point since the 1940s, according to United States Election Project.

Locally and nationally, lower turnout rates are most prevalent among young voters. Turnout rates increase among older age groups.

Like other states, Oklahoma struggled to attract voters to the polls. The U.S. Census Bureau reported 34.2 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in 2014. Oklahoma’s midterm election ballot featured a governor’s race and contests for state and federal legislators.

Typically, presidential elections lead to higher voter numbers. While voter turnout always matters no matter the election, in a close presidential election, it can prove decisive. Political analysts are split on predicting November turnout. The 2016 presidential election holds high levels of interest among the public, which could signal higher turnout. However, the top two candidates running collect high disapproval ratings, which could hint little interest in voting.

Peer pressure

Oklahoma City resident David Glover, a longtime voting advocate, has wanted to see an uptick in voter turnout in the Sooner State for years. After reviewing numerous voter studies and research, Glover concluded there was a single tool greater than simply encouraging participation: shaming people into voting.

Glover formed his opinion based on a 2008 Michigan study that concluded inducing feelings of shame against a person who doesn’t vote had a much greater impact on their likelihood of visiting the polls. Instead of mail pieces, which were used in the study, Glover built a website after collecting public data on registered voters and how often ballots were cast.

“All I wanted to do was one thing: try to encourage people to reset their civic engagement grade to A+ several times [a] year,” Glover said.

BadVoter.org, an online site that exposes the frequency at which Oklahomans vote, went live in 2014. With the simple site, anyone with access to the Internet can see how long it has been since someone last voted. Those who haven’t cast ballots in a 12-month period are deemed “bad voters.”

“If people know that other people can know how frequently or infrequently other people vote, they usually increase the amount of time they vote,” Glover said. “Most people don’t realize their frequency of voting and their voting record is public. How someone voted is still a secret, but if someone voted is public.”

Part of BadVoter.org’s effect is visitors’ ability to post a registered voter’s great, good or bad voting record onto social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. In this day and age, social media presences are a big part of everyday life, and a damaging voter record can bring someone to the polls to avoid online taunting, explained Glover.

BadVoter.org sees a surge in visitors on and around elections, like the March 1 Super Tuesday and the June primary. Most visitors spend an average of three minutes on the site for a total of eight searches. Glover believes most people type their name first, followed by close friends and relatives.

Those shamed into voting will find resources for registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot, which Glover sees as the best way to avoid missing an election. Absentee ballots are sent in advance of elections and give voters the chance to review candidates, research state questions and prepare to vote. Voters can send back their absentee ballot or choose to vote at their polling station.

Issues education

Oklahoma voters will see seven state questions on the ballot. Those questions include education, criminal justice reform, capitol punishment and farming, all arguably big issues in the Sooner State. League of Women Voters of Oklahoma, a nonpartisan political organization that pushes for informed and active citizens, approaches the general election with voter education efforts.

League of Women Voters members have trained other groups in hosting voter registration drives and have hosted their own in areas like Tulsa and Stillwater. Recently, the Norman chapter held a forum covering the state questions with speakers for and against the measures. Through a partnership with the Kirkpatrick Foundation and a number of other organizations, the league supported the 2016 Oklahoma Voter Guide, which began distribution this month.

“There is a lot of focus on the presidential election this year, but it’s the candidates and the issues that are farther down on your ballot that often make the biggest difference in your life,” said Shelia Swearingen, president of League of Women Voters of Oklahoma. “Those legislators will be making decisions directly affecting the lives of Oklahomans. There are seven state questions on the ballot, and whatever comes of those will have a direct and immediate effect.”

Last call

The deadline to register to vote and update registration is Oct. 14. In January, Oklahoma State Election Board reported there were 1.9 million registered voters in the state. A year earlier, the board counted 2.03 million.

It’s hard to predict the voter turnout in Oklahoma. March 1, Democrat Bernie Sanders and Republican Ted Cruz scored presidential primary victories in Oklahoma, but neither went on to win their parties.

With millennials now surpassing baby boomers, who cast substantially more ballots than younger people as the nation’s largest living generation, some wonder if voter turnout will ever rise.

“People who get out to vote are my age,” said Swearingen, a baby boomer. “We are making the decisions for millennials. … I am ready for the millennials to show us what they are made of, get out there and vote.”

Moore would like to see the Oklahoma Standard applied to voting and citizen involvement in politics. Oklahomans should have the interests of children, veterans, the elderly, teachers, the disabled and many more in mind when they cast ballots.

“Our duty in society is taking care of each other,” Moore said. “Oklahomans are great about that when there is a big crisis. …We’ve got to pull together and say, ‘How can we help each other, and how can we get the people in charge to help us?’”

http://okgazette.com/2016/10/05/registration-deadline-is-looming/

Oklahoma Education Advocates Marching To Capitol Again To Talk Budget Concerns (KGOU)

May 26, 2016

By Emily Wendler

Parents, students, and educators are rallying at the state Capitol Wednesday because of dissatisfaction with Oklahoma’s $6.8 billion budget deal. They want to see more money go to education.

The group Let’s Fix This has been planning the demonstration at the statehouse for weeks. Its original intention was to protest cuts to education. But since lawmakers revealed their budget proposal Tuesday, their plan changed.

“I think there’s a lot of us that was to have face-to-face conversations with our legislators about what’s proposed, what’s been done, and what hasn’t been done,” said the even’t sorganizer, Andy Moore.

Moore wants to see more funding go to education because cuts from last year’s revenue failures were not restored in the budget the Senate passed Wednesday. Allocations to the State Department of Education were 2.34 percent less than the original appropriation in Fiscal Year 2016, although they’re almost 1 percent higher than the revised mid-year budget after two revenue failures.

Moore says there are several revenue-boosting measures lawmakers still need to consider. He’s encouraging participants to bring apples to their Representatives as a symbolic gesture for each teacher lost to budget cuts.

http://kgou.org/post/oklahoma-education-advocates-marching-capitol-again-talk-budget-concerns