Oklahoma State Legislature

From dKosopedia

The Oklahoma State Legislature is bicameral, consisting of the Senate and a House of Representatives. The Senate has 48 members serving four-year terms, while the House has 101 members with two year terms. The state has term limits for their legislature that restrict any one person to a total of twelve years service in both the House of Representatives and Senate.

In the 2005–2006 state legislature, control is split between the major parties, the Democrats control the Senate (26 to 22) while the Republicans control the House of Representatives (57 to 44). Oklahoma's prairie populist political culture meant that the Democrats were the natural party of goverment in the state. Between 1921 and 2004 the Democrats had controlled the state legislature. The Senate President Pro Tem is Democrat Mike Morgan from spectacular Stillwater. The Speaker of the House is Republican Todd Hiett from Kellyville.

There are 22 women in the House and Senate or 14.7% of the total. Among the state legislators are approximately 30 attorneys, 20 educators, 20 ranchers or farmers, 2 veterinarians and 1 medical doctor. Mick Hinton and Marie Price. "Jobs Keep Lawmakers in Touch." The Tulsa World. August 7, 2005. P. A19.