Mike
Site Co-Founder
imported post
NOTE: Sign the petition for Oklahoma at http://www.petitiononline.com/oc4ok/petition.html
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http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=1690
SNIP
Good bills can die in bad committees
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by Robert McDowell
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The rules of legislative bodies, including Congress, often provide for those in leadership roles to have the virtual power of dictators in deciding the fate of the various bills introduced by the members each session.
There are many examples of this situation in past years which, if known by those who elected them, should have caused the individuals involved to be, at the least, censured and ultimately replaced.
. . .
Also this year, Rep. Mike Ritze, D.O., R-Broken Arrow, submitted House Bill 1414, the “open carry law.” This bill would have made Oklahoma law comply with the Second Amendment by allowing law-abiding citizens to openly (visible) carry firearms (keep and bear arms).
The Speaker of the House, Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, assigned the bill to the Public Safety Committee which is chaired by Rep. Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa. Rep. Tibbs has refused to allow the bill to even be read, let alone voted on, in the committee, and since the deadline for bills to be voted on the floors of the originating house passed on March 6, it is dead for this session.
Unfortunately, there are some parts of the Concealed Carry Permit law that are blatantly in violation of the Constitution, so HB 1414 would have been a real benefit to a majority of Oklahoma citizens. There have been conflicting reports as to her reasoning for this action or lack of it. In any event, it seems to me that there is something wrong in the rules that allow one person to deny a hearing and vote on such important bills.
NOTE: Sign the petition for Oklahoma at http://www.petitiononline.com/oc4ok/petition.html
----
http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=1690
SNIP
Good bills can die in bad committees
[align=left]
by Robert McDowell
[/align]
The rules of legislative bodies, including Congress, often provide for those in leadership roles to have the virtual power of dictators in deciding the fate of the various bills introduced by the members each session.
There are many examples of this situation in past years which, if known by those who elected them, should have caused the individuals involved to be, at the least, censured and ultimately replaced.
. . .
Also this year, Rep. Mike Ritze, D.O., R-Broken Arrow, submitted House Bill 1414, the “open carry law.” This bill would have made Oklahoma law comply with the Second Amendment by allowing law-abiding citizens to openly (visible) carry firearms (keep and bear arms).
The Speaker of the House, Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, assigned the bill to the Public Safety Committee which is chaired by Rep. Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa. Rep. Tibbs has refused to allow the bill to even be read, let alone voted on, in the committee, and since the deadline for bills to be voted on the floors of the originating house passed on March 6, it is dead for this session.
Unfortunately, there are some parts of the Concealed Carry Permit law that are blatantly in violation of the Constitution, so HB 1414 would have been a real benefit to a majority of Oklahoma citizens. There have been conflicting reports as to her reasoning for this action or lack of it. In any event, it seems to me that there is something wrong in the rules that allow one person to deny a hearing and vote on such important bills.