Oklahoma Ethics Commission
Encyclopedia
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is an agency
of the state of Oklahoma
that issues rules on the ethical conduct for state elected officials and employees. It also investages and prosecutes violations of its rules. The Ethics Commission was created by a two-to-one vote of the people of the state per an initiative effort adding Article XXIX to the Oklahoma Constitution
. The statewide vote on the amendment (State Question No. 627) was held September 18, 1990. Commissioners were sworn in and began meeting in July 1991.
The Commission is composed of five members, with one each appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma
, President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
, Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
, the Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
and the Attorney General of Oklahoma
. All members serve five year terms.
The Commission was created in 1990 during the term of Governor Henry Bellmon
.
As of 2010, the current Commissioners are:
The primary duty of the Commission is to issue rules on ethical behavior. Such rules are presented to the Governor of Oklahoma
and both houses of the Oklahoma Legislature
for review. If not disapproved by joint resolution
, subject to veto
by the Governor, the rules become effective. In the event the Governor vetoes a joint resolution disapproving the rules, the procedure is the same as for veto of any other bill or joint resolution. Once in effect, the rules may be repealed or modified by the Commission, subject to the same legislative and gubernatorial action as for newly promulgated rules. Alternatively, the rules may also be repealed or modified by the Legislature under the same procedures.
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
of the state of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
that issues rules on the ethical conduct for state elected officials and employees. It also investages and prosecutes violations of its rules. The Ethics Commission was created by a two-to-one vote of the people of the state per an initiative effort adding Article XXIX to the Oklahoma Constitution
Oklahoma Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Oklahoma is the governing document of the U.S. State of Oklahoma. Adopted in 1907, Oklahoma ratified the United States Constitution on November 16, 1907, as the 46th US State. At its ratification, the Oklahoma Constitution was the longest governing document of any...
. The statewide vote on the amendment (State Question No. 627) was held September 18, 1990. Commissioners were sworn in and began meeting in July 1991.
The Commission is composed of five members, with one each appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
, President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
The President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking State Senator. The Oklahoma Constitution states the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma serves ex officio as President of the Senate, and is the highest-ranking...
, Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The Speaker exercises administrative and procedural functions in the House, but most importantly remains a representative of his...
, the Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
Oklahoma Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....
and the Attorney General of Oklahoma
Attorney General of Oklahoma
The Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The Attorney General serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma. The Attorney General is responsible for providing legal advise to the various agencies and departments of...
. All members serve five year terms.
The Commission was created in 1990 during the term of Governor Henry Bellmon
Henry Bellmon
Henry Louis "Harry" Bellmon was an American Republican politician from Oklahoma. He was a member of the Oklahoma Legislature, the 18th and 23rd Governor of Oklahoma , and a two-term United States Senator.-Service in World War II:Bellmon was born in Tonkawa, Oklahoma and graduated from Billings...
.
Commissioners
The Commission is composed of five appointed members. One each is appointed by the Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Attorney General. No more than three can be of the same political party. No more than one congressional district may be represented at a time. All members serve five year terms.As of 2010, the current Commissioners are:
- Karen Long - appointed by Speaker of the Oklahoma House of RepresentativesSpeaker of the Oklahoma House of RepresentativesThe Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The Speaker exercises administrative and procedural functions in the House, but most importantly remains a representative of his...
Chris BengeChris BengeChris Benge is a United States Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Benge served as the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the Speaker of the House, a position he took over after Lance Cargill resigned in January 2008.Benge was first elected to the House of Representatives in...
(R-Tulsa) in 2009, represents Oklahoma's 1st congressional districtOklahoma's 1st congressional districtOklahoma's First Congressional District is in the northeastern corner of the state and borders Kansas. It is largely coextensive with the Tulsa metropolitan area. It includes all of Tulsa County Washington County, Wagoner County, and parts of Rogers County and Creek County...
, Democrat, term expires July 2014.
- M. Robert McKinney - appointed President pro tempore of the Oklahoma SenatePresident pro tempore of the Oklahoma SenateThe President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking State Senator. The Oklahoma Constitution states the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma serves ex officio as President of the Senate, and is the highest-ranking...
Glenn CoffeeGlenn CoffeeFor the American football player, see Glen CoffeeVirgil Glenn Coffee is an American lawyer and Republican politician from the US state of Oklahoma. Coffee is currently the 30th Oklahoma Secretary of State, having been appointed by Governor Mary Fallin...
(R-Oklahoma City) in 2009, represents Oklahoma's 2nd congressional districtOklahoma's 2nd congressional districtOklahoma's Second Congressional District is one of five United States Congressional districts in Oklahoma and covers approximately one-fourth of the state in the east...
, Republican, term expires July 2014.
- John W. Raley - appointed by Attorney General of OklahomaAttorney General of OklahomaThe Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The Attorney General serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma. The Attorney General is responsible for providing legal advise to the various agencies and departments of...
Drew EdmondsonDrew EdmondsonWilliam Andrew "Drew" Edmondson , is an American lawyer and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, Edmondson served as the 16th Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2011...
in 2007, represents Oklahoma's 3rd congressional districtOklahoma's 3rd congressional districtOklahoma's Third Congressional District is the largest congressional district in Oklahoma and also one of the largest congressional districts in the United States. It borders New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and the Texas panhandle...
, Republican, term expires in July 2012.
- James W. Loy - appointed by former Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme CourtOklahoma Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....
Rudolph HargraveRudolph HargraveRudolph Hargrave served as a Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court from 1978 until his retirement on December 31, 2010....
in 2001, represents Oklahoma's 4th congressional districtOklahoma's 4th congressional districtOklahoma's Fourth Congressional District is located in south-central Oklahoma and covers a total of 15 counties. Its principal cities include Midwest City, Norman, Moore, Ada, Duncan, Lawton/Ft. Sill, and Ardmore...
, Republican, term expires July 2011
- Jo Pettigrew - appointed by Governor of OklahomaGovernor of OklahomaThe governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
Brad HenryBrad HenryCharles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...
in 2007, represents Oklahoma's 5th congressional districtOklahoma's 5th congressional districtOklahoma's Fifth Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in Oklahoma, which elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It borders all of the other congressional districts in the state except the state's first congressional district...
, Democrat, term expires July 2012
Jurisdiction
The Commission serves as the official repository of the financial disclosure statements, campaign contributions and expenditure reports and lobbyist registrations and reports and has the power to issue advisory opinions when requested.The primary duty of the Commission is to issue rules on ethical behavior. Such rules are presented to the Governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
and both houses of the Oklahoma Legislature
Oklahoma Legislature
The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma. It is bicameral, comprising the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate, with all members elected directly by the people. The House of Representatives has 101...
for review. If not disapproved by joint resolution
Joint resolution
In the United States Congress, a joint resolution is a legislative measure that requires approval by the Senate and the House and is presented to the President for his/her approval or disapproval, in exactly the same case as a bill....
, subject to veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
by the Governor, the rules become effective. In the event the Governor vetoes a joint resolution disapproving the rules, the procedure is the same as for veto of any other bill or joint resolution. Once in effect, the rules may be repealed or modified by the Commission, subject to the same legislative and gubernatorial action as for newly promulgated rules. Alternatively, the rules may also be repealed or modified by the Legislature under the same procedures.