In this episode, we discuss Senate Bill 1027 with subject matter expert Amber England. Amber outlines the myths surrounding the bill and its potential consequences on Oklahoma's ballot initiative process. We delve into the historical context of ballot initiatives, the significant changes proposed by SB 1027, and the upcoming Supreme Court case. Amber highlights key dangers of the bill including the cap on signatures, involvement of the Secretary of State, and the overall threat to Oklahoma's democratic processes. Join us to understand why this issue is crucial and what it means for the future of state questions in Oklahoma.
Hi, welcome to, um, this episode that we have.
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:This one's on Senate Bill 10 27.
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:Amber England is gonna be with us.
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:I said that she was a
subject matter expert.
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:I think she is, but she talked a
little bit about that process of a
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:ballot initiative, which it's about.
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:I've got a couple of notes
on what we talked about.
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:One is, um, that 10 27
is consequential mm-hmm.
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:To a ballot initiative.
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:And what we first started
out in the constitution.
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:Over a hundred years ago.
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:How about you?
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:Speaker 2: Yeah, um, I think um, she did
a really good job of outlying um, kind
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:of the myths that we hear about Senate
Bill 10 27, um, and that there's a big
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:Supreme Court case on November 18th,
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:Amber England: 10:00 AM So she did
mention this is, uh, important to
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:all of us, and maybe we could get
a big crowd there too for that.
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:Um, so we'll get started.
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:Speaker 2: Thanks.
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:Amber England: Well, today,
um, we're so excited.
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:I'm between two Ellens
to have Amber England.
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:You are a friend of mine.
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:I've, I'm, I appreciate all the
conversations that we've had about
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:10, 27 and other things that have
to do with battle initiatives.
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:And so we're happy to have you give
us a little description or a little
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:background about why you are the
subject matter expert for this.
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:Speaker 4: Well, first, thank
you for having me, Ellen.
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:And Ellen.
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:It's serendipitous because I actually
met Rep Po- Pogemiller, um, at a coffee
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:shop to talk about Medicaid expansion
and she was still working at, yeah.
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:And so, um, one of the things I
love about state question mark
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:is just the connections that you
make with community members who
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:are passionate about that thing.
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:It is that you're pushing
and it's, it's really.
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:Um, it's, it, it, it's cross
partisan, you know, you can actually
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:get further in a conversation.
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:Uh, and so I just, um, I love that
that's how we connected mm-hmm.
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:Was the straight state question mark.
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:And I would say the reason why I, I would,
you know, I don't know that I'm a subject
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:better expert in anything other than maybe
like, uh, at this point figuring out how
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:to get my child out of bed for school.
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:But, but I've done quite a
bit of work, um, on state
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:questions throughout the years.
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:My first one, um.
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:Was in 2016.
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:We actually filed it in
:
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:We were trying to get education funding.
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:We lost miserably, but we were
able to elevate the issue and
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:really put apply pressure to
the legislature to do something.
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:Two sessions later they did,
um, and they actually funded
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:education at the highest level.
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:Then they raised taxes,
which they hadn't done since.
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:Another state question went into
effect, which was state questions.
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:Um, and so that's, uh, as I am explaining
all these state questions, they really
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:have impacted policy and politics.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Um, for as long as our state has been
a state and 10 27 is really a danger
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:to Oklahoma's right to the ballot.
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:It is a power grab from politicians
who wanna keep and hold power for
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:themselves, and it's unnecessary.
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:Oklahoma has one of the hardest state
question processes in the country.
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:And 10 27 is going to make it impossible.
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:So while we might still have an
initiative petition process in
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:our constitution, practically
speaking, we won't have it at all.
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:Should 10, 27 state,
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:Amber England: so to tell us about
10 27, talk about what that is.
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:Speaker 4: Yeah.
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:So what we have seen in recent
years at the state legislature, and
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:I would say this began, um, right
after Medicaid expansion passed in
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:2020, we saw the legislature start
chipping away little by little.
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:Um, uh, I think, you know, if you're,
if you're in a debate in the State
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:house or the state senate, this is
what maybe a lawmaker will call putting
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:the camel's nose under the tent.
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:And so that's basically what happened.
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:Uh, starting with, uh, the
:
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:They changed the form, um, which
was, you know, oh, this is gonna be
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:a great way to be able to not ever
have to have a signature challenge.
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:Or, you know, is this gonna
be bringing us into the new.
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:You know, era or whatever, but
it was, it was done for a reason.
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:It was step one in their brick by
brick plan to actually dismantle,
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:uh, the state question process.
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:And 10 27 is what I would
say the final brick.
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:Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.
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:Speaker 4: Um, and I don't know, maybe
they can find even more terrible things
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:to do, but essentially it, what 10 27
does is it requires a cap of signatures.
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:So once you hit that cap of
signatures across the state.
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:By county you can't, you
can't collect anymore.
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:So it essentially disenfranchises every
Oklahoma voter, regardless if they live in
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:rural Oklahoma or they live right here in
downtown Oklahoma City or downtown Tulsa.
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:It disenfranchises voters.
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:Because right now our process
allows anybody to sign the state
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:question at any point in the process,
they can sign it once, uh, and
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:it is a felony to sign it twice.
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:And we don't have fraud in our process.
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:Uh, it's a very, very, um.
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:Secure process.
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:So this was an unnecessary change,
and it was, I, I would say it was
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:a change to try to make it harder
for signature collectors to actually
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:gain the signatures they needed.
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:Um, so that's one of the big changes.
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:Another big change is allowing
the Secretary of State to actually
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:write the gist of the petition.
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:And the gist of the petition is what you
see at the top of the signature sheet.
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:So it gives a little synapsis.
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:Of what that state question is.
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:If you wanna get into the weeds as
a voter, you can actually read the
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:entire state question because our
law requires that the full law be
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:attached to the signature sheet.
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:And so the gist is
there just to help them.
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:But if they wanna read the whole, the
whole entire, you know, policy, then they
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:can actually just, you know, flip through
the, the policy that has to be stapled.
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:The staple can never come off.
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:Um, and so there's many, many ways that
voters can actually ensure that they
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:know exactly what they're voting for.
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:There's no reason for the Secretary
of State to get involved in
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:writing the gist of the petition.
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:Um, it invokes politics.
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:It allows an unelected political appointee
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:Speaker 3: mm-hmm.
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:Speaker 4: Uh, to invoke politics into
a process that should not be there.
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:Um, I would say that that to me is
the most dangerous change of 10 27.
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:You see other states that have
done this, um, there's language
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:written on that gist that simply.
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:It makes it more difficult to
get signatures and sometimes
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:tries to turn this policy into
something that actually is not.
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:Um, and so imagine if you
allowed, you know, a partisan
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:half to write legislation.
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:You have subject matter experts
writing your bills at the
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:state legislature, lawyers.
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:Yeah, that's who writes the gist
of petitions for state questions.
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:Typically, it is an attorney
who knows law that writes both
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:the gist and the actual law.
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:So we're now allowing.
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:An unelected political appointee,
probably a partisan hack.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Uh, that, that writes that gist.
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:Speaker 3: Um,
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:Speaker 4: and it's unfair and
it is again, just another way for
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:politicians at 23rd and even to grab
power and keep it for themselves.
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:Speaker 2: I have a funny story
that is a little tangent, but
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:just, um, when we lived in Ohio, my
husband and I, there were two state
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:questions on the ballot and they had
to do with smoking, and it was the.
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:The main point of the law was to
kind of reduce smoking in bars was
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:kind of the goal, but instead there
was a bill put up by the public
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:health committee, by community, and
then by the, um, tobacco industry.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:In order for the bill to
actually get through so that
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:we could have less smoking.
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:You had to vote yes on one
and vote no on the other.
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:And one of them was like, you know,
smoke free and the other one was
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:smoke less, and it was so confusing.
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:So people had to have signs
in their yard that was like.
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:Vote yes, vote no in order
to get to this, you know?
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:And I feel like in Oklahoma we
actually, to your point, have
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:never had confusing language or,
um, you know, it, I don't know.
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:I just like that becomes really
problematic when you described it that
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:Speaker 4: way.
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:Yeah.
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:There, there are safeguards
now in our process.
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:So right now, the proponents,
so if Ellen and Ellen want to
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:go file an initial petition as a
citizen of the state of Oklahoma.
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:They have the power to write that gist.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:And then if someone doesn't agree with
that gist, um, then the opposition to
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:the challenger would file a Supreme
Court challenge and say, we believe
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:this gist is unconstitutional.
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:And then the courts decide that.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Right.
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:This is before, this is before, correct.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:And so if it is ruled unconstitutional or
that it doesn't, you know, apply, then the
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:court says, sorry, you gotta start over.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:That's happened in a state
question that I worked on.
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:So we had to rewrite the gist
and go back and try again.
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:Um, but, and then the ballot title
is actually submitted as well.
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:Uh, at, at the time.
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:The ballot title is what Voters See
in the Ballot Box once you actually
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:qualify, that's submitted as you actually
go and file your initial petition.
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:And then when you turn in your signatures,
the Attorney General has certain, many
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:of days to actually say whether or not
he or she wants to make changes to.
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:Um, the ballot title and at any point, if
so, he'll submit or she will submit their
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:language for the ballot ballot title.
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:If any side anyone wants to
contest that ballot title, that
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:would also go to the court.
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:So at no point is there a political
actor, uh, a political appointee,
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:uh, an unelected, uh, bureaucrat
that is involved in that process.
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:And so that safeguards the state question,
process from, uh, from partisanship.
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:Before, you know, it gets to
the ballot box and even when
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:it gets in the ballot box,
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:Amber England: the misinformation
about oh seven is just huge.
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:Yeah.
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:Uh, someone had told me that 10
27 told a, a large group of people
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:that I was, that makes the, uh,
initiative process more representative.
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:Yeah.
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:Because they keep talking
about all counties and stuff.
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:Explain.
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:How the numbers are for each county
out, how many signatures we can get
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:with each county before, but with
10 27 changes and maybe the smallest
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:county and how many signatures
they can gain after this 10, 27.
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:Speaker 4: Yeah, like it's,
it's pretty, it's pretty big.
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:Yeah.
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:So I don't, I'm not gonna
know exact numbers here.
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:Okay.
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:But it's pretty small.
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:So now at the state question process.
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:You can go to all 77 counties and
collect as many signatures as you want.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:You have to turn in a certain number
of signatures, um, valid signatures
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:in order to qualify for the ballot,
uh, and that that number is based
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:on the gubernatorial turnout.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Um, and so for right now, for
constitutional state questions, it's
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:a little north of 170,000 and for
statutory changes, it's a little
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:north of, I think, 90,000 signatures.
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:Um, and so you collect in as many
places and as many counties as
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:you can get to in those 90 days.
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:What really makes the, the state
question process is that 90 day window.
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:And so if they really wanted the
state question process to be more
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:representative, they could increase the
number of days, uh, to let's say 120 days.
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:So that would be six months
or a, a full year or not put
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:a limit on the number of days.
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:So that you could actually, you
know, get, get to more counties.
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:'cause as a, as a campaign right
now, because of the 90 day window,
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:every signature collection process
I've been involved in, we have
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:been able to get signatures from
all 77 counties and we have vol.
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:These are volunteers.
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:So these are folks who live in places
like Idabell and Denmore and Alga that
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:are carrying around the signature sheets
because they care about that issue.
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:So these aren't paid.
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:And signature gathers going
out to these rural counties.
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:These are community members carrying
around these, uh, these petitions.
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:So now with the change
with 10 27, there's a cap.
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:So, um, I believe it's 11% that
you can get for constitutional.
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:So 11% of the total number of registered
voters, and I think it's either, I know
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:it's 8% or nine, i, I can't remember the
percent per statutory, but essentially.
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:Um, it just puts a, a hard cap.
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:So now if you are, let's say you're
out collecting an Oklahoma County.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:You know, if you wanted to, as it's as
a state question, you could collect as
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:many signatures as you wanted to get.
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:Anyone who wanted to sign that could
Now, as, as soon as they hit that
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:cap, they have to stop collecting
signatures in Oklahoma County.
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:So I live in Oklahoma County.
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:There was a state question
that kicked off yesterday.
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:Uh, or maybe two days ago on open
primaries, if I wanted to sign that
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:petition and they've already hit that
cap, then I can't sign the petition.
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:That takes my right away as an Oklahoman
to be able to sign that petition.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Same thing if you're
living in Harmon County.
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:Um, and at Harmon County's way out
in the panhandle, you know, small
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:percentage of registered voters
who, who, uh, who live out there.
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:And so I think the number is like
less than 30 people would actually
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:be able to sign, or 80 people.
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:I mean, it's a tiny number of
people who would be able to
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:actually be eligible to sign.
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:And so if they are saying that it is
more representative, it is just a way
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:for them to, I think, say, you know,
really hide to the truth of what they're
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:trying to do, which is essentially
just grab power from the legislature.
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:They don't want Oklahomans
using this process.
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:They want.
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:Every bill, every policy, they
want to control that because who
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:do they work with to do that?
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:They work with lobbyists.
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:They work, you know, they're not
actually out having to talk to
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:real voters about this stuff.
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:You know, we were able to pass
Medicaid expansion after 10
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:years of the legislature not
being able to make it through.
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:Same thing with criminal justice.
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:For you think term limits
ever would've passed.
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:Had the legislature been able to do that?
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:No.
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:It took an initial petition
process and people actually
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:getting that done, so it's.
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:You know, both political stripes have
used this state question process to push
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:the legislature when they failed to act.
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:And, and that is what this tool is.
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:It's a populous tool.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:To say to lawmakers, Oklahoma, people
deserve a say in the types of policies
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:that they want passed because they
have real problems in their lives.
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:And if their politicians aren't
gonna fix those problems, then
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:they wanna step up and do the same.
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:Speaker 2: It was I, I know some of
the people debated that, like people
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:are signing a petition that they don't
know anything about, you know, and
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:therefore you know that they're confusing
people before it goes to the ballot.
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:And I thought many people sign
a ballot initiative because they
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:want the opportunity to learn
more and see it on the ballot.
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:Yeah.
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:You know, and so I don't, I never
understood that like a ballot
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:signature doesn't necessarily mean
that you're for or against it.
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:It means that you believe that the
state, you know, as a whole, shouldn't
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:have a choice, should have a choice.
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:And that is, you know, that
is really frustrating to me.
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:Speaker 4: Yeah.
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:I think in every state question I've
been involved in, there have been
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:many people who were not for the
actual policy sign it because they
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:say, I want the right to vote on it.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:Amber England: Or for it,
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:Speaker 4: I wanna be able to
decide this issue for myself.
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:And that is the.
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:Uh, that is the thing that this piece
of legislation is going to take away.
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:We still have to pass a state
question in Oklahoma by 50% vote.
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:Everyone can
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:Amber England: vote on
it if you're a majority.
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:Speaker 4: Yeah.
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:A a majority of voters in the
state of Oklahoma have to pass.
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:Yes.
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:Um, you know, ha have to vote Yes.
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:In order for a state
question to go into effect.
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:And so, um, that is just.
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:It, it's scare tactics.
315
:Mm-hmm.
316
:You know, them saying that folks
don't know what they're signing
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:is they, I would welcome any state
lawmaker who wants to come with me
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:to do signature collection mm-hmm.
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:Or one of our volunteers, uh, to
see how the process actually works.
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:And they may claim, well, I saw someone
collect and signatures down and, you know,
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:scissor tail park, and they didn't, you
know, I saw people signing it, didn't
322
:know what they were talking about.
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:These are just anecdotal things that
they're trying to say to scare people.
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:Right, right.
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:Like the process has worked for a
hundred over a hundred years and all
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:of a sudden there's a problem with it.
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:And why all of a sudden, because the
policies that have passed most recently
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:are policies that this legislature that
is in charge now hasn't wanted to tackle.
329
:Mm-hmm.
330
:And I mean, we could get into why.
331
:I believe it's because like.
332
:Most of these elections
are decided in a primary.
333
:Mm-hmm.
334
:And they are listening to a very,
very small percentage of people.
335
:And so the, the, the, the bills that are
coming, the laws that are coming outta
336
:the legislature right now really aren't
a reflection of all Oklahoma voters.
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:And we know that.
338
:Right.
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:But they can control that process.
340
:Mm-hmm.
341
:When they can't control
the state question process.
342
:Now they're trying to do,
make the changes so they can.
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:Amber England: You bring up, um, and
we spoke about this, about 10 27, the
344
:disenfranchised part of it, which I always
say anytime, you know, a DA did you look
345
:at a DA, which I still think it's a, we
moved people from rural because we did
346
:have healthcare into those populous areas.
347
:And so now again, um, we're
disenfranchising that, but.
348
:Where, so I feel that that's a big
thing to repeal that, that loss.
349
:So tell us where is 10 27 in, um,
some legal stuff that's going on.
350
:Speaker 4: Yeah, so, uh, there
was a group of folks who filed a
351
:challenge at, in the Supreme Court, a
constitutional challenge to the law,
352
:and the Supreme Court has ordered
oral argument for that, uh, lawsuit.
353
:And it will be, um.
354
:It will be on November 18th, they're gonna
hear it in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
355
:It's 10 o'clock in the morning.
356
:Um, I have been encouraging folks
to actually show up to that.
357
:Mm-hmm.
358
:Um, because I think this is one of the
most consequential decisions that the,
359
:um, that the Supreme Court will actually
decide because in effect, if it holds,
360
:we will no longer have a state question.
361
:And so if and until we could maybe.
362
:You know, pass a state question
about state questions and get the
363
:process that we would actually want.
364
:We won't have a state question.
365
:Process of 10 27 is upheld.
366
:It will be nearly impossible to
actually utilize the very power
367
:that our constitution says is the
first power reserved for the people.
368
:And that power and that right
will go away should 10, 27 point,
369
:Amber England: because it is
going to be extremely hard.
370
:If 10, 27 passes, like you said.
371
:Yeah,
372
:Speaker 4: and there's all different
scenarios that could happen.
373
:They could throw out the entire law and
say the whole thing is unconstitutional.
374
:They could take parts of it because
it is severable and so they could take
375
:certain parts of it and say, well,
this part can stand, this part can go.
376
:There's other parts of it that it didn't
get into 'cause it kind of weedsy.
377
:Um, but they could just say
certain parts are unconstitutional.
378
:But I would also look for the
legislature regardless of what
379
:happens on 10 27, unless it's.
380
:Unless it's completely upheld, I would
see that potentially the legislature
381
:would try to come in and make even more
changes during this legislative session.
382
:And so I don't think we can take our
eye off the prize even if we are to, you
383
:know, win this constitutional challenge.
384
:We really do have to protect the Oklahoma
ballot measure process at all costs.
385
:I would say it's the only reason why many
of our rural hospitals haven't closed.
386
:Mm-hmm.
387
:It's why we were able to deliver
healthcare to nearly, I think
388
:it was over 300,000 Oklahomans.
389
:We were able to get criminal justice
reform, medical marijuana term limits.
390
:We limited the size of government
in terms of what, you know, if taxes
391
:can be raised on Oklahoma families.
392
:I think that's huge.
393
:You know, I, I probably wouldn't
have voted for that law, but I wanted
394
:a right, you know, wanted right
to decide that issue for myself.
395
:But.
396
:All of these laws, conservative
laws, liberal laws, whatever you
397
:wanna call them, have all been
put in place from Oklahoma voters
398
:through the state question process.
399
:And it would be a shame
to see that go away.
400
:Amber England: So there may be a
ballot initiative process to save and
401
:protect the ballot initiative process.
402
:Speaker 4: I think that I, I think
like in a perfect world, yes, you know,
403
:there would need to be a lot of things
to happen, uh, to make that happen.
404
:Current.
405
:I mean, if 10 27 holds, you would
actually have to use the 10 27 process,
406
:which then is nearly impossible to use.
407
:So like, could you actually do it?
408
:I don't, it would be very, very difficult.
409
:So I think that if, if certain parts
are ruled unconstitutional or if all
410
:parts are ruled unconstitutional, you
know, there's a chance if it stands,
411
:I think we're stuck with what we have.
412
:It's hard
413
:Amber England: the, the idea.
414
:So in June we do have.
415
:Something that we can
vote on and it's wages.
416
:And you did a lot of work on the ballot
collecting and um, it's, uh, it's
417
:interesting because that was brought
up the legislature to take care.
418
:Yeah.
419
:Speaker 4: And there were changes
happening while we were going
420
:through signature collection process.
421
:So we didn't even know like, are we
gonna be under the three of five data
422
:point or the four or five data point?
423
:And so we collected way.
424
:More than we probably needed, because we
were like, well, we're gonna collect as
425
:if we're under the new four to five law.
426
:And we were actually, um, under the
three of five law, so we qualified,
427
:but it was very confusing, you know?
428
:Mm-hmm.
429
:And we, I mean, there was, at one
point there was a, a part of a, a
430
:law that was gonna require every
volunteer to have a background check.
431
:And this was as we were
trying to get off the ground.
432
:And, you know, as a campaign,
we didn't have a lot of funding,
433
:so we were having folks.
434
:Sign a form saying that they would
agree to have a background check just
435
:in case we had to be under that law.
436
:And, and, and most of all, the
paid signature collectors all have
437
:background checks, but volunteers,
um, are these folks who are, you know,
438
:me, you, you we're all out there to
collecting signatures, but we made
439
:everybody sign a form saying that
they agreed to a background check.
440
:That law went away or it didn't
actually get signed into law.
441
:But it was a very, very
confusing process and.
442
:Uh, we were able to qualify, uh,
the state question, minimum wage.
443
:That's, you know, and again,
something they could have decided.
444
:Yep.
445
:It hasn't been raised since 2009, and here
we are in:
446
:Um, and I don't know about any of you
guys, but I don't think that I could
447
:live off 7 25 an hour and I think a,
a new law, a new, a new study just
448
:came out that said, um, I think that.
449
:So the, the current wages right now, I
don't think there is a spot in Oklahoma
450
:that it, that 7 25 that's a living wage.
451
:It's just, it's just not.
452
:Speaker 2: Nope.
453
:It's definitely not.
454
:And I just think you had an
overwhelming amount of signatures
455
:that supported this effort.
456
:Correct.
457
:Um, and so, and then another
ballot initiative, um, our
458
:state question petition started.
459
:Two days ago.
460
:Yes.
461
:Okay.
462
:And so, and what is that one
that's currently taking place?
463
:Yeah, so that,
464
:Speaker 4: yeah, that is a open primary.
465
:So they, the, they started on October
29th and they were delayed a lot because
466
:of another change in our ele in our
election law, our state question law.
467
:So they had a six month waiting period,
120 days after they actually filed their
468
:initial petition used to, it was 10 days.
469
:Uh, it went to 90 days, I'm sorry, 90
days on the front end and 90 days for
470
:the back end for a total of 180 days.
471
:But, um, so they had to wait three
months before they could actually,
472
:and then at the end of that three
months, they got challenged.
473
:And the person who challenged them
in court, the organization said,
474
:well, we knew we would leave,
but we just wanted to delay them.
475
:Mm-hmm.
476
:So there's already
gamesmanship on the other side.
477
:Um, and so they're out collecting
and that state question, if it
478
:makes the ballot and if it passes.
479
:Would, um, what they
call open the primaries.
480
:So every um, person running would
appear on the ballot with their party
481
:registration next to their name.
482
:Everyone would be on the same
ballot, uh, on the primary ballot.
483
:And then the top two vote getters,
um, regardless of party would
484
:go to the general election.
485
:It's how they do elections
in Tulsa and Oklahoma County.
486
:Uh, for, um, so for mayor in,
in Tulsa and in Oklahoma City.
487
:Missouri, uh, has the law.
488
:I believe many places, uh,
Louisiana has that process.
489
:These are very red states, so, um, but
you know, I think that like if a voter
490
:wants to vote in a primary, they ought to.
491
:And right now the Republican primaries
are completely closed and the
492
:Democratic primary is partially open.
493
:They allow independents to
vote in their primary, but if
494
:you're a libertarian, too bad.
495
:Um, so it disenfranchises a lot of voters
the way our primary system is, right.
496
:Amber England: So are they collecting, do
you know if they're collecting signatures
497
:like it's 10 27 or are they just, they
498
:Speaker 4: got, um, they actually
filed up, um, a lawsuit and they
499
:were, um, they were ruled that
they were not subject to 10 27.
500
:So there's a retroactivity, so they
aren't subject to 10 27 for now.
501
:Um, and so they're out collecting
and, uh, they got a temporary stay.
502
:On 10 27.
503
:So good for them.
504
:It should not be applied to them.
505
:They filed their state question
long before 10 27 was ever even,
506
:I think, taken out a committee.
507
:Amber England: Hmm.
508
:Speaker 4: Yeah.
509
:Amber England: Such
gamesmanship on that too.
510
:And I think it's the, the idea, like how
you talk about, that was the first power
511
:that we wanted, um, as a state over a
hundred years, over a hundred years ago.
512
:And we are totally taking that away.
513
:Yeah.
514
:Speaker 4: Yeah.
515
:I mean, I think the voters
516
:Amber England: would come out.
517
:I think people would come out
518
:Speaker 4: Constitutionalists.
519
:They don't really like the
Constitution that much, do they?
520
:They
521
:Amber England: only like some parts.
522
:Speaker 4: Strong Constitution
for me, not for the
523
:Amber England: Yes, yes, yes.
524
:Was there anything else that
you'd like to talk about?
525
:10 27?
526
:Anything that we missed?
527
:Speaker 4: No.
528
:I'm just so thankful for
you, um, to highlight this.
529
:It is a real, like I said, I think it is
one of the most consequential decisions
530
:that the Supreme Court will make.
531
:Um, in, um, in our state, and I don't
know that enough people know about it.
532
:They're just trying to live their lives.
533
:Mm-hmm.
534
:They're trying to figure out how to
feed their family, pay their electric
535
:bill, get to work on time, and these
legislature depends and hopes that
536
:people don't know that this is going on.
537
:Speaker 3: Mm-hmm.
538
:Speaker 4: Um, because they know how
popular the state question process is.
539
:They know how populous it is.
540
:So that's why they're making these changes
during legislative session when they're
541
:hopeful that no one's paying attention.
542
:So I appreciate just the, the
elevating the issue, um, and talk
543
:to your friends and family about it.
544
:Speaker 3: Absolutely.
545
:Speaker 4: Yeah.
546
:Speaker 2: Well, the other thing that we
always do at the end of our podcast is
547
:we ask our guests to ask us a question.
548
:Okay.
549
:Um, so if, do you have a question for us?
550
:Sure.
551
:Speaker 4: I do.
552
:Okay.
553
:So this is rooted in my like.
554
:Shift in the way my daily living
happened after I had my daughter.
555
:And I'm curious because you guys are moms.
556
:Mm-hmm.
557
:Uh, if it's shifted for you.
558
:So the question is, are you a morning
shower person or a night shower person?
559
:Oh, uh, have been always wellbeing
560
:Speaker 2: morning shower.
561
:Okay.
562
:I'm a
563
:Amber England: morning, I'm not.
564
:I, well now I'm, I mean, I
think it's switched for me
565
:that I can enjoy my mornings.
566
:Now I'm empty nested.
567
:So night showers are kind of fun.
568
:'cause then.
569
:In the morning.
570
:I think it's relaxed, you know?
571
:Speaker 2: Do you know what
changed me though is when, um,
572
:I stopped washing my hair much.
573
:Oh.
574
:I'm gonna be real honest.
575
:That was, I don't a game
changer for my time.
576
:Yes.
577
:You know, so.
578
:That's right.
579
:I just keep going one more day
and figure it out, so Yeah.
580
:Speaker 4: Yeah.
581
:I became a night shower
exclusively after I had Josie.
582
:Um, I had a friend just explain to
me how relaxing it would be for me as
583
:a mom to just have like 10 minutes.
584
:In at night to myself in the shower
that would help me sleep better.
585
:And so now, and so I started it like
right when I got home from the hospital.
586
:Mm-hmm.
587
:And now I cannot go to sleep
without taking a shower.
588
:50.
589
:That's nice.
590
:Sometimes I'll take a
shower in the morning too.
591
:Yeah.
592
:But I never miss my next
shower, so I would just
593
:wondered if you guys were That's
594
:Amber England: self care.
595
:I mean, yeah.
596
:I wish someone would've told me that.
597
:Speaker 4: Yeah.
598
:Amber England: Maybe six years ago.
599
:Yeah.
600
:That's nice.
601
:Well that's good.
602
:Well thank you so much
again for coming on.
603
:Speaker 4: Thank you guys for having me.
604
:Three, four.