The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate are the two houses that make up the bicameral state legislature. There are 101 state representatives, each serving a two-year term, and 48 state senators, who serve four-year terms that are staggered so only half of the Oklahoma Senate districts are eligible in each election cycle. Legislators are elected directly by the people from single member districts of equal population. The Oklahoma Legislature meets annually in the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members introduce and vote on bills and resolutions, provide legislative oversight for state agencies, and help to craft the state's budget. The upper house of the Oklahoma Legislature is 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 designates the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma as the highest-ranking official, serving ex officio as President of the Senate, even though the lieutenant governor only votes in the case of a tie. During the lieutenant governor's absence, the president pro tempore presides over sessions. By longstanding custom, the lieutenant governor presides over sessions devoted to ceremonial purposes, while the bulk of the legislative management and political power is reserved for the president pro tempore, who is elected directly by the Oklahoma Senate.
The Fifty-first Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. State legislators met at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City from January 2, 2007 to January 3, 2009, during the first two years of the second term of Governor Brad Henry. A tie in the number of seats held by Republicans and Democrats in the Oklahoma Senate resulted in bipartisan leadership. Republicans held the majority of seats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
The Forty-seventh Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 5, 1999, to January 2, 2001, during the first two years of the second term of Governor Frank Keating.
The Forty-fifth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 3, 1995, to January 7, 1997, during the first two years of the first term of Governor Frank Keating. During the first session in 1995, the state legislature passed the first welfare reform law in the nation.
The Fortieth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 8, 1985, to January 6, 1987, during the term of Governor George Nigh. It was marked by the enactment of the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986 and the establishment of the franchise tax in Oklahoma.
The Thirty-ninth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 4, 1983, to January 8, 1985, during the term of Governor George Nigh. It was marked by the establishment of the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics.
The Thirty-eighth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 6 to July 20, 1981, from August 31 to September 4, 1981, and from January 5 to July 12, 1982, during the term of Governor George Nigh. After the legislative council was eliminated in 1980, the Oklahoma House of Representatives added research and fiscal divisions.
The Thirty-sixth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. State legislators met at the Oklahoma State Capitol in session from January 4 to June 8, 1977, from June 13 to June 17, 1977, and from January 3 to March 28, 1978, during the term of Governor David L. Boren.
The Thirty-fourth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 2, 1973, to January 7, 1975, during the term of Governor David Hall.
The Thirty-third Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 5, 1971, to January 2, 1973, during the term of Governor David Hall.
The Thirty-first Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 7, 1967, to January 7, 1969, during the term of Governor Dewey Bartlett. This was the first Oklahoma state legislature that met under new requirements approved by voters in 1966 that the legislature hold annual, 90-day legislative sessions.
The Thirtieth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The state legislature met in regular session at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City from January 5 to July 22, 1965, during the first term of Governor Henry Bellmon. It was the last time the state legislature met only once every two years, and the first time since A. C. Hamlin left office in 1910 that the legislature included black members.
The Twenty-fourth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The state legislature met in regular session at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City from January 6 to May 6, 1953, during the term of Governor Johnston Murray. James C. Nance became the first two-term Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
The Seventeenth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The state legislature met in regular session at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City from January 3 to April 29, 1939, during the term of Governor Leon C. Phillips. Phillips was the first state representative to become Governor of Oklahoma.
The Sixteenth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The state legislature met November 24, 1936, to May 11, 1937, during the term of Governor E.W. Marland.
The Seventh Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The Oklahoma State Capitol, which was completed on June 30, 1917, was now available to state legislators The building was completed on June 30, 1917. They met in regular session from January 7 to March 29, 1919, during the first year of the term of Governor James B.A. Robertson. Among the newly elected members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives was George B. Schwabe, who would soon serve as the first Republican Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
The Eighth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The state legislature met in Oklahoma City, in regular session from January 4 to April 2, 1921, and in special session from April 25 to May 21, 1921, during the third year of the term of Governor James B.A. Robertson. It was the first time, Republicans took control of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. In 1920, Bessie McColgin, a Republican, became the first woman elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Lamar Looney, Oklahoma's first female state senator and a Democrat, was also elected in 1920.
