37th Oklahoma Legislature

The Thirty-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 2 to July 2, 1979, from January 8 to June 16, 1980, and from July 7 to 11, 1980, during the term of Governor George Nigh.[1]

37th Oklahoma Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Leadership
Gene C. Howard (D)
Term:
January 1979-January 6, 1981
Composition:
Senate
37   11  
House
79   24  

The 1980 session was marked by the elimination of the Legislative Council, the Nursing Reform Act and the implementation of teacher testing and professional development.[2]

Lieutenant Governor Spencer Bernard served as the President of the Senate. Gene C. Howard served as the President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate and Daniel Draper served as the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Frank Keating served as the leader of the state senate Republican caucus and Neal McCaleb served as the leader of the Republican caucus in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.[1]

Dates of sessions edit

  • First regular session: January 2-July 2, 1979
  • Second regular session: January 8-June 16, 1980
  • Special session: July 7–11, 1980

Previous: 36th Legislature • Next: 38th Legislature

Party composition edit

Senate edit

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican
37 11 48
Voting share 77.1% 22.9%

House of Representatives edit

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican
79 24 101
Voting share 78.2% 21.8%

Major legislation edit

Enacted edit

  • Education reform - House Bill 1706 in 1980 addressed teacher education, certification and professional development.[3]
  • Nursing Reform Act[2]
  • Abolishment of Legislative Council[2]

Leadership edit

Democratic edit

In Oklahoma, the lieutenant governor serves as President of the Oklahoma Senate, and presides over the chamber and breaks tie votes. Lieutenant Governor Spencer Bernard served in the role in the 37th Oklahoma Legislature.[4] Gene C. Howard served as President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate, who is the Senate leader elected by state senators. Daniel Draper served as the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Mike Murphy served as the Speaker Pro Tempore.

Republican edit

Frank Keating served as the Republican Minority leader of the Oklahoma Senate. Representative Neal McCaleb served as the Republican Minority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Members edit

Senate edit

District Name Party Towns Represented
Lt-Gov Spencer Bernard Dem President of Senate
1 William Schuelein Dem Grove, Jay, Miami
2 Bill Crutcher Dem Claremore, Pryor
3 Herb Rozell Dem Stilwell, Tahlequah
4 Joe Johnson Dem Poteau, Sallisaw
5 Jim Lane Dem Atoka, Hugo
6 Roy Boatner Dem Durant
7 Gene Stipe Dem McAlester, Wilburton
8 Robert Miller Dem Okmulgee, Henryetta
9 John Luton Dem Muskogee
10 John Dahl Dem Pawhuska, Fairfax
12 John Young Dem Sapulpa
13 James W. McDaniel Dem Ada, Atwood
14 Ernest Martin Dem Ardmore
15 Charles Vann Dem Norman
16 Lee Cate Dem Norman, Purcell, Lexington
17 John Clifton Dem Shawnee
19 Norman Lamb Rep Enid
20 Don Nickles Rep Ponca City, Tonkawa
21 Robert Murphy Dem Stillwater
22 Gideon Tinsley Rep Kingfisher
23 Ray Giles Dem Chickasha, Hinton
24 Kenneth Landis Dem Duncan, Kellyville, Moore
25 Herschal Crow Dem Moore, Duncan, Kellyville
26 Gilmer Capps Dem Elk City, Sayre, Mangum
27 Ed Berrong Dem Weatherford
29 Jerry Pierce Rep Bartlesville
31 Paul Taliaferro Dem Lawton
32 Al Terrill Dem Lawton
33 Rodger Randle Dem Tulsa
34 Robert V. Cullison Dem Tulsa
35 Warren Green Rep Tulsa
36 Gene C. Howard Dem Tulsa
37 Finis Smith Dem Tulsa
38 Frank Keating Rep Tulsa
39 Stephen C. Wolfe Rep Tulsa
40 Mike Combs Rep Oklahoma City
41 Phil Watson Rep Edmond
42 James Howell Dem Midwest City
43 Don Kilpatrick Dem Del City, Oklahoma City
44 Marvin York Dem Oklahoma City
45 Jimmy Birdsong Dem Moore, Oklahoma City
46 Bernest Cain Dem Oklahoma City
47 John R. McCune Rep Oklahoma City
48 E. Melvin Porter Dem Oklahoma City
49 Leon B. Field Dem Guymon
50 Jeff Johnston Dem Seminole
52 E. W. Keller Rep Bethany, Oklahoma City
54 Don Cummins Dem Tulsa

Table based on 2005 state almanac.[5]

House of Representatives edit

 
Speaker of the House Daniel Draper
Name District Party Counties
Mike Murphy 1 Dem McCurtain
Don Mentzer 2 Dem Adair, Sequoyah
Mick Thompson 3 Dem Leflore, McCurtain
William Willis 4 Dem Cherokee
Wiley Sparkman 5 Dem Adair, Delaware
George Vaughn 6 Dem Craig, Mayes, Nowata, Rogers
Joe Fitzgibbon 7 Dem Ottawa
J. D. Whorton 8 Rep Mayes, Rogers, Wagoner
Stratton Taylor 9 Dem Nowata, Rogers
A.C. Holden 10 Dem Osage, Washington
Robert Kane 11 Rep Nowata, Washington
Bill Lancaster 12 Dem Muskogee, Wagoner
Jim Barker 13 Dem Muskogee
John Monks 14 Dem Muskogee
Charles Peterson 15 Dem Haskell, McIntosh, Muskogee
Frank Shurden 16 Dem Okmulgee
Red Caldwell 17 Dem Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, Pittsburg
Frank Harbin 18 Dem Pittsburg
Gary Sherrer 19 Dem Choctaw, McCurtain, Pushmataha
Bob Trent 20 Dem Atoka, Johnston, Pittsburg
Guy Gaylon Davis 21 Dem Bryan
Jack F. Kelly 22 Dem Atoka, Coal, Johnston, Murray, Pontotoc
Harold Monlux 23 Dem Tulsa, Wagoner
Bill Robinson 24 Dem Hughes, Okfuskee, Okmulgee
Lonnie Abbott 25 Dem Pontotoc
Robert Henry 26 Dem Pottawatomie
James Townsend 27 Dem Cleveland, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie
Ron Sheppard 28 Dem Seminole
Oval Cunningham 29 Dem Creek
Benny Vanatta 30 Dem Creek
Frank Davis 31 Rep Logan, Noble
Charlie Morgan 32 Dem Lincoln, Logan
Joe Manning 33 Dem Payne
Daniel Draper 34 Dem Payne
Don Johnson 35 Dem Creek, Kay, Noble, Osage, Pawnee
Billy Kennedy 36 Dem Kay, Osage
James Holt 37 Rep Kay
Robert Milacek 38 Rep Alfalfa, Grant, Kay
Steven Boeckman 39 Rep Alfalfa, Blaine, Garfield, Kingfisher, Major
Homer Rieger 40 Rep Garfield
Robert Anderson 41 Rep Garfield
Tom Stephenson 42 Dem Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Kingfisher
Donald Feddersen 43 Dem Canadian
Cleta Deatherage 44 Dem Cleveland
Cal Hobson 45 Dem Cleveland
Charles Elder 46 Dem Cleveland, McClain
Denver Talley 47 Dem Grady
A Don Duke 48 Dem Carter
Bill Bradley 49 Dem Carter, Love, Marshall
Bob Wilson 50 Dem Stephens
Vernon Dunn 51 Dem Cotton, Jefferson, Stephens
Howard Cotner 52 Dem Jackson
Bob Harper 53 Dem Comanche, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman
Helen Cole 54 Rep Cleveland
Harvey Weichel 55 Dem Caddo, Kiowa, Washita
Tom Manar 56 Dem Caddo, Comanche, Grady
Wayne Winn 57 Dem Beckham, Custer
Lewis Kamas 58 Rep Woods, Woodward
Rollin D. Reimer 59 Dem Blaine, Dewey, Ellis, Harper, Roger Mills, Woodward
Willie Rogers 60 Dem Beckham, Greer, Harmon
Walter Hill 61 Rep Beaver, Cimarron, Texas
Don Davis 62 Dem Comanche
Marvin Baughman 63 Dem Comanche, Tillman
Butch Hooper 64 Dem Comanche
Jim Glover 65 Dem Comanche
Pete Riggs 66 Dem Tulsa
Joan Hastings 67 Rep Tulsa
Robert Hopkins 68 Dem Tulsa
William Wiseman 69 Rep Tulsa
Paul Brunton 70 Rep Tulsa
Helen Arnold 71 Rep Tulsa
Don McCorkle Jr. 72 Dem Tulsa
Bernard McIntyre 73 Dem Tulsa
Rodney Hargrave 74 Dem Tulsa
Alene Baker 75 Dem Rogers, Tulsa
James Allen Williamson 76 Rep Tulsa
William Poulos 77 Dem Tulsa
Charles Cleveland 78 Dem Tulsa
Ted Cowan 79 Rep Tulsa
Charles Ford 80 Rep Tulsa
Neal McCaleb 81 Rep Oklahoma
Bill Holaday 82 Rep Oklahoma
Stanley Alexander 83 Rep Oklahoma
Bill Graves 84 Rep Oklahoma
George Camp 85 Rep Oklahoma
Robert S. Kerr III 86 Dem Oklahoma
Sandy Sanders 87 Dem Oklahoma
Don Denman 88 Dem Oklahoma
L. Bengston 89 Dem Oklahoma
Mike J. Lawter 90 Dem Oklahoma
Charles Gray 91 Dem Oklahoma
Jim Fried 92 Dem Oklahoma
Jerry Steward 93 Dem Oklahoma
Fred Joiner 94 Dem Oklahoma
David Craighead 95 Dem Oklahoma
James Briscoe 96 Dem Oklahoma
Hannah Atkins 97 Dem Oklahoma
Thomas Duckett 98 Dem Canadian, Grady, Oklahoma
Visanio Johnson 99 Dem Oklahoma
Mike Fair 100 Rep Canadian, Oklahoma
Carl Twidwell Jr. 101 Dem Oklahoma
  • Table based on government database.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b A Century to Remember Archived September 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, p. II-6, Oklahoma House of Representatives Archived 2013-06-22 at the Wayback Machine. (accessed July 10, 2013)
  2. ^ a b c A Century to Remember Archived September 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, p.74-75, Oklahoma House of Representatives Archived 2013-06-22 at the Wayback Machine. (accessed July 10, 2013)
  3. ^ McKean, Kathleen. Education Reform in Oklahoma: A Review of Major Legislation and Educational Performance since 1980, Okpolicy.org (accessed June 23, 2013)
  4. ^ History of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Ok.gov (accessed June 23, 2013)
  5. ^ 2005 Oklahoma Almanac Archived 2006-02-18 at the Wayback Machine, Oklahoma Department of Libraries (accessed July 10, 2013).
  6. ^ Historic Members Archived 2013-07-11 at the Wayback Machine, Okhouse.gov (accessed June 23, 2013)