By M. Scott Carter
The Journal Record
Posted: 07:29 PM Wednesday, March 2, 2011
OKLAHOMA CITY – Future initiative petitions that call for new spending would be required to identify the source of those funds under a measure slipped through the Oklahoma House of Representatives this week.
Spawned by the multimillion 2010 campaign over State Question 744, a proposal by Ardmore state Rep. Pat
Ownbey would change the way initiative petition campaigns were conducted. House Bill 1225 would require those submitting an initiative petition to include a statement outlining all sources of funding to be used in the measure.
Ownbey, a Republican, said the measure was needed to protect the citizens from petitions that could bankrupt government services.
“State Question 744 mandated new education spending, but failed to say where that money could come from. It took a large-scale effort on the part of numerous state organizations to let people know exactly what the effects of that state question would be because no funding source was identified,” he said.
Ownbey said residents who initially support SQ 744 didn’t realize the full implications of the proposal... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Wed, March 2, 2011
by John Cox