Governor Kevin Stitt has called the State Senate back to the Capitol for a special session to consider the appointment of Mike Holder to the OSU Board of Regents.
TRANSCRIPT
Dick Pryor: This is Capitol Insider - taking you inside politics, policy and government in Oklahoma. I'm Dick Pryor with Quorum Call publisher Shawn Ashley. The regular legislative session adjourned a couple of weeks ago, but now the Senate is in a special session called by Governor Stitt for the sole purpose of approving former Oklahoma State University golf coach and athletic director Mike Holder to the OSU Board of Regents. Shawn, how is it that the governor can force the Senate only to return for a special session?
Shawn Ashley: The Oklahoma Constitution gives the governor the authority to call both chambers into a simultaneous special session, which we are very familiar with, or just the Senate. Although that provision of the Constitution does not specifically address it, it's because there is one thing that the Senate can do that the House can't: approve or disapprove executive nominations.
Dick Pryor: While the special session is only for consideration of that nomination, the process is not something that happens quickly.
Shawn Ashley: No, it's not. And that's because the Senate, under Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, has created a more formalized process for reviewing executive nominations, nominees for top tier appointments such as cabinet secretaries, agency directors, state regents and University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University regents are expected to meet, individually, or at least in small groups, with the members of the committee that will consider their nomination. In this case, that's the Senate Education Committee. That's in addition to a review of their resume and appointment materials. Now, in this case, the Constitution requires five of the eight gubernatorial appointees to the OSU Board of Regents (to) be farmers. And that is something the Senate is reviewing in Holder's case, Treat said Wednesday.
Dick Pryor: Why was there urgency by the governor to get this nomination resolved now?
Shawn Ashley: That's really unclear at this point. The Senate did reject Stitt’s earlier nominee for the post, Susan Bergen, near the end of the regular session. But under state law, Regent Rick Davis, whose term expired in April, can continue to serve until a new nominee is confirmed by the Senate. “I'm not aware of an emergency at the OSU board that will require us to act swiftly,” Treat told reporters Wednesday.
Dick Pryor: Do you anticipate any other special session calls this year?
Shawn Ashley: That's not out of the realm of possibility. Stitt has called eight special sessions in his six years in office. Treat said Wednesday he had been preparing mentally for another special session. “I have always used the words this was my last regular session,” said Treat, who is term limited and will not be back next year. “I fully expected to be in special session,” he said.
Dick Pryor: The Oklahoma Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that local school boards, not the State Department of Education or State Board of Education, have the authority to determine what books can be in public school libraries. That's a blow to State Superintendent Ryan Walters, who's been pushing the banning of books he believes are objectionable. Is this decision the end of that story?
Shawn Ashley: “It does not appear to be,” Superintendent Walters said on Wednesday after the decision was announced, “The legislature must act and rein in out-of-control access to pornography in schools that our kids are exposed to.” And he went on to add, “I will be exploring all available tools to act.”
Dick Pryor: So, is there anything the state superintendent can do next to gain the authority to direct what books can go on library shelves?
Shawn Ashley: A key to the Supreme Court's decision was a 2022 law that gives local school districts the authority to choose library materials based on their local community standards. Walters just needs the legislature to amend or repeal that law and give that authority to the State Department of Education. But that could be problematic. The House author of that bill was Representative Kyle Hilbert, who is now the House Speaker-designate for the 60th legislature that begins in January.
Dick Pryor: Well, that could be interesting.
Shawn Ashley: It certainly could.
Dick Pryor: All right. Thank you, Shawn.
Shawn Ashley: You're very welcome.
Dick Pryor: For more information, go to quorumcall.online. You can find audio and transcripts at kgou.org and look for Capitol Insider where you get podcasts. Until next time with Shawn Ashley, I'm Dick Pryor.
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