Filing Deadline Passes for Okla. Legislature as Session Draws Near

The Oklahoma House and Senate press offices reported that Thursday, Jan. 19, marked the deadline for state lawmakers to file legislation for the 2006 session, which will open Feb. 6.

Since Jan. 1, more than 140 insurance-related bills have been filed by state legislators.

In all, at the close of the bill-filing process, members of the state Senate filed 1,034 bills and 28 joint resolutions. Last year, 1,017 bills and 33 joint resolutions had been filed by deadline. Of those, 615 bills and 27 joint resolutions are still alive and may be considered in the 2006 session.

House members filed 1,120 measures for the 2006 legislative session: 1,077 bills, 36 joint resolutions, two concurrent resolutions and five simple resolutions.

In the 2005 session, House members filed 1,089 measures and resolutions by deadline: 1,059 bills, 29 joint resolutions and one House resolution.

There were 637 House bills that carried over from the 2005 session that could still receive a vote this year – 478 remain in House Committee; 39 are on the House Calendar; 99 are in Senate Committee; and 21 are on the Senate Calendar.

Another 29 House Joint Resolutions also carried over.

The House of Representatives noted that the chance of any measure becoming law is relatively slim. In a typical year, less than one in three bills is actually signed into law.

Legislation may be tracked via the legislative Web site at www.lsb.state.ok.us/.

The Senate will continue to offer streaming audio and video from the Senate Chamber, as well as from 419-C. Wireless Internet access is available to all Capitol visitors throughout the Senate gallery, rotunda, committee rooms, offices and press rooms.

Topics Legislation Oklahoma