Title: Call-to-Action Influenced Legislative Successes
Original CoS Document (slug): call-to-action-influenced-legislative-successes
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Created: 2023-05-23 10:25:56
Updated: 2023-05-31 03:00:01
Published: 2023-05-23 01:00:00
Converted: 2025-04-14T21:24:53.563740607
April and May 2023 ended on a high-water mark for Convention of States Action Oklahoma, as our team worked alongside our state legislators to marshal across the finish line two key legislative measures that have significant positive state and national implications.
Key to these legislative and team successes was our aggressive use of the COS-sponsored “Call-to-Action” email blasts, sent by our team to their district House and Senate legislators to support House Joint Resolution 1017 and House Bill 2052.
HJR 1017 is the reauthorization of a delegation of commissioners to participate in a gathering of states to serve at an Article V Convention of States that might be called to deal with a single balanced budget amendment, or a combination of amendments to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, impose fiscal restraints, and place term limits on federal officials. Importantly, the “Sunset Clause,” which would have caused the resolution to expire at the end of the year, was removed.
After HJR1017's engrossment and enrollment, its Oklahoma Senate co-sponsor, Senator Michael Bergstrom noted:
“The runaway spending in Washington has consequences. Too many to list, but one day there will be a reckoning and it will be our children, our grandchildren and our economy that will pay the price. For too long D.C. bureaucrats, legislators and presidents have been chopping away at the powers reserved to the states and their citizens. A Convention of States, which is limited in scope like this, can provide a way to get our nation back on the right track in these areas.”
“I am proud to echo the voice of Oklahomans and continue fighting for an end to career politics. I appreciate my colleagues in the Senate and House counterparts who have supported these measures and voted to adopt them this session. I hope more states will join us in ensuring the federal government is of the people, by the people, and for the people,” Bergstrom said.
The resolution will now be forwarded by our Secretary of State to state and national government leadership, and presiding officers of the other 49 state legislative houses.
Owing to a concern that Oklahoma election integrity is in-the-balance, HB2052 was signed into law on May 22, 2023. While our state is not currently a registrant in one or more multistate voter list maintenance organizations (commonly, the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), or others), at issue is that third-party organizations may use and share our state citizen's personal data to outside agencies for purposes other than voter list maintenance. HB2052 establishes: the ability for the state to quickly withdraw from the organization, legal civil action, maintenance costs, and the ability of the Oklahoma Secretary of the State Election Board to enter into agreement with other states or territories.
State Director John Guinn coordinated with our National counterparts to issue “Call-to-Action” email blasts that encouraged our state team to contact their Senate and House legislators. The overwhelming response from our great team grabbed the attention or our legislators, and was significant to successful passage of the measures in both chambers.
Tommy Jensen is a member of the Convention of States Action Oklahoma Legislative Liaison Team.