Gov. Brad Henry’s veto of legislation designed to strengthen Oklahoma’s initiative petition process amounts to “a slap to the face of citizens who want to petition their government,” the head of a nonprofit group that promotes accountability in state government said Monday.

“In a year when initiative petition reform bills got overwhelming support in the Legislature, Governor Henry decided that he would play Supreme Court justice with his veto pen,” said Brian Downs, executive director of Oklahomans for Responsible Government.

The measure, vetoed by Henry shortly before the 2009 Oklahoma Legislature adjourned last month, would have extended the time that petition circulators have to gather signatures from 90 days to one year and provided new protection for circulators from being harassed by opponents.

In his veto message, the governor said that while the bill “contains several good provisions,” a section that gives additional rights to circulators also “takes away the rights of other citizens.”

Among other things, the bill would have made it a crime for a person to interrupt a conversation between a circulator and a potential signer, touch a petition or promotional material without the permission of a circulator or shout in the presence of a circulator to express opposition to the initiative…Read the Rest

Norman, OK–Throughout the state of Oklahoma, citizens are reacting to Governor Brad Henry’s veto of House Bill 224, a major reform to the ballot initiative and referendum (I&R) process which has received overwhelming bipartisan support.

Oklahomans for Initiative Rights, which organized a 70 city statewide tour of Oklahoma gathering massive grassroots support for voter rights reform bills like HB 2246, was outraged at the news. The bill would have extended the amount of time allowed to collect signatures for a ballot initiative from 90 days to one year.

“Governor Henry is out of touch with Oklahomans,” said Norma Sapp, executive director of Oklahomans for Initiative Rights. “We traveled throughout the state and we heard one message: Let Oklahomans Vote. The citizens want these reforms. The legislature voted for these reforms. Governor Henry has chosen to ignore the voters who elected him and continue making Oklahoma one of the most repressive states in the nation.”

Oklahoma is one of the most restrictive ballot initiative processes in the nation, having the 2nd shortest period to collect signatures in the country and some of the toughest ballot requirements. HB 2246, which would have removed these restrictions, passed 87-1 in the House and 41-0 in the Senate.

In addition to extending the amount of time allowed to collect signatures for a ballot measure, HB 2246 would have protected Oklahoma citizens collecting signatures by making harassment and intimidation against them illegal.

“By not signing HB 2246 Governor Henry declared that it is ok to harass and intimidate Oklahoma voters. In recent years, persons collecting signatures have been the subject of outrageous harassment in our state. It is unjust for people to be threatened, intimidated, physically and verbally abused for expressing their first amendment rights,” said Sapp.

“We will continue to work with Oklahomans to push for the essential voting rights reforms to the ballot initiative process whether it is this year in a special session or next year,” said Sapp.