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Oklahoma
State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
For Immediate Release: May 18, 2011
Sen. Josh Brecheen
Governor signs tax petition transparency bill
On Tuesday, the Governor signed Senate Bill 239, by Sen. Josh
Brecheen, which will add more transparency to the petition process
when any tax increase is being proposed.
“There is often miscommunication and misunderstandings involved
in petition drives. A petition is circulated and when the issue
makes it to the ballot some claim they didn’t know about the
proposed tax increase, never saw or heard about the petition; or
because of the extensive length of the petition process, people
forget they signed the petition or those who originally signed it,
have passed away or moved,” said Brecheen, R-Coalgate. “This
has been an issue of concern in my district, and as a taxpayer myself,
I knew it needed to be addressed. My bill preserves the vital function
of the petition process while making it more open and equitable.”
SB 239 sets guidelines for petitions circulated within a county
that seeks a continuation or an increased tax, fee or assessment.
The bill adds these types of petitions to those that require filing
a notice of circulation in the count clerk’s office and which
must contain a summary of contents. Under the bill, which goes into
effect November 1 of this year, petitioners will have one year to
gather signatures. If they are unsuccessful, any new petition circulated
must explain that a prior petition had been circulated. To ensure
citizens know what they are signing, all petition pages must have
“THIS IS A PETITION” in 12-point type or larger across
the top.
“This bill simply ensures people fully understand what they
are signing during a petition drive,” said Brecheen. “Raising
taxes is a major issue and those who will be affected by that tax
increase need to be sure they have all the facts before signing
the petition or getting in the voting box. I believe this new law
will help restore citizen’s faith in the petition process
by making it more clear and open.”
For more information, contact:
Sen. Brecheen: (405) 521-5586
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