• Home
• About Us
• Advertise
• Contact Us

iCapitol.net

The Legislative Branch

Learn The Basics

• Home
• About Bills/Legislation
• County Government
• Executive Branch
• Federal Representation
• Judicial Branch
• State Agencies
• The Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch

How is it organized?

• Oklahoma's bicameral Legislature is composed of 48 members of the State Senate and 101 members of the House of Representatives. Each house of the Legislature organizes independently to function during the legislative session.
• Legislatures are identified by consecutive numbers and correspond with the election of the members of the House of Representatives. For example, the 2006 session is designated as the Second Session of the 50th Legislature. The 2007 session (following the 2006 elections) will be the First Session of the 51st Legislature, the 2008 session will be the Second Session of the 51st Legislature, and so on.

When does it meet?

• The Oklahoma State Constitution (Section V, Article 26) sets when the Legislature meets.
• The Legislature meets annually beginning at noon on the first Monday in February. Its sessions must be finished by 5:00 p.m. on the last Friday in May every year.
• The Legislature usually meets Monday through Thursday of each week. The Legislature rarely meets on Fridays, with the exception of the last weeks in May and occasionally earlier in session during deadline weeks.
• The time for the next meeting of the House and Senate is set at the end of each daily session. In other words, just before the House or Senate recesses at the end of the day, an announcement is made to the members telling them what time session will re-convene on the following day.
• Exceptions
  • In odd numbered years (the years that follow elections), regular session also includes one day in January. On these years, the Legislature meets at noon on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January and recesses no later than 5:00 p.m. on the same day. This meeting is provided for by the Constitution (Section V, Article 26) and is called to declare the members "duly elected.
  • Extraordinary sessions (commonly called "special sessions") may be called by the Governor or by the Legislature itself.

Where does it meet?

• The Legislature occupies the third, fourth, and fifth floors of the State Capitol.
• The Senate is in the east side of the rotunda and the House of Representatives is on the west side of the rotunda.
• Chambers for both houses are on the fourth floor.
• Visitor galleries are on the fifth floor.
• Joint sessions are held in the House Chamber.

What qualifications are required to be a legislator?

• To file as a candidate for the House of Representatives or the Senate in any representative district, a person must have been a registered voter in such district and a resident residing within such district for at least six (6) months immediately preceding the filing period prescribed by law.
• A person will not be eligible to election to the Legislature who has been convicted of a felony.
• Members of the Senate must be at least twenty-five (25) years of age, and members of the House of Representatives must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age at the time of their election.

How much are legislators paid?

• Legislators are paid $38,400 annually plus certain expenses.
• The President Pro Tempore of the State Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are paid an additional $17,932 annually. The appropriations committee chairmen, majority floor leaders and the minority floor leaders of each house are paid an additional $12,364 per year.