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House approves measure to require photo ID to vote: HOUSE ROUNDUP(Tulsa World (OK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Mar. 12--OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma voters would have to show photo identification at the polls under a bill passed Wednesday by the state House of Representatives. The measure by Rep. Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa, is similar to one passed previously by the Senate, except the Senate version allows the use of a voter registration card if a photo ID is not available. Tibbs said the bill is necessary to keep illegal immigrants and others who are ineligible to vote from influencing the electoral process. She said similar bills in other states did not repress voting in November. Speaking on behalf of the bill, Rep. Steve Martin, R-Bartlesville, said he suspects that voter fraud handed the 2008 presidential election to Barack Obama and influenced elections in Oklahoma. "People talk about the election in 2000 being stolen, but I'm not so sure the same thing didn't happen in 2008," Martin said. Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole, told Martin that he needs to "get a thing called a SPAM filter" for his e-mail. Opponents argued that about 78,000 qualified Oklahoma voters don't have photo IDs. Most, said Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, D-Tulsa, are poor, elderly or disabled, and requiring them to pay for a photo ID would be unfair. Tibbs said she didn't see how anyone could conduct day-to-day activities without a photo ID and said the bill should not be killed because of the small number of people who don't have them. Property tax cap: A resolution that would send to a vote of the people a proposal to lower the annual property tax cap to 3 percent from 5 percent passed the House late Wednesday. The measure would limit annual increases in taxable value of properties with homestead exemptions to no more than 3 percent per year. Workers comp judges: A key piece of the Republican legislative agenda, House Joint Resolution 1041 would require Senate approval of workers compensation court judges, who are appointed by the governor. The measure requires Senate adoption and a vote of the people. Opponents argued that the change would give the Senate president pro tem de-facto control over the appointments and further politicize them. Supporters said it would give the public some degree of control over the appointments. "These are the only judges not subject to some vote of the people," said Rep. Dan Sullivan, R-Tulsa. Rep. Scott Inman, D-Oklahoma City, said that if that is the concern, workers comp judges should be subject to direct or retention votes. HJR 1041 passed 62-36 and heads to the Senate. CompSource: The House approved 51-46 a measure by Rep. Scott Martin, R-Norman, to free the state-owned workers compensation insurance fund from central purchasing and other administrative requirements. Randy Krehbiel 581-8365 [email protected] To see more of the Tulsa World, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tulsaworld.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Tulsa World, Okla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |