8.5.24 – KOCO
The State Chamber Research Foundation, which represents business interests in Oklahoma, said it wants lawmakers to do more when it comes to judges.
“I mean, a C is pretty good. I think it’s a solid score for the Oklahoma legislature,” said Amanda Hall with the Oklahoma State Chamber Research Foundation. The foundation published its annual report on Monday, giving the legislature a C grade based on how many pro-business bills were passed at the Capitol this year.
The chamber argued that there are not enough people on the bench who are pro-growth, but Democrats worry any changes to the judicial appointment process will make the court partisan and political.
“I mean, a C is pretty good. I think it’s a solid score for the Oklahoma legislature,” said Amanda Hall with the Oklahoma State Chamber Research Foundation.
The foundation published its annual report on Monday, giving the legislature a C grade based on how many pro-business bills were passed at the Capitol this year.
“Pro-growth bills would be ones that increase the workforce in Oklahoma and help education here, as well as just our economic development system here,” Hall said.
Hall said in the next session, they want lawmakers to change how justices are nominated to fill vacancies on the state Supreme Court.
Currently, justices are appointed by a 15-member committee composed of lawyers and political appointees. Recently, there’s been a growing push to give Gov. Kevin Stitt sole nomination power and have the Senate confirm the nominees.
“We just want to make sure that the court is business-friendly and there are cases in instances where they haven’t been business-friendly,” Hall said.
But state Democrats, who often don’t side with the chamber, have raised numerous concerns with modifying the nomination process in any way.
Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd wrote an op-ed in the Oklahoman in March, calling changes to the nominating process a power grab for partisan politics.
The chamber also wants lawmakers to revisit reducing or cutting the state income tax. It’s unknown if we’ll see any movement there next session.