2018 Oklahoma state questions: Links to the legislation

I'll be on 1170 KFAQ this morning (Monday, October 22, 2018) at 8 a.m. with Pat Campbell to discuss the state questions on Oklahoma's November 2018 general election ballot. Tune into 1170 on your AM dial, or listen live on the internet. (UPDATE: Here is a link to my discussion of the 2018 Oklahoma state questions with Pat Campbell.)

I plan to post a detailed discussion of each of the five questions over the next few weeks, but for starters, here are links to the actual legislative proposal we are voting on.

When we cast a vote on a state question, we are acting as legislators, either enacting a constitutional amendment or approving a statute. True, we only can vote aye or nay, and there's no opportunity to propose an amendment, but we make the final decision on these proposed laws and constitutional provisions.

You wouldn't want a legislator to cast a vote without reading the bill; neither should you vote on a state question without reading the legislation you're being asked to approve. What you will see on your ballot paper -- the ballot title -- is not the legislation. It is a summary of the proposal that may reflect the biases of the people who did the summarizing. Best to think of the words on the ballot as a memory prompt, but nothing more.

Here are links to the Oklahoma Secretary of State website for each of the five state questions:

• SQ 793: Constitutional amendment to prohibit certain legislation about opticians. Would create a loophole to constitutional provision nullifying contracts that waive constitutional rights. This was proposed via initiative petition.
• SQ 794: Constitutional amendment to establish victims' rights. This was proposed by the legislature.
• SQ 798: Constitutional amendment to elect governor and lieutenant governor on a single ticket, by a method to be decided later. This was proposed by the legislature.
• SQ 800: Constitutional amendment to create a "vision fund." This was proposed by the legislature.
• SQ 801: Constitutional amendment to allow school district voters to approve property tax increases to be used for operations as well as buildings. This was proposed by the legislature.

MORE: Here are links to my analysis and recommendation on each of the state questions.

• SQ 793: Optometrists and opticians in retail establishments: NO
• SQ 794: Reforming Victim's Bill of Rights: YES
• SQ 798: Electing Governor and Lt. Governor on the same ballot: NO
• SQ 800: Creating the Oklahoma Slush Vision Fund: NO
• SQ 801: Giving local school districts flexibility in use of bond funds: YES