Oklahomans are just one legislative vote away from being able to vote this November on enacting term limits for statewide office holders, Oklahomans for Responsible Government (OFRG) said today.

By a 56-44 vote, the House approved Senate Bill 1987. The bill, which would allow voters this fall to decide whether to enact 12-year term limits for secondary statewide offices such as attorney general, state auditor and state schools superintendent, now goes to the full Senate for final consideration.

“Term limits ended the ‘good old boy’ system in the Oklahoma Legislature and allowed a new group of Republican and Democratic leaders to come to power. Those leaders ushered in much-needed reforms and policies that have helped to move the state forward,” said state Rep. Trebor Worthen (R-OKC), House sponsor of SB 1987. “I hope my colleagues in the Senate will give Oklahomans the chance to vote on this important issue. I thank OFRG for their hard work and dedication to seeing SB 1987 passed.”

OFRG Executive Director Curt Price said, “Today’s outcome is a victory for Oklahoma voters. This issue is overwhelmingly popular with voters. OFRG encourages the state Senate to follow the example of their House colleagues by giving Oklahoma voters a chance to express their voice on this important issue.”

Previously, SB 1987 passed the Senate 31-17, with seven Democrats joining their Republican colleagues in support of the bill. “With this important bill one step away from being on the November ballot, it is important senators don’t waiver in their support for SB 1987 the second time around. OFRG will continue to work to ensure that SB 1987 makes it to the ballot,” Price said.

A July 2007 Pulse Opinion Research survey of 1,000 likely voters found 77 percent of those surveyed would vote for a measure setting term limits for executive offices. A December 2007 poll by the Tulsa World and KOTV found 73 percent of those surveyed supported the idea of term limits for executive offices.