Senator Nathan Dahm believes he can gather the required signatures of the Legislature to call a special session meant to override vetoes issued by Governor Fallin. The governor recently vetoed Dahm’s Senate Bill 1212 which would have allowed legal gun owners to carry their weapons without a permit, commonly referred to as “constitutional carry.”
“Over the last eight years we have seen decisions from the governor that are out of step with the will of the people, with the Republican Party platform, and with the Constitution,” said Dahm. “We have seen Governor Fallin use her veto pen to kill bills that would have brought transparency and accountability to government, reined in out of control agency rules, get parents more involved in education, restore our Second Amendment rights, return local control back to communities, secure parental rights in healthcare decisions, streamline and modernize state government, restore private property rights, change the budgeting system for long term planning, and more. This would afford us the opportunity to correct those mistakes without having to wait another year to do so.”
For the Legislature to call itself into special session, two-thirds of House and Senate members must sign the petition. Dahm believes upcoming issues, like the possible passage of State Question 788 (medicinal marijuana), will force a special session.
“The Oklahoma Constitution allows for the Legislature to call itself back into session with two-thirds of both the House and the Senate. It appears likely we will return back to the Capitol for at least one more special session this summer or fall. If we will be returning for another session, it would seem an opportune time to simultaneously deal with these measures the Governor has vetoed,” Dahm said.
Dahm has supporters for his effort. Among those is Rep. George Faught whose Senate Bill 86 was vetoed this session by Fallin. His measure would have given municipalities the right to reject Department of Transportation projects which build a bypass near them. Such a project is being considered by ODOT on U.S. 69 near Muskogee, a city he represents.
“A veto override special session would give Muskogee another chance at stopping the U.S. 69 Bypass, and give input and protections to communities in the U.S. 69 corridor and across the state from future bypass projects,” said Faught.
Additionally, Faught would like to see the veto of House Bill 1552, a state regulatory process reform, addressed in the special session.
“Gov. Fallin has failed Oklahoma citizens by vetoing legislation that is important to the Muskogee area and the state as a whole,” said Faught. “This veto-override special session would give us a chance to correct those problems, advance Oklahoma in a positive direction, and protect citizens from government overreach.”
Dahm claims he has a growing number of supporters. Those who have already signed onto the resolution are, Faught, Rep. Sean Roberts, Rep. Greg Babinec, Rep. Bobby Cleveland, Rep. Jeff Coody, House Floor Leader Jon Echols, Rep. Tom Gann, Rep. Lewis Moore, Rep. Zack Tayler, Rep. Kevin West, Rep. Rick West, Rep. Mark Lawson, Senator Josh Brecheen, Senator James Leewright, and Senator Anthony Sykes.
