52nd Oklahoma Legislature

The Fifty-second Oklahoma Legislature was the meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City from January 3, 2009, to January 4, 2011, during the second two years of the second administration of Governor Brad Henry. It was the first session in state history where the Republican Party has controlled both houses of the legislature.

Dates of sessions
Previous: 51st Legislature • Next: 53rd Legislature
 * Organizational day: January 3, 2009
 * First regular session: February 2, 2009 – May 29, 2009
 * Second regular session: February 4, 2010 – May 30, 2010

Enacted

 * Abortion - HB 1595 prohibited a mother from having an abortion based solely on the sex of the child.
 * Health care - HB 1127 provided $7 million to allow the Oklahoma State University Medical Center to continue to operate.
 * Sales tax exemption - SB 318 created a gradual elimination of the state sales tax on groceries.
 * Silver Alert - HB 2030 creates an alert system for senior citizens who have gone missing, similar to the Amber Alert used to find missing children.
 * Tort reform - HB 1603 required Oklahomans wishing to file a medical malpractice lawsuit to prove before a third party that the case is not frivolous.

Failed

 * Charter schools - SB 834 would have allowed school districts to easily convert schools into charter schools, a move that would exempt them from most state mandates. The legislation was vetoed by the governor.
 * Embryonic stem cells - HB 1326 would have made it a crime for a scientist to perform any form of embryonic stem cell research, but was vetoed by Governor Brad Henry.
 * Insurance - HB 1312 would have mandated insurance coverage for children with autism. It failed to get enough votes for passage in the Oklahoma Senate.
 * Term limits - HJR 1022 would ask voters to vote on term-limits for all statewide elected offices. The legislation failed in committee.

Added to 2010 ballot as a referendum

 * English-only - HJR 1042 asked voters whether or not to make English the official language of Oklahoma.
 * Voting - SB 4 asked voters to decide whether or not to require voters to produce a state-issued ID at the polls.
 * Workers compensation - SB 609 allowed voters to decide whether or not to require workers compensation judges' appointments to be confirmed by the Oklahoma Senate.

Senate

 * President of the Senate: Jari Askins (D-Duncan )
 * President pro tempore: Glenn Coffee (R-Oklahoma City)

Republican caucus

 * Majority Leader: Todd Lamb
 * Assistant Floor Leader: Brian Bingman
 * Assistant Floor Leader: Mike Mazzei
 * Assistant Floor Leader: Clark Jolley
 * Whip: Mike Schulz
 * Whip: Cliff Branan
 * Whip: Anthony Sykes
 * Caucus Chair: John Ford

Democratic caucus

 * Democratic Leader: Charlie Laster
 * Assistant Floor Leader: Jay Paul Gumm
 * Assistant Floor Leader: Sean Burrage
 * Assistant Floor Leader: Tom Adelson
 * Assistant Floor Leader: Tom Ivester
 * Assistant Floor Leader: Richard Lerblance
 * Whip: Susan Paddack
 * Whip: Debbe Leftwich
 * Whip: Roger Ballenger
 * Whip: Charles Wyrick
 * Caucus Chair: Kenneth Corn

House of Representatives

 * Speaker: Chris Benge
 * Speaker Pro Tempore: Kris Steele

Republican caucus

 * Majority Floor Leader: Tad Jones
 * First Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Ron Peters
 * Caucus Chairman: John A. Wright
 * Majority Whip: Mike Jackson

Democratic caucus

 * Democratic Leader: Danny Morgan
 * Democratic Floor Leader: Mike Brown
 * Whip: Ben Sherrer
 * Caucus Chairman: Chuck Hoskin

Changes in membership during session

 * July 15, 2009 Ryan McMullen (D) resigns from representing HD-55 to take a federal position as Oklahoma’s director of rural development.
 * October 21, 2009 Todd Russ (R) is sworn in to represent HD-55, filling the seat vacant from Ryan McMullen's resignation.