Dollens Opposes SB 1027 Following Committee Passage
OKLAHOMA CITY – State Representative Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statements after Senate Bill 1027 passed out of the House Elections and Ethics Committee on Monday with a party line vote of 6, 1. The legislation, which proposes sweeping changes to Oklahoma’s citizen-led ballot initiative process, has drawn criticism from voters, legal experts, and democracy advocates across the state. “Oklahoma’s Constitution begins with a powerful truth: ‘All political power is inherent in the people.’ SB 1027 turns that principle on its head,” said Rep. Dollens. “This bill prioritizes politicians over people, and if it becomes law, it will make citizen-led initiatives nearly impossible to get on the ballot for a statewide vote. SB 1027 proposes numerous changes to the petition process, including strict geographic limits on signature gathering, a ban on out-of-state contributions, and new overreaching powers for the Secretary of State to approve or reject petition language based on subjective criteria.” Dollens points to the following provisions: Signature caps by county: SB 1027 limits the number of valid signatures from any one county. “This violates the principle of one person, one vote,” said Rep. Dollens. “It disproportionately disenfranchises voters in Oklahoma’s most populated counties and excludes valid voter signatures from being counted.” Empowering the Secretary of State: The bill grants the Secretary of State broad and unilateral authority to reject the “gist” of a petition based on vague terms such as “euphemisms” or “partiality.” The Secretary can also delay when signature gathering begins and determine which signatures may be invalidated or removed. Constitutional concerns: SB 1027 includes provisions that were previously struck down in federal court. In Yes on Term Limits v. Savage (2008), the Tenth Circuit ruled that Oklahoma’s ban on non-resident circulators violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The bill also attempts to ban out-of-state contributions, which conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC. Rep. Dollens says that Oklahoma already has the shortest signature-gathering window in the nation—just 90 days—making the process more burdensome than in any other state. “In committee, I recommended an amendment to extend the window to 180 days to provide citizens with a fair opportunity to meet the high signature threshold in less populated areas of the state,” said Dollens. “Unfortunately, that amendment was not accepted today. I plan to keep pushing for expanding the signature gathering window when the bill is heard on the House floor.” Rep. Dollens emphasized that while the bill is being framed as an effort to improve transparency and accountability, he believes its actual effect is to restrict access to the democratic process. “This bill is not about reform—it’s about control over the people’s right to petition their government,” said Dollens. “It’s a direct response to successful ballot initiatives passed by citizens of Oklahoma when the legislature failed to act. Rather than listening to voters, SB 1027 seeks to silence them.” Dollens urged the public to stay engaged as the bill advances. “I’m calling on all Oklahomans—regardless of party—to contact their representatives and demand a NO vote on SB 1027. This legislation threatens the people’s right to shape public policy when elected leaders fail to act. We must defend our constitutional right to petition the government.” -END-