House holding required Organizational Day today

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House of Representatives will hold its constitutionally-required Organizational Day for the 58^th Oklahoma Legislature on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

Beginning at noon, the House will take constitutionally-required actions to seat elected members, install leadership and adopt House Rules for the 58^th Legislature. A brief, constitutionally-required Joint Session of the House and Senate also will occur to formally accept election returns.

The actions will mark the formal beginning of the 58^th Legislature ahead of the first day of session Monday, Feb. 1.

Organizational Day proceedings will be open to the public under the following pandemic precautions:

• The House Gallery will have about one-third of the usual visitor seating available to allow for social distancing as marked in the north, south and west galleries (press seating will be in the east gallery).
• Overflow visitor areas will broadcast proceedings in the Fourth Floor Rotunda, Room 206 and the hallway approaching the Supreme Court on the second floor.
• All previously announced pandemic precautions remain in effect.

The Oklahoma Constitution requires each two-year Legislature to convene at noon on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each odd numbered year to formally organize each chamber by electing officers and approving rules. The Constitution also requires the House and Senate to jointly meet in the House Chamber to officially approve the prior year’s election returns.

After the formal installation of the Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore of the House, the Senate will travel across the rotunda to the House Chamber for a short Joint Session to formally approve election returns, as required by the Constitution.

During the Joint Session with the Senate, the north and south galleries will be cleared to accommodate social distancing for House and Senate members. Seating will not be added to the House Floor for the Joint Session. Approximately two-thirds of each chamber’s members will be on the floor and one-third of each chamber’s members will be in the north and south galleries. Socially distanced visitor seating will remain in the west gallery for the Joint Session.

After the Joint Session, the House will vote on House Rules and administrative items for the 58^th Legislature.

Proposed House Rules can be viewed at http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20FLR/HFLR/HR1001%20HFLR.PDF

All proceedings can be livestreamed at https://okhouse.gov/Video/Default.aspx