Trading Places: Coffee, Morgan to switch titles
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Author : Shawn Ashley
Date : 06/29/2007
News Director
(OK) Senators Glenn Coffee and Mike Morgan will awake different men Sunday morning, when the mantle of Senate president pro tempore moves from one to the other.
The title moves from Morgan, D-Stillwater, to Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, under the terms of the power sharing agreement reached last December, which states, "One member nominated by the Republican Party shall be elected to serve as co-President Pro Tempore from January 2, 2007 through June 30, 2007 and from August 1, 2007 through November 19, 2008, and shall be elected to serve as President Pro Tempore from July 1, 2007 through July 31, 2007."
"I think what you will see will be much like you have seen since January," Coffee said Friday. "I will continue to share responsibilities and meet with Sen. Morgan to discuss the issues facing the Senate."
The shared responsibilities were the direct result of the power sharing agreement, which was a guiding force through the legislative session that concluded at the end of May.Committees were led by co-chairs, one member representing each political party, and an agreement between each committee's co-chairs was necessary for the majority of bills to be heard by the committees. Co-floor leaders, with one representing each party, directed traffic in the Senate chamber where the responsibility of chairing each day's proceedings also was shared and an agreement between the floor leaders was necessary for a bill to be brought before the full body.
But for Republicans, the month of July will be historic. Coffee will be the first Republican since statehood to have the title of Senate president pro tempore. As such, he will be second in line, behind Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, in succession to the governor's office. Should both Governor Brad Henry and Askins be out of Oklahoma during the month of July, Coffee will become the state's chief executive officer during their absences.
Asked whether he has been told that might be the case, Coffee said he had not received any sort of word about travel plans for the state's top two elected officials.
Coffee called his ascension to the office "a time for Republican members to reflect on their successes" in recent election cycles and the past legislative session.
"I just feel fortunate to be the Republican leader at this time and to have this opportunity," Coffee said.
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