The Thirty-seventh Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the

legislative branch A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known ...

of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

. It met in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

from January 2 to July 2, 1979, from January 8 to June 16, 1980, and from July 7 to 11, 1980, during the term of Governor

George Nigh George Patterson Nigh (born June 9, 1927) is an American politician and civic leader from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd governor of Oklahoma and as the eighth and tenth lieutenant governor of Oklahoma. He was th ...

.A Century to Remember
, p. II-6
Oklahoma House of Representatives
. (accessed July 10, 2013) The 1980 session was marked by the elimination of the Legislative Council, the Nursing Reform Act and the implementation of teacher testing and professional development.A Century to Remember
, p.74-75
Oklahoma House of Representatives
. (accessed July 10, 2013) Lieutenant Governor Spencer Bernard served as the President of the Senate. Gene C. Howard served as the

President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate The President ''pro tempore'' of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking state senator. The Oklahoma Constitution designates the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma as the highest-r ...

and Daniel Draper served as the

Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The speaker exercises administrative and procedural functions, but remains a ...

Frank Keating Francis Anthony Keating II (initially born as David Rowland Keating) (born February 10, 1944) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 25th governor of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2003. , Keating is one of only five governors in Okl ...

served as the leader of the state senate

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

caucus and Neal McCaleb served as the leader of the Republican caucus in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Dates of sessions

*First regular session: January 2-July 2, 1979 *Second regular session: January 8-June 16, 1980 *Special session: July 7–11, 1980 Previous: 36th Legislature • Next: 38th Legislature

Party composition

Senate

House of Representatives

Major legislation

Enacted

*Education reform - House Bill 1706 in 1980 addressed teacher education, certification and professional development. *Nursing Reform Act *Abolishment of Legislative Council

Leadership

Democratic

In Oklahoma, the lieutenant governor serves as President of the Oklahoma Senate, and presides over the chamber and breaks tie votes. Lieutenant Governor Spencer Bernard served in the role in the 37th Oklahoma Legislature. Gene C. Howard served as

, who is the Senate leader elected by state senators. Daniel Draper served as the

. Mike Murphy served as the Speaker Pro Tempore.

Republican

served as the Republican Minority leader of the Oklahoma Senate. Representative Neal McCaleb served as the Republican Minority leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Members

Senate

Table based on 2005 state almanac.

House of Representatives

*Table based on government database.Historic Members
, Okhouse.gov (accessed June 23, 2013)

References

{{Oklahoma Legislatures Oklahoma legislative sessions 1979 in Oklahoma 1980 in Oklahoma 1979 U.S. legislative sessions 1980 U.S. legislative sessions