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Seminole Producer
Merriman of the Oklahoma
three months old the child
(See Abuse on Page A12)
Swerer
Election 2016
A Summary of The Seven State Questions Appearing on Nov. 8 Ballot

Seven state questions will appear on the Nov. 8 general
election ballot. Each question is reprinted here as it will
appear on the ballot followed by a brief summary.
Death Penalty STATE QUESTION 776
This measure adds a new section to the Oklahoma Constitution,
Section 9A of Article 2. The new Section deals with the
death penalty. The Section establishes State constitutional
mandates relating to the death penalty and methods of
execution. Under these constitutional requirements:
The Legislature is expressly empowered to designate any method of execution not prohibited by the United
States Constitution.
Death sentences shall not be reduced because a

method of execution is ruled to be invalid.
When an execution method is declared invalid, the

death penalty imposed shall remain in force until it can be
carried out using any valid execution method, and
The imposition of a death penalty under Oklahoma

law-as distinguished from a method of executionshall
not be deemed to be or constitute the infliction of cruel or
unusual punishment under Oklahomas Constitution, nor to
contravene any provision of the Oklahoma Constitution.
FOR THE PROPOSAL YES
AGAINST THE PROPOSAL NO

SUMMARY: State Question 776 does two things: it
addresses the method of execution for an inmate on death
row, and it states that the death penalty shall not be deemed
cruel and unusual punishment. If the proposal is approved,
a new section would be added to the Oklahoma Constitution that allows the state to continue to impose the death
penalty, even if a specific method of execution becomes
unavailable. Death sentences would remain in effect until
they can be carried out by any method not prohibited by the
US Constitution.
If approved, the constitutional amendment would apply
to the state constitution but not the federal constitution or
courts applying federal law.
The Oklahoma death penalty law, enacted in 1976, has
been consistently applied by Oklahoma elected officials:
the state executed 191 men and three women between
1915 and 2014 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary (82 by
electrocution, one by hanging, and 111 by lethal injection).
Statutes specifically allow gas inhalation, electrocution, and
firing squad as backups to the primary form of execution by
lethal injection.
(See Questions on Page A12)
Seminole County Today
Seminole Producer
Questions
Oct
16
2016
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(Continued from Page 1)

In October 2015, Oklahoma suspended executions for a review of lethal
injection protocols. One of
the drugs most commonly
used for lethal injection is
sodium thiopental, which is
no longer manufactured in
the United States. In 2011,
the European Commission
imposed restrictions on the
export of certain drugs used
for lethal injections in the
United States.
As a result, many states
no longer have the drugs
used to carry out lethal injection. Oklahoma has turned to
other drugs as a substitute for
sodium thiopental. However,
recent instances of executions around the country in
which alternative drugs were
used may have produced
adverse outcomes.
The death penalty is legal
in thirty-one states, and illegal
in nineteen.
Agriculture STATE
QUESTION 777
This measure adds Section 38 to Article II of the
Oklahoma Constitution. The
new Section creates state
constitutional rights. It creates the following guaranteed
rights to engage in farming
and ranching:
The right to make

use of agricultural technology,
The right to make

use of livestock procedures,
and
The right to make

use of ranching practices.
These constitutional rights
receive extra protection under
this measure that not all constitutional rights receive. This
extra protection is a limit on
lawmakers ability to interfere
with the exercise of these
rights. Under this extra protection, no law can interfere
with these rights, unless the
law is justified by a compelling state interesta clearly
identified state interest of the
highest order. Additionally,
the law must be necessary
to serve that compelling state
interest. The measureand
the protections identified
abovedo not apply to and
do not impact state laws
related to:
Trespass,
Eminent domain,
Dominance of mineral interests,
Easements,
Right of way or other

property rights, and
Any state statutes

and political subdivision
ordinances enacted before
December 31, 2014.
FOR
THE
PROPOSAL
YES
AGAINST THE PROPOSAL
NO
SUMMARY: If the proposal is approved, the measure would prevent lawmakers from passing legislation
to regulate agriculture unless
there is a compelling state

interest. The proposal would
forbid the state of Oklahoma
from regulating the use of
agricultural technology, livestock procedures, and ranching practices. The standard
of compelling state interest
is a key component to the
question because it sets a
very high standard for a law
to be judged.
If passed, the proposal
would apply to any democratically elected body that can
trace its creation to the state
legislature, including county
and city governments, but
not school boards. Federal
laws would not be impacted;
current state laws about
farming and ranching would
be grandfathered in, and
would not be repealed by this
amendment. Grandfathered
laws could be amended or
repealed in the future.
Similar proposals have
been presented to voters in
other states, first in North
Dakota. A similar amendment passed in Missouri in
2014; another amendment
was considered in Nebraska
earlier this year but was not
approved by legislators for a
vote of the people. Oklahomas State Question 777 is
inspired in part by opponents
of Proposition 2 in California.
Proposition 2 required certain
farm animals to be able to lie
down, stand up, fully extend
limbs, and turn around freely.
SQ 777 is unique in that it
added the compelling state
interest clause.
Oklahomas top agricultural products in revenue are
cattle, hogs, poultry, wheat,
and dairy. Agriculture is the
states fourteenth highest
economic sector, accounting for less than 2 percent
of GDP, (higher than agricultures national rate). For
decades, as technology and
yields have advanced, the
number of agricultural jobs
and farms has declined. Nine
in ten Oklahoma crop and
animal operations are owned
by private citizens, many of
whom contract with larger
corporations.
Education Funding Tax
STATE QUESTION 779
This measure adds a
new Article to the Oklahoma
Constitution. The article creates a limited purpose fund
to increase funding for public
education. It increases State
sales and use taxes by one
cent per dollar to provide
revenue for the fund. The
revenue to be used for public
education shall be allocated:
69.50% for common school
districts, 19.25% for the institutions under the authority of
the Oklahoma State Regents
for Higher Education, 3.25%
for the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, and 8%
for the State Department of
Education. It requires teacher
Seminole County Agendas

The Maud City Council
will have a regular meeting
at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct.
17, 2016.
Business includes discussion and possible action on
the approval of the invoice
for the CIP Grant drawdown
in the amount of $20,000 as

well as possibly setting a date
for the Christmas parade.
They will also discuss the
possible action regarding
the donation of a K9 drug
dog from K9 solutions to the
police department.
salary increases funded by

this measure raise teacher
salaries by at least $5,000
over the salaries paid in
the year prior to adoption
of this measure. It requires
an annual audit of school
districts use of monies. It
prohibits school districts use
of these funds for increasing
superintendents salaries or
adding superintendent positions. It requires that monies
from the fund not supplant
or replace other educational
funding. If the Oklahoma
Board of Equalization determines funding has been
replaced, the Legislature
may not make any appropriations until the amount of
replaced funding is returned
to the fund. The article takes
effect on July 1 after its passage.
FOR THE
PROPOSAL
YES
NO
SUMMARY: If this proposal is approved, Article 8-C
would be added to the Oklahoma Constitution creating
a limited purpose fundthe
Education
Improvement
Fund.
An increase of the sales
and use tax by one cent
on the dollar would provide
revenue for the fund. School
districts that benefit from the
fund would be subject to an
annual audit. Funds generated by the tax cannot be
used to replace other state
funding of common, higher,
career and technology, and
early childhood education.
The provisions of the new
article require a minimum
$5,000 salary increase for
teachers over the salaries
paid in the year prior to
adoption. The funds generated would not be used
to increase the salaries of
school superintendents or
to add superintendent positions.
Oklahomas
average
compensation for teachers,
including salary and benefits,
is $44,921. According to the
National Education Association, Oklahoma ranks 49th in
the nation in teacher pay.
A section within the new
article to the state constitution establishes that monies
collected would be distributed as follows:
69.5 percent to common
education
>
86.33 percent of
common education funding
would be used to provide
teachers with a minimum
$5,000 raise and otherwise
address or prevent teacher
and certified instruction staff
shortages.
>
13.67 percent of
common education funding
would be used to adopt or
expand, but not maintain,
programs, opportunities or
reforms for improving reading in early grades, improving
high school graduation rates,
and increasing college and
career readiness.
19.25 percent to higher
education
3.25 percent to career
and technology education
8 percent to early childhood education
Law
Enforcement
STATE QUESTION 780
This measure amends

existing Oklahoma laws and
would change the classification of certain drug possession and property crimes
from felony to misdemeanor.
It would make possession of
a limited quantity of drugs a
misdemeanor. The amendment also changes the
classification of certain drug
possession crimes which
are currently considered
felonies and cases where
the defendant has a prior
drug possession conviction.
The proposed amendment
would reclassify these drug
possession cases as misdemeanors. The amendment
would increase the threshold
dollar amount used for determining whether certain property crimes are considered
a felony or misdemeanor.
Currently, the threshold
is $500. The amendment
would increase the amount
to $1000. Property crimes
covered by this change
include; false declaration of
a pawn ticket, embezzlement, larceny, grand larceny,
theft, receiving or concealing stolen property, taking
domesticated fish or game,
fraud, forgery, counterfeiting,
or issuing bogus checks.
This measure would become
effective July 1, 2017.
FOR THE
PROPOSAL
YES
NO
SUMMARY: If the measure is approved, State
Question 780 would reclassify certain offenses, such
as simple drug possession
and property crimes, as misdemeanors rather than felonies. The reclassification of
the drug possession offense
is intended to be applied to
persons who use the drugs,
not to those who are selling
or manufacturing the drugs.
The measure also would
change the dollar amount
threshold for property crimes
charged as felonies from
$500 to $1,000.
The goal of this measure
is to reduce the size of the
states prison population and
to reduce the amount of state
funds being spent on prisons.
SQ 780 proposes to change
Oklahoma statutes, not the
constitution.
According to the U.S.
Bureau of Justice in 2014,
Oklahoma had the second
highest incarceration rate in
the nation at 700 inmates
per 100,000 U.S. residents.
Oklahoma also had the
highest incarceration rate for
women that year. The total
correctional population of a
state includes people incarcerated and on probation or
(See Questions on Page B1)
The Seminole
Producer
(USPS 489-380)
Published daily Tuesday through Friday

afternoons and Sunday Morning at 121
N. Main, Seminole, Oklahoma by the
Seminole Producer, Inc. Periodicals
Postage Paid at Seminole, Oklahoma
74868.
POSTMASTER: Please send change
of address Form 3579 to The Seminole
Producer, P.O. Box 431, Seminole,
Oklahoma 74868.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Oct 2016 Page

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Guymon Daily Herald
Summary of state questions

Special to the GDH
Editors Note: State questions 776,
777,779 and 780 are examined in this
two-part series. Part two will be in
tomorrows paper.
Seven state questions will appear
on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. Legislative Referendums are
placed on the ballot by the Oklahoma
Legislature. Initiative Petitions are
placed on the ballot by gathering signatures from citizens. Each question is
reprinted here as it will appear on the
ballot followed by a brief summary.
Death
Penalty
STATE
QUESTION 776
STATE QUESTION NO. 776
LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM
NO. 367
This measure adds a new section to
the Oklahoma Constitution, Section
9A of Article 2. The new Section deals
with the death penalty. The Section
establishes State constitutional mandates relating to the death penalty and
methods of execution. Under these constitutional requirements:
7KH /HJLVODWXUH LV H[SUHVVO\
empowered to designate any method of
execution not prohibited by the United
States Constitution.
i i
'HDWK VHQWHQFHV VKDOO QRW EH

reduced because a method of execution
is ruled to be invalid.
:KHQDQH[HFXWLRQ
method is declared
invalid,
the
death penalty
imposed shall
remain in
force until
it can be
carried
out using
a n y
v a l i d
execut i o n
method,
and
7KH
imposition of a
death penalty under
Oklahoma
law-as distinguished from
a method of executionshall
not
be
deemed to be or constitute the
infliction of cruel or unusual punishment under Oklahomas Constitution,
nor to contravene any provision of the

Oklahoma Constitution.
FOR
THE
PROPOSAL YES
AGAINST
THE
PROPOSAL NO
Summary:
State Question
776 does two
things:
it
addresses
the method
of
execution
for
an inmate
on
death
row, and it
states that
the
death
p e n a l t y
shall not be
deemed cruel
and
unusual
punishment.
If the proposal is
approved, a new section would be added to
the Oklahoma Constitution
that allows the state to continue
to impose the death penalty, even if a
specific method of execution becomes
L k
unavailable. Death sentences would

remain in effect until they can be carried out by any method not prohibited
by the US Constitution.
If approved, the constitutional
amendment would apply to the state
constitution but not the federal constitution or courts applying federal law.
The Oklahoma death penalty law,
enacted in 1976, has been consistently
applied by Oklahoma elected officials:
the state executed 191 men and three
women between 1915 and 2014 at the
Oklahoma State Penitentiary (82 by
electrocution, one by hanging, and 111
by lethal injection). Statutes specifically allow gas inhalation, electrocution, and firing squad as backups to
the primary form of execution by lethal
injection.
In October 2015, Oklahoma suspended executions for a review of
lethal injection protocols. One of the
drugs most commonly used for lethal
injection is sodium thiopental, which
is no longer manufactured in the
United States. In 2011, the European
Commission imposed restrictions on
the export of certain drugs used for
STATE QUESTIONS
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Guymon Daily Herald
R
Oct
18
2016
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Annual Oktoberfest
set for Oct. 21
St. Peters Catholic

Church is hosting its
11th annual Oktoberfest
on Oct. 21 from 6 p.m.
to 9:30 p.m. at Pickle
Creek Center. The event
will have food, drinks,
door prizes, beer garden,
gamers for kids and 12
Gauge.
Medicare Part D
Open Enrollment
Trained Assisters will

be available Free three
Saturdays in October:
Oct 15, 22, 29 9:30am3:00pm at the Guymon
Library. Bring your
Medicare cards and list
of medications. For more
info or questions call Bob
at 338-0072 or Dianna at
338-7270.
CCMT to open doors

Oct. 22
October 22, 2016 is

show night at Cimarron
Country Music Theater
in Boise City, OK Doors
open at 7 p.m. and show
starts at 8 p.m.
Outstanding
entertainers backed up by our
own CCMT House Band,
Family Friendly Contact
Sandy Hawkins for more
info 806-674-5147. 14 &
up $10, 4 through 13 is $5
and 3 and under are free.
Win OU vs Kansas
tickets in AfterProm Party fundraiser
You have a chance of

winning two OU vs Kansas tickets. The cost is
$10 for a chance to win
the tickets. The money
goes to the funding for
the After-Prom Paty.
Call Peggy Martinez at
580-206-0727 for tickets
and more information.
The deadline is Oct. 24th.
Guymon Oklahoma.
OSU Extension
program to talk
food allergies
Food Allergies and

Food Intolerances will be
the topic for a program
presented by the Texas
&RXQW\ 268 ([WHQVLRQ
Service on Tuesday, October 25, 2016
The program is free to
the public. It will begin
at 1:30 pm in the conference room of the Texas
Service, located at 301 N.
Main.
Town Hall Meeting

discusses SQ777
Oct. 27
A town hall meeting

for SQ 777, sponsored
by Texas County Farm
Bureau, will have guest
speaker State Representative Casey Murdock
and Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board Director Alan
Jett. Both men will be
speaking and answering
any questions on SQ 777.
The meeting is Thursday, Oct. 27 at noon at
Hunnys, 103 N. Main
St., Guymon, Oklahoma.
Lunch will be available
for $5, including a sandwich, chips and a drink.
Eta Alphas 33rd

holiday bazaar
(WD $OSKDV UG $Qnual Arts & Crafts Bazaar is Sat., Oct. 29 in
Boise City, Oklahoma, at
the Community Building on North Cimarron
Street. A full day, shop
early for Christmas,
so many choices, lunch
available and gifts given
away all day. Two door
prizes given away at 4
p.m. with proceeds going
towards Boise City Recreation Foundation, speFLFDOO\ 7KH 6SODVK 3DG
Call Coleen Allen at (580)
544-2432.
Library celebrating
library card sign
Sunset Lane Bapup month
Guymon Public Li- tist Church hosts
brary and Arts Center is Trunk or Treat
celebrating library card
sign up month for September. Be sure to stop
by!
Kinship Series
begins Oct. 24
The Oklahoma Family

Network will be hosting
a Kinship Series to help
support, educate and
inform families on topics such as community
resources, guardianship,
family-to-family support,
EHQHWVKHDOWKDQGZHOOness and more.
The series begins Monday, Oct. 24th at 6 p.m. at
the Main Street Guymon
RIF 1( WK 6W
Be safe and come trunk

or treat with us at Sunset Lane Baptist Church
Oct. 31, Monday starting
at 5:30 p.m.
Trick or Treat at
Heritage Community
A trick or treat will be

at Heritage Community
Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to 7
SP (QWHU WKURXJK HQtrances on 1401 N. Lelia
6W RU 1( WK 6W
They are accepting candy
donations at this time.
2nd Annual Fall

Classic 5K Run set
for Nov. 5
The
2nd
Annual
Fall Classic 5K Run
is Saturday, Nov. 5.
Registration is at 7 a.m.,
it starts at 8 a.m. and
awards are given at 9
a.m.
The run is at Methodist
Student
Center
at
2368(DJOH%OYG
in Goodwell, OK 73939.
The cost is $25 early
registration thru Oct. 10
and $30 until Nov 1, then
$35 to register on Race
day, includes t-shirt and
breakfast p/u a registration form at any Anchor
D Bank Location, at the
College Corner, or call
5HY 0LNH (QULJKW DW
580 423-7231 and leave
a message for more info.
Benefit Craft Bazaar runs Nov. 5
%HQHW &UDIW %D]DDU

will be held at Guymon
High School Nov. 5th
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
&UDIWHUV IURP YH VWDWHV
will be participating with
crafts, baked goods, outdoor furniture, jewelry
and more.
Loaves and Fishes

to host benefit concert Dec. 4
Loaves and Fishes is

KRVWLQJ D EHQHW FRQcert Sunday, Dec. 4 at 7
p.m. and will be located
at First Presbyterian
Church in Guymon,
Oklahoma.
There is no admission
fee. There will be a freewill love offering. All proceeds will go to Loaves
and Fishes of Guymon.
To participate in the
EHQHW DQG WR UHFHLYH
more information, contact
Shawn Reynolds, music
director at the church at
DulcimerShawn@mail.
com or call (505) 4274808.
Open chapel on
Tues. during fall
at St. Stephens
Episcopal
6W6WHSKHQV(SLVFRSDO
Church invites you to our
open chapel every Tuesday this fall, starting Sep.
20 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30
a.m. in the morning.
We feel the need, at this
time, for extra prayers.
Prayers for our nation,
our state, our community, our armed forces, our
families and our friends.
We welcome all denominations to our Tuesday
morning chapel. A quiet
time of prayer that we
hope will enrich your day.
A smile and a cup of coffee
will be on the agenda.
Motorcycle Club
meetings
Iron
Thunder
Motorcycle Club meets
the 3rd Thursday of every
month at the Mainstreet
Guymon office located
DW 1( WK DW SP
ITMC isnt just about
motorcycles but more
about charity. If you are
interested in giving back
to the community please
join us at one of our
monthly meetings.
Free family history

assistance search
Members
of
the
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is offering a free family history
assistance search with
research on your family
tree. The history search
is 11 a.m. Saturday at the
Guymon Public Library
and Arts Center in the genealogy room.
The free history search
is offered every Saturday
at the same time.
Spanish, English
classes offered
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints, located at 5402
Memory Lane is offerLQJ (QJOLVK DQG 6SDQLVK
FODVVHV (QJOLVK FODVVHV
are offered Tuesdays and
Thursdays and Spanish
classes are offered Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The classes are free and
start at 8 p.m. at the
church.
Diabetes support
group
A support group
for Type 1 and Type
2 diabetics meets the
third Monday of each
month from 6 7 pm
at the Main Street
*X\PRQ RIILFH 1(
5th Street. For more
information
contact
David McGaughy at
580.651.7004.
Health classes for

seniors at select
libraries
The
Oklahoma
Healthy Aging Initiative
(OHAI) will host a monthly educational series for
older adults throughout
the state of Oklahoma.
We will be partnering
with Oklahoma libraries
to extend our outreach
statewide.
On the third Friday

of the month, OHAI will
provide an opportunity
to utilize videoconferencing capabilities to
hear valuable information from experts from
around the state on
various topics relating
to healthy aging. The
videoconference system
provides a unique opportunity for you to participate in this statewide
learning opportunity.
The program will be
from 10a.m. 11a.m.,
Fridays beginning March
18, 2016 and will continue through December
16, 2016 at Guymon
Public Library and Arts
Center, Guymon, OK.
The class on the 18th
will
be
Medication
Safety. These classes are
offered at no cost to participants and are open to
the public.
Instructors are provided by OHAI, a program of the Donald W.
Reynolds Department of
Geriatric Medicine at the
University of Oklahoma
and supported by the
Donald W. Reynolds
Foundation.
To receive additional
information or to register
call OHAIs Northwest
Center of Healthy Aging
at 580-977-4359.
TXCO Health
Department
announces
immunization
schedule
Monday - Walkin clinic beginning

at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00
p.m. Tuesday - By
Appointment
Only.
Call
580-338-8544
for more information
or to schedule an
appointment.
Celebrate Victory
Whether
youre
recovering from narcotics abuse, alcohol
abuse, financial problems, physical abuse or
whatever, youre invited to attend! Celebrate
Victory is a faith-based
12 step program.
The group will begin
meeting at 6:30 p.m.,
Saturdays,
at
the
Victory Center Church
at 5th and Quinn in
Guymon, For more
information, call the
church at 338-5616.
Iron Thunder
d f b b
Guymon Daily Herald
STATE QUESTIONS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Oct
18
2016
Page
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From
A001
lethal injections in the

United States.
As a result, many
states no longer have
the drugs used to carry
out lethal injection.
Oklahoma has turned to
other drugs as a substitute for sodium thiopental. However, recent
instances of executions
around the country in
which alternative drugs
were used may have produced adverse outcomes.
The death penalty is
legal in thirty-one states,
and illegal in nineteen.
Agriculture
STATE
QUESTION
777
STATE QUESTION
NO. 777
LEGISLATIVE
REFERENDUM
NO.
368
This measure adds
Section 38 to Article
II of the Oklahoma
Constitution. The new
Section creates state constitutional rights. It creates the following guaranteed rights to engage
in farming and ranching:
7KH ULJKW WR PDNH
use of agricultural technology,
7KH ULJKW WR PDNH
use of livestock procedures, and
7KH ULJKW WR PDNH
use of ranching practices.
These constitutional
rights receive extra protection under this measure that not all constitutional rights receive.
This extra protection is a
limit on lawmakers ability to interfere with the
exercise of these rights.
Under this extra protection, no law can interfere
with these rights, unless
the law is justified by
a compelling state interesta clearly identified
state interest of the highest order. Additionally,
the law must be necessary to serve that compelling state interest.
The measureand the
protections
identified
abovedo not apply to
and do not impact state
laws related to:
7UHVSDVV
(PLQHQWGRPDLQ
'RPLQDQFH RI PLQeral interests,
(DVHPHQWV
5LJKWRIZD\RURWKHU
property rights, and
$Q\ VWDWH VWDWXWHV
and political subdivision
ordinances enacted before
December 31, 2014.
F O R
THE PROPOSAL YES
AGAINST THE
PROPOSAL NO
Summary: If the proposal is approved, the
measure would prevent
lawmakers from passing
legislation to regulate
agriculture unless there
is a compelling state
interest. The proposal
would forbid the state of
Oklahoma from regulating the use of agricultural technology, livestock
procedures, and ranching practices. The standard of compelling state
interest is a key component to the question
because it sets a very
high standard for a law
to be judged.
If passed, the proposal
would apply to any democratically elected body
that can trace its creation to the state legislature, including county
and city governments,
but not school boards.
Federal laws would not
be impacted; current
state laws about farming and ranching would
be grandfathered in, and
would not be repealed
by this amendment.
Grandfathered
laws
could be amended or
repealed in the future.
Similar proposals have
been presented to voters
in other states, first in
North Dakota. A similar amendment passed
in Missouri in 2014;
another amendment was
considered in Nebraska
earlier this year but was
not approved by legislators for a vote of the
people.
Oklahomas
State Question 777 is
inspired in part by opponents of Proposition 2 in

California. Proposition
2 required certain farm
animals to be able to lie
down, stand up, fully
extend limbs, and turn
around freely. SQ 777 is
unique in that it added
the compelling state
interest clause.
Oklahomas top agricultural products in revenue are cattle, hogs, poultry, wheat, and dairy.
Agriculture is the states
fourteenth highest economic sector, accounting
for less than 2 percent of
GDP, (higher than agricultures national rate).
For decades, as technology and yields have
advanced, the number
of agricultural jobs and
farms has declined. Nine
in ten Oklahoma crop
and animal operations
are owned by private
citizens, many of whom
contract with larger corporations.
Education Funding
Tax
STATE
QUESTION 779
STATE QUESTION
NO. 779
I N I T I A T I V E
PETITION NO. 403
This measure adds
a new Article to the
The article creates a
limited purpose fund
to increase funding for
public education. It
increases State sales and
use taxes by one cent per
dollar to provide revenue for the fund. The
revenue to be used for
public education shall
be allocated: 69.50%
for
common
school
districts, 19.25% for
the institutions under
the authority of the
Oklahoma State Regents
for Higher Education,
3.25% for the Oklahoma
Department of Career
and
Technology
Education, and 8% for
the State Department of
Education. It requires
teacher salary increases
funded by this measure
raise teacher salaries
by at least $5,000 over
the salaries paid in
the year prior to adoption of this measure.
It requires an annual
audit of school districts
use of monies. It prohibits school districts
use of these funds for
increasing superintendents salaries or adding superintendent positions. It requires that
monies from the fund
not supplant or replace
other educational funding. If the Oklahoma
Board of Equalization
determines
funding
has been replaced, the
Legislature may not
make any appropriations until the amount
of replaced funding is
returned to the fund.
The article takes effect
on July 1 after its pas-
sage.
F O R
THE PROPOSAL YES
AGAINST THE
PROPOSAL NO
Summary:
If this
proposal is approved,
Article 8-C would be
added to the Oklahoma
Constitution
creating a limited purpose
fundthe
Education
Improvement Fund.
An increase of the
sales and use tax by
one cent on the dollar
would provide revenue
for the fund. School districts that benefit from
the fund would be subject to an annual audit.
Funds generated by the
tax cannot be used to
replace other state funding of common, higher,
career and technology,
and early childhood education.
The provisions of
the new article require
a minimum $5,000 salary increase for teachers
over the salaries paid in
the year prior to adoption. The funds generated would not be used to
increase the salaries of
school superintendents
or to add superintendent
positions.
Oklahomas
average compensation for
teachers,
including
salary and benefits, is
$44,921. According to
the National Education
Association, Oklahoma
ranks 49th in the nation
in teacher pay.
A section within the
new article to the state
constitution establishes
that monies collected
would be distributed as
follows:
SHUFHQWWRFRPmon education
> 86.33 percent of
common education funding would be used to
provide teachers with a
minimum $5,000 raise
and otherwise address
or prevent teacher and
certified instruction staff
shortages.
> 13.67 percent of
common education funding would be used to
adopt or expand, but
not maintain, programs,
opportunities or reforms
for improving reading in
early grades, improving
high school graduation
rates, and increasing
college and career readiness.
SHUFHQW WR
higher education
SHUFHQW WR
career and technology
education
SHUFHQW WR HDUO\
childhood education
Law Enforcement
STATE QUESTION
780
STATE QUESTION
NO. 780
I N I T I A T I V E
PETITION NO. 404
This measure amends
existing Oklahoma laws
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1421 N. Main Guymon,OK
580.338.4452
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and would change the

classification of certain drug possession
and property crimes
from felony to misdemeanor. It would make
possession of a limited
quantity of drugs a misdemeanor. The amendment also changes the
classification of certain
drug possession crimes
which are currently
considered felonies and
cases where the defendant has a prior drug
possession conviction.
The proposed amendment would reclassify
these drug possession
cases as misdemeanors.
The amendment would
increase the threshold
dollar amount used for
determining whether
certain property crimes
are considered a felony or misdemeanor.
Currently, the threshold
is $500. The amendment would increase
the amount to $1000.
Property crimes covered
by this change include;
false declaration of a
pawn ticket, embezzlement, larceny, grand
larceny, theft, receiving or concealing stolen
property, taking domesticated fish or game,
fraud, forgery, counterfeiting, or issuing bogus
checks. This measure
would become effective
July 1, 2017.
F O R
THE PROPOSAL YES
to those who are selling or manufacturing the

drugs. The measure also
would change the dollar amount threshold for
property crimes charged
as felonies from $500 to
$1,000.
The goal of this measure is to reduce the size
of the states prison population and to reduce the
amount of state funds
being spent on prisons. SQ 780 proposes to
change Oklahoma statutes, not the constitution.
According to the U.S.
Bureau of Justice in
2014, Oklahoma had the
second highest incarceration rate in the
nation at 700 inmates
per 100,000 U.S. residents. Oklahoma also
had the highest incarceration rate for women
that year. The total correctional population of
a state includes people
incarcerated and on probation or parole.
The
Oklahoma
Department
of
Corrections indicated
in August 2016 that
the prison system was
at 104 percent of its
capacity with 27,097
inmates being held.
Drug offenders comprise
26.3 percent of inmates.
Another 23.3 percent
of inmates are imprisoned for other nonviolent crimes. According
to the Oklahoma DOC
2015 annual report, the
Oklahoma prison population has increased
by 22.6 percent since
2006. In fiscal year
2016, the Oklahoma
legislature
appropriated $485 million to the
Oklahoma Department
of Corrections.
If the measure is
approved, the changes
proposed would not be
retroactive. Sentences
for current inmates
would not change.
AGAINST THE
PROPOSAL NO
Summary: If the measure is approved, State
Question 780 would
reclassify certain offenses, such as simple drug
possession and property
crimes, as misdemeanors rather than felonies. The reclassification of the drug possession offense is intended
to be applied to persons
who use the drugs, not
211 S. Washington
Liberal, KS
Monday - Friday
8:30 - 5:30
Saturday
8:30 - 4:30
800.253.3238
cantl
Furnitur
Carpet
www.facebook.com/ScantlinsFurniture
Guymon Daily Herald
Annual Oktoberfest
set for Oct. 21
St. Peters Catholic
Church is hosting its
11th annual Oktoberfest
Oct
19
2016
Page
A002
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resized
36%
on Oct. 21 from 6 p.m.

to 9:30 p.m. at Pickle
Creek Center. The event
will have food, drinks,
door prizes, beer garden,
gamers for kids and 12
Gauge.
Medicare Part D
Open Enrollment
Trained Assisters will
Around
the
state
CCMT to open doors

Oct. 22
Lawsuit filed over 1995

chemical spill in Oklahoma
The Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)
Landowners in Kingfisher County
have filed a lawsuit against a railroad company over a chemical spill
caused by a train derailment two
decades ago.
The Journal Record reported that
public documents indicate a railcar
spilled about 3,300 gallons of carbon tetrachloride in April 1995. The
Federal Railroad Administration
reported that several cars containing
the hazardous materials derailed.
Union Pacific Railroad Co. performed a voluntary cleanup and
monitoring of the area, but Gary
and Geraldine Mueggenborg said the
company hasnt adequately remediated the spill site.
The Mueggenborgs said the spill
migrated to their land, causing a
decrease in property value. They also
said the spill has impaired their use
of the property and caused agricultural losses.
Union Pacific initially installed
be available Free three

Saturdays in October:
Oct 15, 22, 29 9:30am3:00pm at the Guymon
Library. Bring your
Medicare cards and list
of medications. For more
info or questions call Bob
at 338-0072 or Dianna at
338-7270.
air sparging to remediate the groundwater, said an engineering report

prepared last year. However, the
wells did not go deep enough and the
plume was wider than first thought,
so they removed the system. Union
Pacific is now working on two pilot
studies to remedy the situation.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, the
spilled chemical known as carbon tetrachloride is now banned from use in
consumer products, but has been previously used as a pesticide, cleaning
agent and in production of refrigerant
and aerosol propellant.
The claims against the company
include public and private nuisance,
trespass, negligence and unjust
enrichment. The Mueggenborgs have
asked for at least $75,000 in damages.
A Union Pacific spokesman
declined to comment on the lawsuit,
but said the company continues to
work with Oklahoma to remediate
the spill.
Johnny Curtis
Realty
Fall Open House

October 23rds3UNDAY
2:00 - 4:00pm
October 22, 2016 is

show night at Cimarron
Country Music Theater
in Boise City, OK Doors
open at 7 p.m. and show
starts at 8 p.m.
Outstanding
entertainers backed up by our
own CCMT House Band,
Family Friendly Contact
Sandy Hawkins for more
info 806-674-5147. 14 &
up $10, 4 through 13 is $5
and 3 and under are free.
Win OU vs Kansas
tickets in AfterProm Party fundraiser
You have a chance of

winning two OU vs Kansas tickets. The cost is
$10 for a chance to win
the tickets. The money
goes to the funding for
the After-Prom Paty.
Call Peggy Martinez at
580-206-0727 for tickets
and more information.
The deadline is Oct. 24th.
ence room of the Texas

Service, located at 301 N.
Main.
Town Hall Meeting

discusses SQ777
Oct. 27
A town hall meeting

for SQ 777, sponsored
by Texas County Farm
Bureau, will have guest
speaker State Representative Casey Murdock
and Oklahoma Farm Bureau Board Director Alan
Jett. Both men will be
speaking and answering
any questions on SQ 777.
The meeting is Thursday, Oct. 27 at noon at
Hunnys, 103 N. Main
St., Guymon, Oklahoma.
Lunch will be available
for $5, including a sandwich, chips and a drink.
Eta Alphas 33rd

holiday bazaar
(WD $OSKDV UG $Qnual Arts & Crafts Bazaar is Sat., Oct. 29 in
Boise City, Oklahoma, at
the Community Building on North Cimarron
Street. A full day, shop
early for Christmas,
so many choices, lunch
available and gifts given
away all day. Two door
prizes given away at 4
p.m. with proceeds going
towards Boise City Recreation Foundation, speFLFDOO\ 7KH 6SODVK 3DG
Call Coleen Allen at (580)
544-2432.
Library celebrating
library card sign
up month
Guymon Public Li- Sunset Lane Bapbrary and Arts Center is tist Church hosts
celebrating library card Trunk or Treat
sign up month for September. Be sure to stop
by!
Kinship Series
begins Oct. 24
Be safe and come trunk

or treat with us at Sunset Lane Baptist Church
Oct. 31, Monday starting
at 5:30 p.m.
The Oklahoma Family

Network will be hosting
a Kinship Series to help
support, educate and
inform families on topics such as community
resources, guardianship,
family-to-family support,
EHQHWVKHDOWKDQGZHOOness and more.
The series begins Monday, Oct. 24th at 6 p.m. at
the Main Street Guymon
RIF 1( WK 6W
Guymon Oklahoma.
Trick or Treat at
Heritage Community
OSU Extension
program to talk
food allergies
The
2nd
Annual
Fall Classic 5K Run
is Saturday, Nov. 5.
Registration is at 7 a.m.,
it starts at 8 a.m. and
awards are given at 9
a.m.
The run is at Methodist
Student
Center
at
2368(DJOH%OYG
in Goodwell, OK 73939.
The cost is $25 early registration thru Oct. 10 and
$30 until Nov 1, then $35
Food Allergies and

Food Intolerances will be
the topic for a program
presented by the Texas
Service on Tuesday, October 25, 2016
The program is free to
the public. It will begin
at 1:30 pm in the confer-
A trick or treat will be

at Heritage Community
Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to 7
SP (QWHU WKURXJK HQtrances on 1401 N. Lelia
6W RU 1( WK 6W
They are accepting candy
donations at this time.
2nd Annual Fall

Classic 5K Run set
for Nov. 5
Oct 2016 Page

19
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Inola Independent
was a very independent
get tired of being reminded
tant.
in the center of town!
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Announces Support For Right To Farm

OKLAHOMA Oklahoma
Farm Bureau Young Farmers &
Ranchers (YF&R) has officially
announced its support for State
Question 777, Oklahomas
Right to Farm, a proposed
amendment to the Oklahoma
Constitution that will protect
farming and ranching practices for Oklahoma farmers and
ranchers, both large and small.
SQ 777 will decide
the course of agriculture for
future Oklahomans, said
Josh Emerson, YF&R State
Chairman. As the states
younger generation of farmers
and ranchers, we believe these

decisions should be made by
the agriculturalists of the state,
not out-of-state special interest
groups. We support Right to
Farm and encourage our members and fellow Oklahomans
to vote yes on SQ 777 this
November.
For Farm Bureau members
ages 18 to 35, YF&R provides
leadership development, works
to preserve individual freedoms and to expand agricultural opportunities. Through
competitive events, agriculture
advocacy training and more,
&R
YF&R aims to grow its members both professionally and

personally, demonstrating a
vested interest in the future of
Oklahomas farmers, ranchers
and agriculture.
The Oklahoma Farm
Bureau YF&R program provides an opportunity for young
farmers and ranchers to connect
with fellow passionate individuals with the same professional
challenges. Members are able
to not only develop agricultural
leadership and improve their
daily farm operations, but to
help promote modern agricul-
t Okl h
ture.
About Oklahoma Farm
Bureau Young Farmers &
Ranchers
The Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Young Farmers and Ranchers
program allows members of
Farm Bureau between the ages
of 18 and 35 to develop leadership skills, to be involved in their
local communities, to compete
in contests to win valuable prizes and to develop long-lasting
friendships with people from
across the state and country. For
more information, visit www.
OKFarmBureau.org/yfr.
l Y th
Fax
Nowata Star
Nowata
STAR
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016
SUMMARY OF
Oct
19
2016
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A006
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STATEQUESTIONS
Seven state questions will appear on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
Legislative Referendums are placed on the ballot by the Oklahoma Legislature.
Initiative Petitions are placed on the ballot by gathering signatures from citizens.
Each question is reprinted here as it will appear on the ballot followed by a
brief summary.

Death Penalty
STATEQUESTION
Education Funding Tax
STATEQUESTION


LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 367

INITIATIVE PETITION NO. 403
This measure adds a new section to the Oklahoma Constitution, Section 9A of

Article 2. The new Section deals with the death penalty. The Section establishes
State constitutional mandates relating to the death penalty and methods of
execution. Under these constitutional requirements:
G &1..02<5*=>;.2<.A9;.<<5B.698@.;.-=8-.<207*=.*7B6.=18-8/.A.,>=287
not prohibited by the United States Constitution.
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to be invalid.
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remain in force until it can be carried out using any valid execution method, and
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*6.=18-8/.A.,>=287H<1*5578=+.-..6.-=8+.8;,87<=2=>=.=1.27E2,=2878/
cruel or unusual punishment under Oklahomas Constitution, nor to contravene any
provision of the Oklahoma Constitution.
This measure adds a new Article to the Oklahoma Constitution. The article creates
a limited purpose fund to increase funding for public education. It increases State
sales and use taxes by one cent per dollar to provide revenue for the fund. The
;.?.7>.=8+.><.-/8;9>+52,.->,*=287<1*55+.*558,*=.- /8;,86687
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%=*=.$.0.7=</8;201.;->,*=287
/8;=1.!45*186*.9*;=6.7=8/
*;..;*7-&.,178580B->,*=287*7-/8;=1.%=*=..9*;=6.7=8/->,*=287
It requires teacher salary increases funded by this measure raise teacher salaries
+B*=5.*<= 8?.;=1.<*5*;2.<9*2-27=1.B.*;9;28;=8*-89=2878/=12<
measure. It requires an annual audit of school districts use of monies. It prohibits
school districts use of these funds for increasing superintendents salaries or
adding superintendent positions. It requires that monies from the fund not supplant
or replace other educational funding. If the Oklahoma Board of Equalization
-.=.;627.</>7-2701*<+..7;.95*,.-=1..02<5*=>;.6*B78=6*4.*7B
appropriations until the amount of replaced funding is returned to the fund. The
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SUMMARY: State Question 776 does two things: it addresses the

method of execution for an inmate on death row, and it states that the
death penalty shall not be deemed cruel and unusual punishment.
If the proposal is approved, a new section would be added to the
Oklahoma Constitution that allows the state to continue to impose
the death penalty, even if a specific method of execution becomes
unavailable. Death sentences would remain in effect until they can
be carried out by any method not prohibited by the US Constitution.
If approved, the constitutional amendment would apply to the
state constitution but not the federal constitution or courts applying
federal law.
The Oklahoma death penalty law, enacted in 1976, has been
consistently applied by Oklahoma elected officials: the state executed
191 men and three women between 1915 and 2014 at the Oklahoma
State Penitentiary (82 by electrocution, one by hanging, and 111
by lethal injection). Statutes specifically allow gas inhalation,
electrocution, and firing squad as backups to the primary form of
execution by lethal injection.
In October 2015, Oklahoma suspended executions for a review
of lethal injection protocols. One of the drugs most commonly
used for lethal injection is sodium thiopental, which is no
longer manufactured in the United States. In 2011, the European
Commission imposed restrictions on the export of certain drugs
used for lethal injections in the United States.
As a result, many states no longer have the drugs used to carry out
lethal injection. Oklahoma has turned to other drugs as a substitute
for sodium thiopental. However, recent instances of executions
around the country in which alternative drugs were used may have
produced adverse outcomes.
The death penalty is legal in thirty-one states, and illegal in
nineteen.
SUMMARY: If this proposal is approved, Article 8-C would be

added to the Oklahoma Constitution creating a limited purpose
fundthe Education Improvement Fund.
An increase of the sales and use tax by one cent on the dollar
would provide revenue for the fund. School districts that benefit
from the fund would be subject to an annual audit. Funds
generated by the tax cannot be used to replace other state funding
of common, higher, career and technology, and early childhood
education.
The provisions of the new article require a minimum $5,000
salary increase for teachers over the salaries paid in the year prior
to adoption. The funds generated would not be used to increase
the salaries of school superintendents or to add superintendent
positions.
Oklahomas average compensation for teachers, including salary
and benefits, is $44,921. According to the National Education
Association, Oklahoma ranks 49th in the nation in teacher pay.
A section within the new article to the state constitution
establishes that monies collected would be distributed as follows:
E9.;,.7==8,86687.->,*=287
> 86.33 percent of common education funding would be used
to provide teachers with a minimum $5,000 raise and otherwise
address or prevent teacher and certified instruction staff shortages.
> 13.67 percent of common education funding would be used
to adopt or expand, but not maintain, programs, opportunities
or reforms for improving reading in early grades, improving
high school graduation rates, and increasing college and career
readiness.
E
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Criminal Rehabilitation
STATEQUESTION


This measure creates the County Community Safety Investment Fund, only if
?8=.;<*99;8?.%=*=.#>.<=287=1.!45*186*%6*;=><=2,.$./8;6,=&12<
measure would create a fund, consisting of any calculated savings or averted
costs that accrued to the State from the implementation of the Oklahoma Smart
Justice Reform Act in reclassifying certain property crimes and drug possession as
misdemeanors. The measure requires the Ofce of Management and Enterprise
Services to use either actual data or its best estimate to determine how much
money was saved on a yearly basis. The amount determined to be saved must be
deposited into the Fund and distributed to counties in proportion to their population
to provide community rehabilitative programs, such as mental health and
substance abuse services. This measure will not become effective if State Question
=1.!45*186*%6*;=><=2,.$./8;6,=2<78=*99;8?.-+B=1.9.895.&1.
6.*<>;.@255+.,86..//.,=2?.87>5B 266.-2*=.5B/8558@2702=<9*<<*0.
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SUMMARY: The implementation of State Question 781 is contingent

on the passage of State Question 780. If SQ 781 is approved by voters,
but SQ 780 is not, none of the changes described in SQ 781 will be
enacted.
If both measures are approved, SQ 781 would create the County
Community Safety Investment Fund. That fund would hold any cost
savings achieved by reducing numbers of people incarcerateda
decrease resulting from reclassifying certain property crimes and
drug possession as misdemeanors. The new Investment Fund would
be a revolving fund not subject to fiscal year limitations. Any savings
or averted costs would be calculated by the Office of Management
and Enterprise Services.
If savings are determined, the legislature would be required
to appropriate that amount from the general fund to the County
Community Safety Investment Fund.
The money must be used for county rehabilitative programs,
including those that address mental health and substance abuse, or
provide job training or education. The money would be distributed to
Oklahoma counties in proportion to their population.
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services will use
actual data or make its best estimate when calculating cost savings
per year. Its calculation would be final and would not be adjusted
because of subsequent changes in underlying data.
The intent of SQ 781 is to focus on root causes of criminal
behavior such as addiction and mental health problems, as
opposed to placing more people charged with lower-level offenses
behind bars.
Religion & the State
STATEQUESTION


This measure would remove Article 2, Section 5 of the Oklahoma Constitution,
which prohibits the government from using public money or property for the
direct or indirect benet of any religion or religious institution. Article 2, Section 5
has been interpreted by the Oklahoma courts as requiring the removal of a Ten
Commandments monument from the grounds of the State Capitol. If this measure
repealing Article 2, Section 5 is passed, the government would still be required to
comply with the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, which is
a similar constitutional provision that prevents the government from endorsing a
religion or becoming overly involved with religion.
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SUMMARY: State Question 790 addresses public funding and

Agriculture
STATEQUESTION
This measure adds Section 38 to Article II of the Oklahoma Constitution. The new
Section creates state constitutional rights. It creates the following guaranteed rights
to engage in farming and ranching:
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These constitutional rights receive extra protection under this measure that not all
constitutional rights receive. This extra protection is a limit on lawmakers ability
to interfere with the exercise of these rights. Under this extra protection, no law
can interfere with these rights, unless the law is justied by a compelling state
27=.;.<=H*,5.*;5B2-.7=2D.-<=*=.27=.;.<=8/=1.1201.<=8;-.;--2=287*55B=1.5*@
must be necessary to serve that compelling state interest.
&1.6.*<>;.H*7-=1.9;8=.,=287<2-.7=2D.-*+8?.H-878=*995B=8*7--878=
impact state laws related to:
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SUMMARY: If the proposal is approved, the measure would

prevent lawmakers from passing legislation to regulate agriculture
unless there is a compelling state interest. The proposal would
forbid the state of Oklahoma from regulating the use of agricultural
technology, livestock procedures, and ranching practices. The
standard of compelling state interest is a key component to the
question because it sets a very high standard for a law to be judged.
If passed, the proposal would apply to any democratically elected
body that can trace its creation to the state legislature, including
county and city governments, but not school boards. Federal laws
would not be impacted; current state laws about farming and
ranching would be grandfathered in, and would not be repealed by
this amendment. Grandfathered laws could be amended or repealed
in the future.
Similar proposals have been presented to voters in other states,
first in North Dakota. A similar amendment passed in Missouri in
2014; another amendment was considered in Nebraska earlier this
year but was not approved by legislators for a vote of the people.
Oklahomas State Question 777 is inspired in part by opponents of
Proposition 2 in California. Proposition 2 required certain farm
animals to be able to lie down, stand up, fully extend limbs, and turn
around freely. SQ 777 is unique in that it added the compelling state
interest clause.
Oklahomas top agricultural products in revenue are cattle,
hogs, poultry, wheat, and dairy. Agriculture is the states fourteenth
highest economic sector, accounting for less than 2 percent of GDP,
(higher than agricultures national rate). For decades, as technology
and yields have advanced, the number of agricultural jobs and farms
has declined. Nine in ten Oklahoma crop and animal operations
are owned by private citizens, many of whom contract with larger
corporations.
Law Enforcement
STATEQUESTION


This measure amends existing Oklahoma laws and would change the classication
of certain drug possession and property crimes from felony to misdemeanor.
It would make possession of a limited quantity of drugs a misdemeanor. The
amendment also changes the classication of certain drug possession crimes
which are currently considered felonies and cases where the defendant has a prior
drug possession conviction. The proposed amendment would reclassify these drug
possession cases as misdemeanors. The amendment would increase the threshold
dollar amount used for determining whether certain property crimes are considered
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false declaration of a pawn ticket, embezzlement, larceny, grand larceny, theft,
receiving or concealing stolen property, taking domesticated sh or game, fraud,
forgery, counterfeiting, or issuing bogus checks. This measure would become
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SUMMARY: If the measure is approved, State Question 780

would reclassify certain offenses, such as simple drug possession
and property crimes, as misdemeanors rather than felonies. The
reclassification of the drug possession offense is intended to be applied to persons who use the drugs, not to those who are selling or
manufacturing the drugs. The measure also would change the dollar
amount threshold for property crimes charged as felonies from $500
to $1,000.
The goal of this measure is to reduce the size of the states prison
population and to reduce the amount of state funds being spent on
prisons. SQ 780 proposes to change Oklahoma statutes, not the constitution.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice in 2014, Oklahoma had
the second highest incarceration rate in the nation at 700 inmates
per 100,000 U.S. residents. Oklahoma also had the highest incarceration rate for women that year. The total correctional population
of a state includes people incarcerated and on probation or parole.
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections indicated in August
2016 that the prison system was at 104 percent of its capacity with
27,097 inmates being held. Drug offenders comprise 26.3 percent of
inmates. Another 23.3 percent of inmates are imprisoned for other
nonviolent crimes. According to the Oklahoma DOC 2015 annual
report, the Oklahoma prison population has increased by 22.6 percent since 2006. In fiscal year 2016, the Oklahoma legislature appropriated $485 million to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
If the measure is approved, the changes proposed would not be
retroactive. Sentences for current inmates would not change.
For more information about State Questions, see the Oklahoma Secretary of State website at
www.sos.ok.gov/gov/state_questions.aspx
or the Oklahoma State Election Board website at
www.ok.gov/elections/Election_Info/State_Question_info.html.
property use regarding the separation of church and state. It is a

proposal to repeal a section of the states constitution. If the measure
is approved, Article 2, Section 5 of the Oklahoma Constitution
would be repealed. By removing this section, public expenditure
or property use for religious purposes would not be explicitly
prohibited.
Under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,
congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
Under the Oklahoma Constitutions Article 2, Section 5, state
money or property cannot be used directly or indirectly to support
a church, sect, denomination, or system of religion.
This state question is a response to recent controversy over
display of the Ten Commandments monument on the grounds
of the Oklahoma State Capitol. In 2009, the Ten Commandments
Monument Display Act was passed by the state legislature and, three
years later, a privately donated Ten Commandments monument was
erected on the grounds of the State Capitol. Lawsuits followed, and
by June 2015, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the monuments
placement on state property was unconstitutional, ordering that it
be removed. The basis for the courts decision was Article 2, Section
5 of the Oklahoma State Constitution. In October 2015, Oklahoma
Governor Mary Fallin called on the legislature to repeal that section
of the state constitution in order to allow the monument at the State
Capitol.
Alcohol
STATEQUESTION


This measure repeals Article 28 of the Oklahoma Constitution and restructures the
laws governing alcoholic beverages through a new Article 28A and other laws the
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with exceptions, a person or company can have an ownership interest in only one
area of the alcoholic beverage business-manufacturing, wholesaling, or retailing.
Some restrictions apply to the sales of manufacturers, brewers, winemakers, and
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to consumers of wine. Retail locations like grocery stores may sell wine and beer.
2:>8;<=8;.<6*B<.559;8->,=<8=1.;=1*7*5,81852,+.?.;*0.<275262=.-*68>7=<
&1..02<5*=>;.6><=,;.*=.52,.7<.</8;;.=*2558,*=287<52:>8;<=8;.<*7-95*,.<
serving alcoholic beverages and may create other licenses. Certain licensees must
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designate days and hours when alcoholic beverages may be sold and may impose
taxes on sales. Municipalities may levy an occupation tax. If authorized, a state
lodge may sell individual alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption but no
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SUMMARY: If the proposal is approved, it would repeal Article

28 of the Oklahoma Constitution and replace it with Article 28A,
which restructures the laws governing alcohol. If approved, the
measure will go into effect on October 1, 2018.
Currently, under Oklahoma law, liquor stores can sell fullstrength, unrefrigerated beer but cannot sell cold beer or chilled
wine. Liquor stores can sell wine and spirits but no other items.
Grocery and convenience stores can sell cold low-point beer (3.2
percent alcohol by weight) but not spirits, wine, or high-point beer.
State Question 792 would change the current alcohol laws to allow
grocery, convenience, and drug stores to sell cold, high-point beer
(up to 8.99 percent alcohol by volume) and wine (up to 15 percent
alcohol by volume). Liquor stores would be allowed to sell cold
beer and any item that also may be purchased in a grocery store or
convenience storeexcept motor fuelin limited amounts. Liquor
or spirits will still only be available for purchase from licensed retail
liquor stores.
Oct 2016 Page

19
A04
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resized
42%
Okmulgee Times

Agriculture
STATEQUESTION

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Shall The Proposal Be Approved?

FOR THE PROPOSAL YES
AGAINST THE PROPOSAL NO

If the proposal is approved, the measure would

prevent lawmakers from passing legislation to regulate
agriculture unless there is a compelling state interest.
The proposal would forbid the state of Oklahoma from
regulating the use of agricultural technology, livestock
procedures, and ranching practices. The standard of
compelling state interest is a key component to the
question because it sets a very high standard for a law to
be judged.
If passed, the proposal would apply to any democratically elected body that can trace its creation to
the state legislature, including county and city governments, but not school boards. Federal laws would
not be impacted; current state laws about farming and
ranching would be grandfathered in, and would not be
repealed by this amendment. Grandfathered laws could
be amended or repealed in the future.
Similar proposals have been presented to voters in
other states, rst in North Dakota. A similar amendment passed in Missouri in 2014; another amendment
was considered in Nebraska earlier this year but was

not approved by legislators for a vote of the people.

Oklahomas State Question 777 is inspired in part by
opponents of Proposition 2 in California. Proposition
2 required certain farm animals to be able to lie down,
stand up, fully extend limbs, and turn around freely.
SQ 777 is unique in that it added the compelling state
interest clause.
Oklahomas top agricultural products in revenue are
cattle, hogs, poultry, wheat, and dairy. Agriculture is the
states fourteenth highest economic sector, accounting
for less than 2 percent of GDP, (higher than agricultures national rate.) For decades, as technology and
yields have advanced, the number of agricultural jobs
and farms has declined. Nine in ten Oklahoma crop
and animal operations are owned by private citizens,
many of whom contract with larger corporations.

oklahomarighttofarm.com
votenoon777.com and okfoodfarmfamily.com
kirkpatrickfoundation.com/sq777-right-to-farm
BOTHSIDES
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Oct 2016 Page

19
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The Wewoka Times
Election 2016
A Summary of The Seven State Questions Appearing on The November 8 Ballot
(Part One of a two-part
series).
Seven
state
questions will appear on the
Nov. 8 general election
ballot. Each question
is reprinted here as it
will appear on the ballot
followed by a brief summary.
Death
Penalty
STATE QUESTION 776

This measure adds a
new section to the Oklahoma Constitution, Section 9A of Article 2. The
new Section deals with
the death penalty. The

Section establishes State
constitutional mandates
relating to the death
penalty and methods of
execution. Under these
constitutional
requirements:
The
Legislature
is expressly empowered
to designate any method
of execution not prohibited by the United States
Constitution.
Death sentences
shall not be reduced
because a method of
execution is ruled to be
invalid.
When an execution method is declared

invalid, the death penalty
imposed shall remain in
force until it can be carried out using any valid
execution method, and
The imposition of
a death penalty under
Oklahoma law-as distinguished from a method
of executionshall not be
deemed to be or constitute the infliction of cruel
or unusual punishment
under Oklahomas Constitution, nor to contravene any provision of the

FOR THE PROPOSAL
YES
AGAINST
THE
PROPOSAL NO
SUMMARY:
State
Question 776 does two
things: it addresses the
method
of
execution
for an inmate on death
row, and it states that
the death penalty shall
not be deemed cruel and
unusual punishment. If
the proposal is approved,

a new section would be
added to the Oklahoma
Constitution that allows
the state to continue to
impose the death penalty, even if a specific
method
of
execution
becomes
unavailable.
Death sentences would
remain in effect until they
can be carried out by any
method not prohibited by
the US Constitution.
If approved, the constitutional
amendment
would apply to the state
constitution but not the

federal constitution or
courts applying federal
law.
The Oklahoma death
penalty law, enacted in
1976, has been consistently applied by Oklahoma elected officials:
the state executed 191
men and three women
between 1915 and 2014
at the Oklahoma State
Penitentiary (82 by electrocution, one by hanging, and 111 by lethal
(See Questions on Page 12)

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Oct 2016 Page

Guthrie News Leader

Guthrie News Leader

Oct 2016 Page

The Duncan Banner

The Duncan Banner

Okemah News Leader

Oct 2016 Page

Guthrie News Leader

Guthrie News Leader

Oct 2016 Page

Merriman of the Oklahoma

three months old the child

(See Abuse on Page A12)

A Summary of The Seven State Questions Appearing on Nov. 8 Ballot

Death sentences shall not be reduced because a

When an execution method is declared invalid, the

The imposition of a death penalty under Oklahoma

AGAINST THE PROPOSAL NO

Seminole County Today

(Continued from Page 1)

The right to make

The right to make

The right to make

Dominance of mineral interests,

Right of way or other

Any state statutes

there is a compelling state

Seminole County Agendas

in the amount of $20,000 as

salary increases funded by

This measure amends

Published daily Tuesday through Friday

Oct 2016 Page

Guymon Daily Herald

Summary of state questions

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nor to contravene any provision of the

unavailable. Death sentences would

Guymon Daily Herald

St. Peters Catholic

Trained Assisters will

CCMT to open doors

October 22, 2016 is

You have a chance of

Food Allergies and

Town Hall Meeting

A town hall meeting

Eta Alphas 33rd

The Oklahoma Family

Be safe and come trunk

A trick or treat will be

2nd Annual Fall

Benefit Craft Bazaar runs Nov. 5

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Loaves and Fishes

Loaves and Fishes is

Free family history

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Health classes for

On the third Friday

Monday - Walkin clinic beginning

Guymon Daily Herald

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