Court Opinion

ID: 9845649
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:25:42.770234+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:16:17.271848
License: Public Domain

ALMA WILSON, Justice,
concurring in result:
The gist of the proposed constitutional amendment is that the proposed Ethics Commission will have legislative power to adopt rules; police power to enforce the rules; and adjudicatory power to determine and impose penalties for violation of the rules. These legislative, executive and judicial powers will extend to all persons involved in state election campaigns and initiative and referendum petition campaigns and to all persons serving as state officers or employees. The ballot title approved by this Court does not explain fully the gist of this proposition as required by 34 O.S.Supp.1989, § 9.
It is difficult to conceptualize or hypothesize the manner in which this proposed Commission of five part-time, non-compensated members will be able to exercise the powers of all three branches of our state government within the confines of our separation of powers, Okla. Const., art. IV, § 1. However, because this measure is only a proposal, consideration of issues on the merits is premature. Threadgill v. Cross, 26 Okla. 403, 109 P. 558 (1910).
Accordingly, I concur in the majority opinion only insofar as it approves of the *276proposition being submitted to the vote of the people.