Coffee Touts Senate GOP's Score on Pro-Business Organizations Ratings for 2009 Legislative Session

Five Republican Senators scored a perfect 100 and twelve scored a 90 or above on the annual legislative scorecard released by the Research Institute for Economic Development (RIED), giving Oklahoma Senate Republicans an average score of 88.6, making the highest number of pro-business and pro-prosperity senators in the history of the RIED report.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my Republican colleagues in the Senate,” said Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee. “This is a group of leaders from around the state who reflect their local districts and work very hard and effectively on their behalf.

“They are committed to growing and prospering our state through promoting and passing strong economic policy, and their success in that regard is vividly reflected in the most recent legislative scorecard released by RIED,” he continued.

Coffee pointed out that the average Republican score of 88.6 is nearly eight times the average Senate Democrat score of 11.9. In addition, five Republican Senators scored a perfect 100, including Senate Majority Floor Leader Todd Lamb (Edmond), Assistant Majority Leaders Clark Jolley (Edmond) and Brian Bingman (Sapulpa), Education Committee Chairman John Ford (Bartlesville) and Agriculture Committee Chairman Ron Justice (Chickasha).

Coffee observed that the highest ranking Democrat on the RIED report scored 41, twenty-nine points below a passing grade.

“The 2009 legislative session was historic in regards to passing real pro-business measures, including a historic tort reform package, keeping taxes low, infrastructure improvements and education reform.

“Every candidate talks a good game about supporting business and economic development when they’re running for office, but the members of the Senate Republican caucus follow-through with real reforms when given the opportunity by the voters,” Coffee added. “This is a strong and committed group of public servants, and I look forward to another productive legislative session in 2010,” he concluded.