Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Oklahoma Legislature. It is recorded as an actor in its own right where a measure is specifically the chamber's rather than the whole legislature's; the Oklahoma Legislature is registered separately and carries the majority of the state's entries.
2025 Events (1)
Oklahoma House adopted a chamber rule restricting a women's restroom to people 'born as a biological female'
On January 7, 2025, the Oklahoma House of Representatives adopted its chamber rules for the 2025-26 legislature (HR1002), including a provision restricting a women's restroom near the House floor to "a person born as a biological female." Sponsor Rep. Molly Jenkins described the rule as precautionary against transgender women using the restroom, echoing Congress's recent restriction on transgender women using certain U.S. Capitol restrooms. A violation can result in censure, including the loss of a member's voting rights on legislation.
2004 Events (2)
Oklahoma enacted HB 1821, barring joint adoption by same-sex couples and blocking recognition of their out-of-state adoptions
On May 3, 2004, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry signed HB 1821, amending the state's Adoption Code to prohibit joint or second-parent adoption by more than one individual of the same sex and to require registration and judicial review of out-of-state adoption decrees, effectively barring Oklahoma from recognizing same-sex couple adoptions granted in other states. The bill passed the Oklahoma House 94-0 and the Oklahoma Senate 44-0 before reaching the governor, and took immediate effect under an emergency clause.
Oklahoma Legislature referred HB2259, a constitutional same-sex marriage ban, to voters
The Oklahoma State Senate passed HB2259 38-7 on April 15, 2004, and the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted 92-4 to concur on April 22, 2004, completing the Legislature's referral of State Question 711 — a proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman only — to Oklahoma voters. The amendment barred recognition of any same-sex marriage performed in another jurisdiction and made it a misdemeanor to knowingly issue a marriage license in violation. Oklahoma voters approved SQ711 by approximately 76 percent on November 2, 2004.