Obama Citizenship

OK State House Passes Candidate Eligibility Bill, 72-23

By Phil

On Thursday, the Oklahoma State House of Representatives released the following presser:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: State Rep. Mike Ritze

Capitol: (405) 557-7338 

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 12, 2009) ? Legislation requiring candidates filing with the Oklahoma State Election Board and any county election board in Oklahoma to provide documentation of their citizenship has been approved by the House. 

House Bill 1329, by state Rep. Mike Ritze, would require prospective candidates to provide a birth certificate showing U.S. citizenship, a non-birth U.S. citizenship certificate, a certificate of naturalization or a passport in order to file. U.S. presidential and vice presidential candidates would not be able to use either certificate of naturalization or passport. It would also make those documents subject to the Oklahoma Open Records Act. 

?I think that it would be a travesty for a non-citizen to get elected to a government position,? Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, said. ?I also think that it puts aside any doubts by those who would question a legitimate candidate. It is a common-sense bill and I am glad to see the House pass it.? 

House Bill 1329 now awaits a hearing in the Senate.

The status page for HB1329 is here.

To date, other States are also considering similar types of candidate eligibility initiatives:

• Montana (tabled)
• Arizona
• Missouri
• Texas

A current listing of State-based initiatives can be found here.

-Phil

Full post as published by The Right Side of Life on March 14, 2009 (boomark / email).