By Logan Jones
Staff Reporter
With the General Election on Nov. 6 just around the corner, the citizens of Oklahoma are not only tasked with voting for the next state Governor, but also the key state questions.
This year, there are five state questions on the ballot.
State Question No. 793 has to do with optometrists. According to the OK.gov website, a new measure to section three article 20 of the Oklahoma Constitution in which “no law shall infringe on optometrists’ or opticians’ ability to practice within a retail mercantile establishment, discriminate against optometrists or opticians based on the location of their practice, or require external entrances for optometric offices within retail mercantile establishments.”
There are plenty of advocates and opponents to SQ 793. One opponent is Dr. Lynsey Bigheart, who has practiced optometry for over ten years. Bigheart says SQ 793, which would allow optometrists to practice in retail locations, like Walmart, would result in profit taking precedence over the patient.
However, those who support the proposal see nothing wrong with having an eye doctor in a retail setting. Tim Tippit, whose equity group owns eye care practices in Ohio and Michigan, says, if SQ 793 passes, any optometrist practicing in a Walmart, or in one of his offices, would have to be licensed by the state optometry board, just as eye doctors currently are.
“Patients – Oklahoma patients – will receive the same quality eye care exam that they do right now,” Tippit said.
State Question No. 794 proposes to “amend the provisions of the Oklahoma Constitution that guarantees certain rights for crime victims.” As the constitution currently sits, a defendant has more rights than the victim. Under this new measure, the victim will have the same rights as the defendant, including:
(1) expanding the court proceedings at which a victim has the right to be heard;
(2) adding a right to reasonable protection;
(3) adding a right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay;
(4) adding a right to talk with the prosecutor; and
(5) allowing victims to refuse interview requests from the defendant’s attorney without a subpoena.
State Question No. 798 addresses the way that Oklahoma elects the governor and lieutenant governor. Currently, the governor and lieutenant governor both run and are elected separately. This question poses the idea of both the governor and lieutenant governor of the same party to run under a single ticket. If passed, the new process will be introduced in the 2026 general election cycle.
According to the National Lieutenant Governors Association website, 26 states have unified elections for governor and lieutenant governor. Only 17 states elect the offices independently. Seven states confer the title of lieutenant governor on other office holders. If passed, the state legislature would be tasked with making changes to determine how Oklahoma brings a candidate team together.
State Question No. 800 proposes the “Oklahoma Vision Fund”. According to OK.gov, “Beginning July 1, 2020, five percent (5%) of gross production taxes on both oil and gas would be deposited into the Fund. After that fiscal year, the percentage would increase by two-tenths percentage points each year.
Other monies could be deposited into the Fund if provided by law. The State Treasurer would deposit four percent (4%) of the principal amount of the Fund into the State General Revenue Fund each year. The Fund would be subject to an investment standard known as the prudent investor rule.
The Fund could be invested in stocks and similar securities. Not more than five percent (5%) of the monies in the Fund could be used for payment of debt obligations issued by the State of Oklahoma, state government entities or local government entities.”
State Question No. 801, if passed, would expand the uses of certain taxes levied by a school district. Currently, tax revenue is placed in a building fund. If passed, the fund would be used for operations deemed necessary by the school district.