© John Clanton/Tulsa WorldA diner wears his gun in a holster at a restaurant in Owasso in 2012.
Rep. Jeff Coody said his House Bill 3098 acknowledges rights granted by God and the U.S. Constitution. Rep. John Bennett, R-Sapulpa, backed Coody by reading a selection of Bible verses he said empowers believers to defend themselves.
Coody argued that the Second Amendment, which he called the most important amendment in the Bill of Rights, could not be infringed upon, nor could a person's right to self-defense.
"Is it a good idea to let anyone carry a gun, even if they don't know how to use it or even where the safety is?" asked Rep. Emily Virgin, D-Norman.
"The key word is 'let,' " said Coody. "Somehow we've gotten the idea that the government has to give us permission to exercise our freedoms. That is totally antithetical to me."
The bill excludes felons from open carry, but not people under protective order. This caused some concern, even among gun-rights supporters, and may be addressed when the bill reaches the Senate.
Rep. Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, noted that the state requires people to learn to drive to obtain a driver's license, and asked why a person shouldn't be required to learn how to operate a gun before carrying one in public.
"Because driving is privilege," replied Coody. "The Second Amendment is a constitutional right." "But what about my safety?" Brown asked. "Doesn't the government have a responsibility to protect me?" "No," replied Coody.
Bennett and Coody said more guns means less crime, but Rep. Cory Williams, D-Stillwater, disputed the assertion and said rapes in Oklahoma are at a 10-year high since the state's concealed-carry law was passed.
The House spent two hours on HB 3098, which was scaled back to include only openly carried firearms. Originally, it would have removed license and training requirements for concealed weapons as well.
Coody said he agreed to modify the bill because the original version would have cost the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, which issues gun licenses, 15 to 18 percent of its revenue.
Coody said far fewer people would choose to carry openly than concealed.
The bill passed 73-15, with 13 members not voting.
Also Thursday:
- A vote on an Internet sales tax measure, HB 2531, was held open a half hour while the requisite 51 votes for passage were rounded up. Votes normally take no more than 10 minutes and usually less.
Opponents say attempts to collect those taxes amount to a tax increase. Caldwell and others maintain the bill is an attempt to enforce an existing tax, and that non-compliance is putting brick-and-mortar merchants at a disadvantage.
Attempts such as Caldwell's have been backed by most business organizations and many state leaders.
HB 2531 passed 51-39, with 11 members not voting.
- A bill sought by the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority survived broad opposition to pass 59-36.
The bill is in response to State Question 777, the so-called Right to Farm Act, which the TMUA fears could be "misinterpreted" in a way that is detrimental to water quality in northeastern Oklahoma.
SQ 777 would prohibit state and local governments from interfering in "accepted" agricultural operations, except in cases of "compelling state interest."
Supporters — principally the Oklahoma Farm Bureau — say SQ 777 is needed to prevent animal rights and environmental groups from interfering with production agriculture.
Opponents say the state question is really meant to protect large-scale intensive feeding operations from scrutiny and regulation.
Comment: Behind the Headlines: Gun Control USA: Do Guns Protect Freedoms?