14th Oklahoma Legislature

The 14th Oklahoma Legislature was the fourteenth meeting of Oklahoma's state legislative branch. It consisted of the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives and convened during the term of Governor William H. Murray. Its regular session ran from January 3 through April 22, 1933, followed by a special session from May 24 through July 15 of the same year. The legislature operated during a difficult period in Oklahoma and the wider United States, when public institutions were dealing with the economic pressures associated with the Great Depression. Governor Murray sought substantial reductions in government spending, and the legislature's most notable political development was its handling of the governor's proposed budget cuts. Murray persuaded state senator Tom Anglin to seek election to the House of Representatives after assuring him that he would become Speaker. Once elected Speaker, Anglin helped guide the House toward approval of the governor's proposed reductions. The Senate was led by Paul Stewart, who served as president pro tempore. In the House, Tom Anglin of Holdenville served as speaker, Bob Fitzgerald of Hobart served as speaker pro tempore, and John Steele Batson of Marietta served as majority floor leader. These officials formed the principal leadership structure through which the legislature managed its regular and special sessions. The 14th Legislature was followed by the 15th Oklahoma Legislature. It is a historical governmental body rather than an ongoing commercial organization or consumer-facing brand. Its significance rests on the legislative actions and political relationships formed during its 1933 sessions, particularly the cooperation between Governor Murray and Speaker Anglin over fiscal retrenchment.

The 14th Oklahoma Legislature met in 1933 as the state's fourteenth legislative assembly. Like its predecessors, it was bicameral, with authority divided between the Oklahoma Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The legislature convened during the governorship of William H. Murray, whose administration pursued aggressive reductions in public spending. The regular session began on January 3, 1933, and ended on April 22. During this period, the legislature considered the governor's fiscal program and other matters within the ordinary scope of state lawmaking. A central political episode involved Tom Anglin, a state senator whom Governor Murray encouraged to run for the House. Murray assured Anglin that he would be elected speaker, and Anglin subsequently assumed that leadership position after entering the House. Anglin's speakership was important to the administration's budget strategy. Under his direction, the House approved the budget cuts proposed by Governor Murray. The episode illustrates the relationship between executive priorities and legislative organization during the session: the governor used political support within the legislature to advance a program of retrenchment, while the speaker provided the House leadership needed to move that program forward. The Senate's presiding officer was Paul Stewart, president pro tempore. The House leadership team also included Bob Fitzgerald as speaker pro tempore and John Steele Batson as majority floor leader. The legislature included the full membership of both chambers, with Senate membership documented through state almanac and senator-list sources and House membership recorded in a state government database. After the regular session ended, the legislature returned for a special session from May 24 through July 15, 1933. The special session extended the legislature's work beyond the ordinary sitting and formed the second phase of its historical activity. The 14th Oklahoma Legislature was succeeded by the 15th Legislature. Because it was a time-limited governmental assembly, it ceased to exist after completion of its 1933 legislative term.

• 1933

  Regular session convened

  [1]14th Oklahoma Legislatureen.wikipedia.org

  The 14th Oklahoma Legislature began its regular session on January 3, 1933, with both the Senate and House of Representatives meeting during Governor William H. Murray's administration.

• 1933

  Tom Anglin became House speaker

  [1]14th Oklahoma Legislatureen.wikipedia.org

  Tom Anglin, encouraged by Governor Murray to run for the House, became Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives as part of the session's leadership arrangement.

• 1933

  House approved proposed budget cuts

  [1]14th Oklahoma Legislatureen.wikipedia.org

  Under Speaker Anglin's leadership, the House approved Governor Murray's proposed reductions to the state budget.

• 1933

  Regular session ended

  [1]14th Oklahoma Legislatureen.wikipedia.org

  The regular session concluded on April 22, 1933.

• 1933

  Special session convened

  [1]14th Oklahoma Legislatureen.wikipedia.org

  The legislature reconvened for a special session from May 24 through July 15, 1933.

A historical Oklahoma state legislature focused on lawmaking, appropriations, and governmental administration during 1933.

• 1933

  Approval of Governor Murray's budget reductionsStrategy

  Background

  Governor William H. Murray pursued reductions in state government spending during a period of severe economic pressure. Tom Anglin's move from the Senate to the House and his selection as speaker were connected to the governor's effort to secure legislative support.

  Action taken

  With Tom Anglin serving as House speaker, the House approved the budget cuts proposed by Governor Murray.

  Aftermath

  The action made fiscal retrenchment the most clearly documented policy outcome associated with the 14th Legislature. The available reference material does not specify the precise size or detailed line items of the reductions.

  Source

1. 114th Oklahoma Legislatureen.wikipedia.org