OKLAHOMA CITY – As the 60th Oklahoma Legislature begins to wind down its session ending May 30, 2025, citizens across the state are drawn to the Oklahoma State Capitol, eager to witness the crucible of democracy: committee meetings where bills on education, criminal justice, and economic policy are forged. For Oklahomans, access to these proceedings, whether in person or online, is not just a convenience but a fundamental right, a cornerstone of individual liberty. Yet, in Oklahoma, this right is constrained by a legislative system that wields near-unchecked control over public access, rooted in a constitutional exemption that prioritizes institutional prerogative over the people’s freedom to engage with their government.
The exemption reflects a historical compromise, granting lawmakers flexibility in a nascent state. But in 2025, it raises a deeper question: why should the people’s representatives hold such power to limit the people’s scrutiny? Individual liberty demands that citizens have unfettered access to the processes that shape their lives, yet Oklahoma’s system places bureaucrats and elected officials ahead of the public they serve. Committee meetings, where the real work of lawmaking unfolds, are technically open, but physical space is restricted, with priority given to legislators, staff, invited guests, and credentialed media. Notices, posted 24 hours in advance on the Legislature’s website (www.oklegislature.gov), offer a glimpse of schedules, but navigating this system demands time and tenacity, burdens that encroach on the freedom to participate.
The Senate’s Partial Victory
The Senate has taken steps to honor the individual’s right to know, leveraging technology to broaden access. Its rules for the 60th Legislature require committee meetings to adhere to the Open Meeting Act’s notice provisions, with agendas posted online (oksenate.gov) and at a designated Capitol location. Most meetings, often held in rooms like 535, are livestreamed, enabling Oklahomans from rural panhandle towns to urban centers to watch in real time.
This digital shift, cemented during the COVID-19 pandemic and bolstered by 2022’s Senate Bill 1547, which expanded virtual access statewide, marks a win for liberty. It empowers individuals to hold lawmakers accountable without the state dictating who can afford the trip to Oklahoma City. Yet, the system falls short of true transparency. Reports of muted audio during livestreamed discussions or voice votes have surfaced, obscuring critical moments of debate. Such gaps erode the public’s ability to fully exercise their right to monitor their government, turning a tool of empowerment into a half-measure.
In-person access is even more restrictive. Limited seating favors insiders, legislators, aides, and media, leaving ordinary citizens to compete for scraps of space. This hierarchy undermines the principle that every individual, not just the privileged few, deserves a front-row seat to democracy.
The House’s Failure to Deliver
The House of Representatives, by contrast, lags woefully behind. Its procedural manual offers scant guidance on public access, and while meetings are nominally open, livestreaming is sporadic. Some committees provide recordings after the fact, but real-time access, a lifeline for those asserting their right to know, remains elusive. This inconsistency is more than a logistical failing; it’s a denial of individual agency, forcing citizens to rely on the state’s whims to engage with their own governance.
The House’s reluctance to modernize reflects a broader resistance to prioritizing the public’s liberty over institutional convenience. Without reliable digital access, Oklahomans unable to attend in person are effectively silenced, their freedom to participate curtailed by an outdated system that favors control over openness.
Joint Committees: A Glimmer of Hope
Joint Committees, comprising members from both chambers, offer a brighter example. Their rules, adopted in January 2025, mandate open meetings with 24 hours’ notice, posted on both chambers’ websites. Handling issues like fiscal transparency, these committees demonstrate that clear, accessible guidelines are possible. This approach honors the individual’s right to transparency, serving as a model for what the entire Legislature could achieve if it placed liberty first.
Liberty at Stake
Access to committee meetings is not a mere procedural issue, it’s a battleground for individual freedom. These rooms are where policies that govern property rights, personal safety, and economic opportunity are shaped. When access is restricted, whether by limited seating or inconsistent livestreams, the state infringes on the citizen’s sovereignty to oversee their representatives. Every barrier, be it a muted livestream or a packed committee room, diminishes the power of the individual to hold government accountable.
The credentialed media, granted priority access, face their own constraints. Obtaining a Capitol Press Pass requires affiliation with established outlets and advance applications through the House or Senate media offices. Independent journalists and bloggers, often the vanguards of unfiltered truth, face stricter scrutiny, needing to prove consistent coverage. This gatekeeping stifles the diversity of voices essential to a free society, favoring institutional media over the individual’s right to report and inform.
A Call to Reclaim Freedom
As the 2025 session tackles a weighty agenda, the Legislature must confront a fundamental question: will it uphold the individual’s liberty to engage with their government, or will it cling to a system that prioritizes control? The answer lies in bold reforms: universal livestreaming with reliable audio, expanded physical access to committee rooms, and a streamlined credentialing process that welcomes independent voices. These changes would empower every Oklahoman to exercise their right to know, free from the state’s arbitrary gatekeeping.
Oklahoma’s history is one of rugged individualism, of citizens who demand their voices be heard. Today, those citizens check legislative websites, tune into imperfect livestreams, or trek to the Capitol, vying for a seat in the gallery. Each act is a declaration of liberty, a refusal to let government operate in the shadows.
In a state where access is both a right and a struggle, their persistence is a clarion call for a Legislature that serves the people, not itself. True transparency is not a gift bestowed by lawmakers, it’s a freedom owed to every individual, and it’s time Oklahoma’s Capitol opened its doors wide.
About the author: Marven Goodman publishes “The Sooner Sentinel” on Substack and invites readers to subscribe for free at this link which is where this story first appeared. Goodman is an author, past Logan County Commissioner, and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel with a passion for digital electronics and computer science. His career began in 1973 as a U.S. Marine Corps avionics bench technician, troubleshooting circuits and exploring binary logic. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1993, blending military training with computer science studies. Goodman served as Chief Information Officer on the Oklahoma Adjutant General’s staff and retired from the military in May 2000. First elected as Logan County Commissioner in June 2014, he served through January 2023, bringing his technical and leadership expertise to writing, governance, and public service