Oklahoma Republicans have some funny opinions about marriage: they want to make it as difficult as possible to get in, but once you’re in, they’ll never let you leave. That’s the most reasonable take, anyway, on a Republican-sponsored divorce ban in the Oklahoma State House:

[Rep. Mark] McCullough, R-Sapulpa, wants all marriage license applicants to receive at least eight hours of counseling. He also proposes counseling for parents of minor children before divorcing.

[Rep. Sally] Kern, R-Oklahoma City, is proposing to bar divorces on grounds of incompatibility for couples married 10 years or more, that have minor children, or if one or the other party objects.

Kern’s bill is especially bizarre, but it follows a long line of homophobic statements by Rep. Kern, including her declaration that homosexuality is “the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism.” So this is probably just misguided pushback against successes by the marriage equality movement in other states this year.

Equality supporters have a basic argument that two people who love each other should have the right to be married. But there’s also a pretty compelling corollary that says two people who do not love each other should have the right to divorce.

Sally Kern and her Republican allies obviously don’t believe either of these arguments. So maybe a better, simpler principle is that government should not meddle in people’s personal lives.

That’s something people of all political stripes should be able to get behind.

Reliable broadband service is one of the key ingredients for job-creation in the 21st Century, and Sen. Sean Burrage, a DLCC Board Member, is working hard to make sure his rural Oklahoma district doesn’t get left behind.

Last week, Burrage lent his star-power to a meeting between AT&T and local officials in Pryor, Oklahoma to help determine the fastest way get broadband available in Pryor:

Key officials met at City Hall on Monday morning to discuss Internet upgrades in Pryor and surrounding areas.

Senator Sean Burrage, Representative Ben Sherrer and Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy were among those attending the informal meeting. They joined Mayor Jimmy Tramel, Lucy Belle Schultz, Barbara Hawkins, Bruce Taylor, John Hawkins and others to hear from AT&T representatives.

AT&T Director – Regulatory Jason Constable, and Craig Cromley, Area Manager, were there to discuss broadband service in general and to field questions on how Pryor can be progressive regarding Internet service availability.

As telecommunications evolve, it takes time for the latest advances to reach every part of the country, but Pryor is on its way. Three quarters of the town is now DSL-capable, though upgrading to a 3G or 4G network remains a challenge.

With the benefits of a global marketplace and potential new job development at stake, Sen. Burrage is determined to help Pryor and all of rural Oklahoma meet that challenge successfully.

Incredibly, there are eight states in the country where insurance companies are allowed to count domestic abuse as a preexisting condition in order to deny coverage to victims of domestic violence.

Oklahoma is one of them.

Democratic Representative Eric Proctor wants to see that change:

"We need to be doing everything we can as a state to help these women, these children back on the road to recovery," he says. "Right now they're starting a survival process. We're one of only eight states in the country that permits them to be care for counseling care they need or the medical treatment they need."

This week, Proctor announced that he will sponsor legislation to end the practice.

Last year, Oklahoma Republican State Rep. Sally Kern said that homosexuality was “the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism."

Last month, Kern introduced a resolution in the legislature that attempted to blame gays and “debauchery” for the national recession.

Democrats in the state have had enough.

Just before Independence Day, Rep. Ryan Kiesel spoke at a rally at the capitol where he responded to Rep. Kern's resolution and denounced it as a cheap stunt:

In a couple of days we will celebrate our nation’s independence. It is especially troubling that a few zealots would use this day of unity to play the very divisive game of allowing the government to ordain from on high what is and is not good and holy. This is the very division our founders saw as a threat to the future of the then-fledgling democracy.

Today I am proud to stand with these many individuals and organizations and with our Founders in saying we reject this divisive political stunt and instead celebrate the miracle of the human mind and its ability to believe in a manner each sees fit, the ability to love whom one wants, and the ability to elect a government who will not concern itself with who you love or where you go to church; rather focusing itself on building a strong economy, a world class education for our next generation of leaders and a health care system for all Oklahomans.

It's great to see that kind of courage and outspokenness. You can follow Rep. Kiesel on Twitter @capitolkiesel.

UPDATE: Movement against Rep. Kern is building. Oklahoma City's business paper, The Journal Record has a long editorial asking the Republican legislator to rescind her proclamation because of the damage it could do to the state's economic image.

Oklahoma Republican State Rep. Sally Kern, last seen spouting a paranoid, delusional tirade declaring the GLBT community “the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism,” is at it again. Kern, in a successful effort to prove that she’s gone completely off the deep end, has introduced a resolution blaming gays, troubled families, and general “debauchery” for the nation’s financial crisis.

The resolution itself contains several amazing charges:

WHEREAS, we believe our economic woes are consequences of our greater national moral crisis; and

WHEREAS, this nation has become a world leader in promoting abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery; and

WHEREAS, alarmed that the Government of the United States of America is forsaking the rich Christian heritage upon which this nation was built; and

WHEREAS, grieved that the Office of the president of these United States has refused to uphold the long held tradition of past presidents in giving recognition to our National Day of Prayer; and

WHEREAS, deeply disturbed that the Office of the president of these United States disregards the biblical admonitions to live clean and pure lives by proclaiming an entire month to an immoral behavior;

It obviously never occurred to Kern that maybe, possibly, our economic woes are actually a consequence of Republican politicians who spent decades trying to control people’s personal lives while letting the economy spin out of control.

After gaining a majority in the Oklahoma Senate (which had previously been tied), Republican lawmakers were determined to pass a Voter ID bill this year.

College students are one group of people who are often particularly hard hit by these ID requirements. Legally, students are allowed to register to vote using college addresses but most who do still have drivers licenses and identification that display the addresses from their permanent residences back home.

These Voter ID laws leave them in limbo -- setting a barrier that is too high to make voting in their college communities convenient.

Democrats in Oklahoma were able to offer students some protection in the final version of the bill by introducing an amendment spearheaded by Rep. Joe Dorman that will allow them to use the identification issued by their colleges at the polls.

Rep. Dorman has a guest post up at FutureMajority where he offers his perspective about the debate and speaks to the importance of reaching out to youth generally.

The whole thing is well worth a read.

Incidentally, Rep. Dorman is practicing what he preaches. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Oklahoma State Senator Randy Bass has quite a story.

After having played professional baseball in the United States for several years, Sen. Bass made a big move. He signed up with the Hansin Tigers in Japan's professional baseball league. As a Tiger, Bass went on to win four straight batting titles and become one of the most famous professional players in Japanese history.

Since Bass' departure from the ranks of professional players the Tigers have not again won a championship.

Many blame this on the Curse of Colonel Sanders.

It seems that in 1985 after the Tigers won a national championship largely because of Sen. Bass' performance, fans took a statue of Colonel Sanders from a local Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant because it was the only thing they could find that resembled Bass. They put his jersey on the statue and threw it in the river in celebration. It has remained lost there for 24 years -- until this week.

While Sen. Bass is still a baseball icon in Japan, many people don't know why the senator left the country and his successful baseball career.

In 1988, Sen. Bass' son was diagnosed with brain cancer. He needed treatment at the best facility available, and that was in Los Angeles. Bass asked for time off from his team, but with another championship on the line he was denied.

Sen. Bass did what he had to do. He quit knowing full well the owner of the team would 'blackball' him with the entire league for the rest of his life. Sen. Bass sacrificed his career so he could be with his son. Thankfully, the treatment was successful, his son is alive and well, and has children of his own now.

In 2004, Bass ran for the Oklahoma State Senate and won. As a legislator, Bass has tackled some of the most pressing issues facing Oklahomans today. He wrote and passed one of the most comprehensive identity theft bills in the nation. He was instrumental in making sure the military base in his district was protected during the BRAC process, and this year he is sponsoring legislation requiring many restaurants to provide nutritional information on menus so Oklahomans can make healthy choices about their diets.

There are 55 days until November 4th, and the presidential race obviously commands a lot of attention in the media. But the folks who study, write about, and work with state and local governments are starting to drill down on our races as well.

I already linked to Tim Storey's piece, which offered a wide-angle snapshot of the national landscape.

Yesterday, I came across another really good preview.

Writing for the Ballot Box blog for Governing magazine, Josh Goodman focused in on one chamber -- the Oklahoma Senate:

As of now, the Oklahoma Senate has 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans. When the Tulsa World polled Oklahomans on which party they wanted in charge of the body, 42 percent said the Democrats and 42 percent said the Republicans. The top four races this year include the reelection bids of one Republican incumbent and one Democratic incumbent and the open-seat campaigns for one Republican-held seat and one Democratic-held seat.

Goodman's overview is really good -- in particular, pay attention to the specific races that he highlights as targets for each side.

I don't know if he or other writers for his magazine plan on doing this same sort of thing for other states, but I'd be darn sure to read them if they get posted.

As a native Oklahoman, it was my sad duty to tell my colleagues at the DLCC of the untimely passing of State Representative Terry Hyman of Leon, OK. Rep. Hyman died in a farming accident Friday night.

While I didn’t know Rep. Hyman personally, I was well aware of his reputation as a fair, gentle leader.

In the words of Democratic Leader Danny Morgan, “He was a quiet and steady legislator. He had respect among all of the members out there, both Republicans and Democrats. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

"Today, Oklahomans mourn the loss of a dedicated and beloved public servant," said Governor Brad Henry. "Terry Hyman was a true native son of Oklahoma. He loved farming and rodeo, and he was fiercely devoted to making a better life for his constituents. In the wake of his tragic and untimely death, I know I speak for all Oklahomans when I say Rep. Hyman's wife and family are in our thoughts and prayers.”

Here at the DLCC, we too pass along our prayers for Rep. Hyman’s family and friends.

Mrs. Hyman has asked that gifts be sent in Terry’s name to: Oklahoma Baptist Girls' Home, 1117 Anthony Lane, Madill, Oklahoma 73446, or securely online to or the Terry Hyman Memorial, Leon Baptist Church, Leon, OK 73441.

Editor's note: From time to time, we will offer our elected leaders the opportunity to write guest posts about issues in their states.

Simply disappear -- that is what Republican leaders in the Oklahoma House of Representatives want autistic children and those of us fighting for them to do.

Republican House Speaker Chris Benge not only refuses to support a measure to cover these children with health insurance, he wouldn’t even allow representatives to vote on the bill.

“Nick’s Law” -- named for one of the thousands of Oklahoma children suffering from autism -- was very simple. It would have required health insurance policies in Oklahoma to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism.

Experts tell us such a policy is the best way to give autistic children a chance at a full life when they become adults. It also provides a way to relieve the enormous financial pressures on families who are denied coverage by big insurance.

The Speaker twisted and danced all the way to the adjournment of the 2008 session. He single-handedly prevented a most family friendly policy, hoping that the end of session would be the end of the pressure. That is a serious miscalculation.

Of course, some of the special interest groups have honored those most responsible for killing “Nick’s Law” with awards for courage. There is nothing courageous about turning your back on children who have no voice. Oklahomans know what real courage is -- it is what parents of these children exhibit every day.

Still, despite all the fake awards, the Speaker’s miscalculation about relieving pressure continues to be shown in a stark light. Just last week, a national news program this week highlighted the growing epidemic of children with autism and the push by parents to force health insurance to cover diagnosis and treatment of the disorder.

NBC’s “The Today Show” aired a segment Thursday, June 12 as part of a continuing series of reports on autism. The story featured parents who are encouraging state legislatures across the nation to pass laws requiring coverage of autism diagnosis and treatment.

It is not like the Speaker did not have the chance to do the right thing. “Nick’s Law” passed the Senate on four separate occasions, each time on bipartisan votes. When the proposal arrived in the House of Representatives, it was killed each time when Speaker Benge refused to even allow the bill to be heard.

What the Speaker didn’t count on was the fact that this is a national battle. People are watching, and they expect a fair debate. The “Today Show” segment included a statement on the issue by the special interest group representing insurance companies; the statement is a “slick attempt” by big insurance to have it both ways.

The insurance lobby conceded in the statement that “medically related care should be covered by insurers.” The problem is, once “medically related care” is coded as “autism,” insurance companies refuse to pay claims.

Then the special interest group unveils its real agenda with the following statement: “For those who need assistance, we should be committing public resources to help fund cost--effective programs to care for those who are diagnosed with autism.”

The phrase “public resources” is a fancy way of saying “taxpayer dollars.” Their real agenda is to pass the cost of covering autism on to the taxpayers. That way, insurance companies protect both their robust profits and their ability to fund the political campaigns of politicians who protect them.

The “Today Show” segment gives both sides a chance to make their case, and clearly the momentum to pass bills like Nick’s Law is building. Even in deeply ‘red’ Republican states, lawmakers and governors of both parties are putting aside the special interests for the public interest. It’s too bad Oklahoma’s House leaders could not find it in their hearts or heads to do the same.

Not every House Republican supported their leadership on the issue; four Republican House members signed a “discharge petition” that would have forced a vote on “Nick’s Law.” Then, before they got the required number of signatures, House Republican leaders began enforcing party discipline.

It’s pretty clear Republican leaders dropped the hammer -- preventing members from doing what their conscience told them was the right thing. However, political power in Oklahoma rests with the people not the politicians, and I believe Oklahomans will rise up and force House leadership to get on this train or get run over by it.

They want us to simply disappear. These children will not go away, and their parents will never give up. When the Oklahoma Legislature returns in February, the case to pass Nick’s Law will be greater than ever.

To do nothing -- a course of action with which House leadership is content -- will condemn children who might be saved by diagnosis and treatment. This is just one case where the values of Oklahoma’s Republican House leadership are woefully out of step with the people they were truly elected to serve.

Oklahoma House Republicans may have preserved some campaign contributions, but they will have lost their souls -- and, unless they see the light soon, a good number of the seats they hold in the House of Representatives.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm represents Oklahoma's 6th Senate District