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The State Chamber of Oklahoma overviews state questions at Tri County Tech Tuesday morning. 5 state questions will appear on the Nov. 6 General Election ballot and Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Adria Berry presented each question to the audience attending the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce’s “Eggs & Issues: Politics Over Breakfast” forum.

State Question 793 was presented first. Berry says that State Question 793 will change Oklahoma’s constitution instead of being a state statute. Oklahoma is one of only three states that don't allow traditional retailers to offer eyeglasses and contact lenses.

"Delivery of Eyecare," as State Question 793 is known as according to the State Quesion Guide handed out during the breakfast, would give the legislature power to impose certain health and safety standards such as restricting surgery within the retail space. It would also allow them to limit the number of locations an optometrist may practice at and requiring the optometric office to be in a separate room of a retail store if the question passes.

Marsy’s Law makes up State Question 794. Only 5 states nation wide have passed this law while Montana is the only state that declared Mary’s Law to be unconstitutional. Marsy's Law would amend provisions of the Oklahoma Constitution to guarantee that victims have co-equal rights alongside those accused and convicted. Berry says that Oklahoma statutes already afford victims' rights.

Some audience members were concerned that some clauses in Marsy’s Law are too vague like the right to reasonable protection on top of several other rights mentioned in the State Question. Other rights include: the right to notice of all proceedings, right to talk with a prosecutor, a right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay. If Marsy's Law passes, it will allow victims to refuse interview requets from the defendant's attorney without a subpoena.

A state question (798) will also ask Oklahoman's if they want to put the Governor and Lietenant Governor on the same ticket during elections. If approved by votes, this will not take effect until the 2026 election. 26 states have the top two statewide offices on the same ticket while 17 states including 3 of Oklahoma's neighboring states (Missouri, Arkansas and Texas) have the positions on separate tickets.

State Question 800 looks to deposit 5-percent of existing tax revneue from oil and gas production into an investment fund - called Oklahoma Vision Fund - that would be managed by the Oklahoma State Treasurer. Income from the fund would be place in the state's general revenue fund to supplement and stablize the state budget.

Bartlesville's Senator Julie Daniels was in attendance. She mentioned that State Question 800 is completely bi-partisan. Policy makers, Daniels says, asked what they could do to fix the budget in the midst of tax raises and teacher walkout statewide last April.

The Property Tax Funds for School Operations was also discussed. You can read the story on this state question (801) with comments from State Representative District 10 candidate Kevin Stacy here on our website.