The Oklahoma Legislature created the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women in 1994 to act as an advisory entity on equity issues relating to gender bias; monitor legislation to determine whether it is discriminatory toward one gender or the other; act as a resource and a clearinghouse for research on issues related to women and gender bias; report annually to the Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives regarding its activities; and make recommendations concerning needed legislation or regulatory changes relating to equity and gender bias.
The Commission consists of thirty (30) members who serve staggered five-year terms; ten members are appointed by the Governor, ten by the President Pro Tempore, and ten by the Speaker.
On July 1, 2002, the Oklahoma Legislature transferred the responsibility for providing staff support for the Commission from the Secretary of State to the Office of Personnel Management.
The Oklahoma Women’s Coalition is a non-profit, nonpartisan statewide association of organizations and individuals established in 2008 to advance the potential and equity of Oklahoma women and girls.
The primary focus of the Coalition is to support state legislation and policies that advance the Coalition’s mission. We are also committed to the development and dissemination of information on programs and issues important to women and girls.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we do not endorse or oppose candidates for public office or political parties. We seek to identify and promote bills and policies benefiting women and girls that can win support from members of the Oklahoma Legislature on both sides of the isle.
We are a bipartisan board and seek members from all political persuasions. We are interested in a range of issues as they impact women and girls (see statistics in image below). In 2009, we are focusing on aging, education, girls, health, incarceration of women, violence against women, and work & family issues.