2013 In Oklahoma Politics Review

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The top political stories in Oklahoma during 2013 were a Republican-backed tax cut thwarted by the courts, the criminal conviction of two former legislators in a bribery scheme, and the first term of the state’s youngest and first African-American Speaker of the House.

Governor Mary Fallin’s signature political victory to slash the state’s personal income tax and provide funding to repair the Capitol was tossed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in December because the bill violated the state’s single-subject rule.

Two former legislators – Republican Randy Terrill and Democrat Debbe Leftwich – were convicted in 2013 for their role in a bribery scheme.

And at age 34, T.W. Shannon was formally elected in January to lead the House, making him the state’s youngest and first black speaker.