Peterson not to seek re-election

Christmas does come to Oklahoma in the summer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Ron Peterson
Capitol: (405) 557-7338

Peterson Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 28, 2008) - State Rep. Ron Peterson announced today
that he will not seek re-election this year.
"I have enjoyed my service in the Legislature and feel that I've
made a real contribution to the state, but it's time for me to return to
the private sector," said Peterson, R-Broken Arrow. "I am proud that I
championed common-sense, conservative legislation that will grow our
economy and create private-sector jobs."
Peterson was first elected to the Oklahoma House of
Representatives in 2000 and has served four terms. During the last four
years he has served as chairman of the House Economic Development &
Financial Services Committee.
Peterson said one of his greatest legislative accomplishments is
the creation of an online insurance verification system that will combat
the problem of uninsured drivers.
"For too long, uninsured drivers have been free to create severe
economic hardship whenever they plow into law-abiding Oklahomans,"
Peterson said. "I have worked for several years to create a system that
will help police identify those drivers and remove that threat from our
roads."
The online verification system, created by legislation Peterson
authored two years ago, is scheduled to go into full effect at the end
of 2008.
Peterson said he is also proud to have authored legislation
protecting vulnerable seniors from being exploited by insurance scams.
Senate Bill 1980, by Peterson, state Sen. Sean Burrage (D-Claremore) and
state Sen. Todd Lamb (R-Edmond), created the Viatical Settlements Act of
2008.
The legislation gave the state greater regulatory power over a
practice known as stranger-originated life insurance (or STOLI) that
allows individuals to purchase life insurance policies from the elderly,
often paying only a fraction of the policy's value.
According to a report by the nonpartisan Research Institute for
Economic Development, Peterson supported pro-economic growth legislation
96 percent of the time during his tenure in office - one of the best
cumulative scores in the Legislature.
"I've tried to champion policies that will create jobs for
Oklahomans and I think my RIED score reflects that philosophy," Peterson
said. "I didn't seek office to grow government. I ran to increase
opportunity for all Oklahomans."
Peterson has been an unusually effective legislator during his
time in office as evidenced by the fact that he has filed bills that
became law every year he served, even when Republicans were in the
minority. During the first four years Peterson served, Democrats held
the majority in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
"Regardless of whether I was in the minority or the majority, I
have been able to move legislation through the process at the Capitol,"
Peterson said. "That's been a point of pride for me. I don't think too
many people can match that track record under those circumstances."