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Tom Gann's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

On The Ballot: Running, Republican for State House (OK) - District 8

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
What is the Political Courage Test?
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

Oklahoma State Legislative Election 1996 National Political Awareness Test

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

a) Abortions should always be legally available.
b) Abortions should be legally available when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy.
c) Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
X d) Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
e) Abortions should always be illegal.
X f) Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements.
No g) Should Oklahoma government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?
Yes h) Should the Oklahoma Department of Health regulate abortion clinics in Oklahoma?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action and civil rights in Oklahoma.

a) The Oklahoma government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sectors.
X b) The Oklahoma government should provide no affirmative action programs.
No c) Do you believe that the Oklahoma government should recognize same-sex marriages?
No d) Do you believe that sexual orientation should be added to Oklahoma's anti-discrimination laws?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding children and family issues in Oklahoma.

a) Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
X b) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
X c) Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
X d) Support legislation to end no-fault divorce.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime in Oklahoma.

X a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
b) Expand and promote "community policing" programs.
X c) Support "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve their full sentences with no chance of parole.
d) Expand the use of the death penalty for additional circumstances relating to murder.
e) Oppose the death penalty.
X f) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
g) Require mandatory life sentences for third-time, violent felons.
X h) Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
X i) Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences.
j) Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana.
X k) Strengthen penalties and sentences associated with drug-related crimes.
X l) Implement chain gangs in which prison inmates work together in chained work groups.
X m) Support contracting with private sector firms to manage state prisons.
X n) Limit the number of appeals allowed for inmates on death row.
X o) Support laws requiring restitution to crime victims at the personal expense of the criminal.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address juvenile crime in Oklahoma.

X a) Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious, violent crimes as adults.
X b) Provide state funding for military-style "boot camps" for juvenile first-time felons.
c) Increase state funding for local community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
d) Support state government funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Oklahoma's economic development.

X a) Increase state funds for improving the state's transportation system, including major roadways, railways and airports.
X b) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for expanding, start-up, or relocating businesses.
c) Expand legalized gambling (either state lottery, slot machines or video gambling).
X d) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
X e) Remove state government controls or caps from wages, prices, rents, profits, production and interest rates.
X f) Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
g) Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.
X h) Implement "right to work" legislation that allows employees to work without joining a union or paying union dues.
i) Support state-funded incentives for housing developments in rural and urban areas.
Yes j) Should private employers be required to maintain workers' compensation insurance coverage for employees?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Oklahoma's education system.

X a) Increase state funds for professional development and salaries of public school faculty.
b) Endorse teacher-led voluntary school prayer in public schools.
c) Encourage private or corporate investment in certain public school programs.
d) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious, technical).
e) Implement charter schools where teachers and other professionals receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
f) Require the use of state-wide achievement standards for all state public schools.
X g) Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards.
X h) Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
i) Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
X j) Continue to give high priority in state funding to state colleges and universities.
k) Support a school choice program which allows parents to choose which public school their child(ren) should attend.
l) Encourage the posting of the Ten Commandments in Oklahoma public schools.
X m) Restrict driving privileges and/or sports participation of students with poor academic performance.
Yes n) Should Oklahoma require its public schools to teach evolution as theory rather than scientific fact?
No o) Do you support statewide participation in the federal school-to-work initiative?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Oklahoma's environment and natural resources.

a) Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels throughout Oklahoma.
b) Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for polluting industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
X c) Require a cost/benefit analysis be completed on the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
X d) Require the state to reimburse citizens when state-sponsored environmental regulations limit the use of privately owned land.
e) Provide funding for recycling programs in Oklahoma.
f) Request flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
X g) Suspend Oklahoma's participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
h) Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations.

a) Do you support the current laws which limit the terms of the following state officials?

Yes 1) State Senators (12 years)
Yes 2) State Representatives (12 years)
Yes 3) Governor (two 4-year terms)
Yes b) Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?
Yes c) Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes d) Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes e) Do you support requiring limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes f) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Yes g) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
No h) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
Yes i) Should it remain a criminal offense for an individual to contribute more than $5,000 to a state legislative campaign in Oklahoma?
Yes j) Do you support proposals to privatize segments of Oklahoma state government?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

a) Support expanding the nationwide federal ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
b) Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
c) Maintain all state registration procedures and state restrictions on possessing firearms.
d) Ease state procedures and restrictions on the purchase and registration of firearms.
e) Repeal all state bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from obtaining firearms.
X f) Continue to allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Oklahoma's health care system.

a) Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations.
X b) Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees.
c) Ensure that Oklahoma citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
d) Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
X e) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
f) Provide state financial assistance to seniors and the disabled to allow them access to home and community-based health care.
X g) Require reporting of HIV infection by health care professionals in the same manner that other communicable diseases (e.g. tuberculosis) are reported.
h) Quarantine individuals known to be infected with HIV and practicing high-risk behavior.

Indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of funding for the following categories. Select one option only.

Eliminate a) Abortion
Eliminate b) Affirmative Action
Maintain Status c) Agriculture
d) AIDS Programs
Maintain Status e) Education
f) Environment
g) Health Care
Greatly Increase h) Law Enforcement
Greatly Decrease i) Welfare

Please indicate the changes you support (if any) concerning Oklahoma's tax levels. Select one option only.

a) Alcohol Taxes
Greatly Decrease b) Business Taxes
Eliminate c) Capital Gains Taxes
d) Gasoline Taxes
Greatly Decrease e) Income Taxes (incomes less than $75,000)
Greatly Decrease f) Income Taxes (incomes greater than $75,000)
Greatly Decrease g) Property Taxes
Greatly Decrease h) Sales Taxes
Greatly Decrease i) State Fees
Yes j) Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?
Yes k) Do you support giving a tax credit to businesses that hire graduates of Oklahoma state colleges?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Oklahoma's welfare system.

a) Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
b) Allow welfare recipients to work and still receive state-funded health care and child care (if needed) until they become self-sufficient.
c) Require that able-bodied welfare recipients receive job training, attend school, or work in order to receive welfare benefits.
X d) Require that unwed mothers under the age of 18 attend school and live with a parent or guardian (if possible) to receive welfare benefits.
e) Limit the welfare benefits given to recipients if they have additional children.
f) Provide two-parent families living in poverty the same welfare benefits as one-parent families.
X g) Eliminate government-funded welfare and advocate privately-funded assistance to people in need.
X h) Impose a two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
i) Support the current three-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
Explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected to the Oklahoma State Legislature. If any of your priorities will require additional government funding, explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.

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