Oklahoma Capitol news briefs

The House adopted a measure Monday that would officially give the state a motto — “Oklahoma — In God We Trust!” House Concurrent Resolution 1024 says it has long been believed that “Labor Omnia Vincit,” or “Labor Conquers All Things,” is the state motto. However, the framers of the state constitution did not establish an official state motto. Although it is described in the constitution as part of the description of the Great Seal of Oklahoma, there is no indication that it was meant to indicate a state motto. The resolution states that Oklahoma Motto Inc., a nonprofit, bipartisan patriotic group, has researched the issue and determined that Oklahoma never had an official state motto; their research of the state constitution discovered that the word “motto” does not appear. While the words “In God We Trust” were added to U.S. coins in 1864, it was not until 1956 that the phrase replaced “E Pluribus Unum” as the United States national motto. Although Florida adopted the phrase “In God We Trust” as its official motto of their state in 2006, Oklahoma Motto says “Oklahoma — In God We Trust!” would be both different and legal. HCR 1024, by Rep. Danny Morgan, D-Prague, now goes to the Senate.