James Edward “Jim” Hamilton, a former Oklahoma state lawmaker out of Leflore County who sponsored constitutional changes that limited state spending, died last week in Rogers. He was 83.
“Jim Hamilton was a fiscal conservative who sponsored the constitutional amendment that created Oklahoma's constitutional `Rainy Day Fund,'" said Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin. "He also drafted the language in the state's balanced budget amendment to the state constitution, which placed a cap on the growth of state government."
Fallin said she enjoyed serving with Hamilton in the House and her "thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”
Hamilton was a Le Flore County Democrat who had a law office in Poteau, where he practiced for nearly 50 years.
He was preceded in public service by his father, Clem, who died of a heart attack in 1967 during his 17th year in the Senate.
Jim followed his father into office and rose to become the state Senate's top leader in 1973. He later took a break from service, but came back to serve 14 years in the House, including eight years as chairman of the powerful Appropriations and Budget Committee.
A stickler for details, Hamilton wasn't shy about seeking changes in bills he thought could be improved, a trait which sometimes irritated other lawmakers.
"If the 10 commandments came out of a committee, Jim Hamilton would amend them," a lawmaker once told The Oklahoman.
