Governor Henry To Sign OSU-Tulsa Bill

The bill appropriates $5 million to the OSU Medical Authority to keep the facility in operation.

Saturday, March 7th 2009, 5:28 pm

By: News On 6

NewsOn6.com

OKLAHOMA CITY -- On Monday, Gov. Brad Henry will officially sign legislation to help preserve the OSU medical program and the OSU Medical Center in Tulsa.

House Bill 1127 by House Speaker Chris Benge (R-Tulsa) and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee (R-Oklahoma City) appropriates $5 million to the OSU Medical Authority to keep the facility in operation. It is the first installment of five such annual appropriations.

The funding is part of an agreement hammered out last December by Henry, Benge, Coffee, OSU officials and Tulsa leaders.

"With the help of this legislation, we will preserve the OSU medical program in Tulsa, save the OSU Medical Center and address a number of underlying health care needs in the Tulsa metro area," Henry said.

Before state leaders reached their agreement, there was concern that the OSU Medical Center would have to shut its doors because of financial difficulties.