Governor Brad Henry holds bill signing ceremony

Monday, June 7th 2004, 1:32 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Gov. Brad Henry held a bill signing ceremony Monday for measures targeting obese children, creating an electronic program to monitor some inmates and requiring the state to pay contractors swiftly.

Henry officially signed all three bills last month, but held the ceremony to give supporters an opportunity to attend.

Ron Ward, director of the state Department of Corrections, joined Henry for the signing of Senate Bill 816, which authorizes the department to release certain inmates from custody, then track them using electronic bracelets through global positioning satellites.

The bill contains more than 16 requirements for inmates to be eligible for the program. Violent inmates, sex offenders or those not susceptible to substance abuse treatment are not eligible for the program.

``It's really just another tool for our staff to use and make sure they continue to abide by the stipulations they have when they're out in the community,'' Ward said of the inmates.

Officials estimate that as many as 700 inmates could be eligible for the program, and Ward said the program could ultimately save the department $3 million annually.

Supporters were also on hand for the signing of Senate Bill 1627, which would require each public school in Oklahoma to create a new health advisory committee.

``This is a tremendous first step in the fight against childhood obesity in our state,'' said Stanley Hupfeld, chairman of the Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition and president and chief executive of Integris Health. ``It establishes the groundwork for future efforts and will assist school administrators in making the right choices for children.''

The coalition also had endorsed proposals to provide restrictions on school vending machines and require more physical education for children, but both measures stalled in the Legislature.

``I don't think we went far enough,'' Henry said, ``and I hope the Fit Kids Coalition will be back again next year.''

Henry also signed the Fair Pay for Construction Act, which requires the state to pay contractors within 30 days of submitting an invoice on state projects and establishes interest penalties for failing to do so.