House sends general appropriations bill to governor

<br> <br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma House narrowly passed a $5.3 billion general appropriations bill Tuesday and sent it to Gov. Brad Henry for his signature. <br><br>Approval of the Senate-passed

Wednesday, March 17th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma House narrowly passed a $5.3 billion general appropriations bill Tuesday and sent it to Gov. Brad Henry for his signature.

Approval of the Senate-passed measure was opposed by House Republicans, who said they may challenge the bill's constitutionality in court. Among other things, opponents said it includes $30 million in uncertified revenue from a gaming bill passed two weeks ago.

``This process definitely stinks,'' said Minority Leader Todd Hiett of Kellyville. ``The people who work hard and pay taxes in this state deserve better.''

The bill funds state government for the 2005 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The House approved it 54-44 after accepting Senate amendments to a bill House members passed previously.

Democratic House Speaker Larry Adair said the bill's passage was important to meet a deadline for funding education.

The bill appropriates slightly more than $2 billion to the state Board of Education for public schools. Local school districts face an April 10 deadline for notifying their certified teachers if their contracts will be renewed.

``The House of Representatives set the agenda early,'' Adair said. ``The clock has been running. I felt that we needed to get the education part of this appropriation done.''

Henry's communications director, Paul Sund, said the bill omits several parts of the governor's legislative agenda and it is uncertain whether the Democratic governor will sign it.

While the bill boosts health benefits for teachers to 100 percent of the cost of their insurance premiums, it does not earmark funds for childhood education, capital gains and retiree tax relief, screenings for breast or cervical cancer or relocating children from the Tar Creek Superfund site.

There was confusion between House and Senate officials over whether the bill includes funds for state employee pay raises.

``There is plenty of time to finalize a state budget, no matter what action Governor Henry ultimately takes on this particular bill,'' Sund said.

Rep. M.C. Leist, D-Morris, who carried the measure for House Appropriations Chairman Billy Mitchell, D-Lindsay, said it merely provides a framework for funding state agencies next year.

Leist said the House and Senate versions of the bill were only four-hundredths of a percent off and that discrepancies would be worked out in the reconciliation process.

An omnibus general appropriations bill has been used in previous years to ensure agencies can continue to operate at the start of the fiscal year, even if a legislative fight holds up funding for individual agencies.

House Republicans said the measure contains gaming revenue that has not been certified by the Board of Equalization. Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Del City, said opponents may force a statewide referendum on the gaming bill before it goes into effect.

They also said it is unconstitutional because it contains $15.2 million in supplemental funds for corrections and other state agencies for the current fiscal year.

Rep. Fred Morgan, R-Oklahoma City, described it as a form of ``logrolling,'' wrapping supplemental funds for various purposes into a single bill. The state Supreme Court has invalidated similar measures.

Rep. Wayne Pettigrew, R-Edmond, expressed support for Adair and urged the House not to buckle under Senate pressure by accepting amendments to the bill.

``The Senate said take it or leave it. And we're taking it _ bending over,'' Pettigrew said.

``I think the House of Representatives has been dissed today by the Senate,'' said Rep. Leonard Sullivan, R-Oklahoma City, using a slang term for the word ``disrespected.''

Adair said the support from some GOP members was ironic.

``Three years ago these same people tried to oust me,'' he said. ``I appreciate the empathy. I'll put it in my memoirs.''

The measure is House Bill 2007.