Henry Wraps Up Action On 2007 Legislation

Thursday, June 7th 2007, 2:40 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Gov. Brad Henry on Thursday signed a bill to allow students to lock in college tuition rates for four years and vetoed another as he wrapped up action on the measures passed by the Oklahoma Legislature during the 2007 session.

This year, Henry signed a total of 366 bills into law, signed two bills with line-item vetoes, vetoed 12 bills and allowed one bill to become law without his signature.

The bill Henry vetoed on Thursday, House Bill 1930, would have included certain doctors who contract with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority under the Governmental Tort Claims Act. Henry said in a veto message that the legislation ``... is overly broad and ambiguous and is covered elsewhere in the act.'' The bill was intended to limit the legal liability of these doctors.

The last bill Henry signed _ HB 2103 _ could lock in tuition rates for college freshmen for four years. The measure would allow colleges and universities to increase tuition rates only if the Legislature does not increase the appropriation to the Regents for Higher Education by at least 5 percent.

The bill also included language designed to limit the cost of textbooks for college students by directing faculty to consider least costly options for instructional materials and to work with publishers and bookstores to create ``bundles and packages if they deliver cost savings to students.''

``The study of basic math hasn't changed for hundreds of years, yet the textbook companies release new editions of math textbooks every three years,'' said House Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah. ``We need to put a stop to such practices that only create financial barriers to higher education for lower-income families.''

Although Henry signed the measure because he said it was part of an agreement with legislative leaders, he issued an accompanying signing statement in which he expressed ``serious concerns'' over the long-term impact of the tuition-lock provision.

``I want to ensure that this legislation does not inadvertently result in higher tuition rates for all students or adversely affect the financial health and quality of colleges and universities, especially during an economic downturn,'' Henry wrote. ``This legislation does not take effect until the 2008-2009 school year, and I look forward to working with legislative leaders to address these issues in the next legislative session so there are no detrimental effects on the higher education system or the students it serves.''

Under the measure Henry signed Thursday, colleges and universities would be required next year to offer first-year students an opportunity to take part in guaranteed tuition plan. The plan would lock in tuition rates for an in-state student's freshman year for four continuous years.