Fight over workers' comp bill in the state Senate

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Republican Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin's attempt to preside over the Senate and force a vote on a GOP workers' compensation bill was blocked Thursday when Senate Democrats refused

Thursday, April 28th 2005, 11:41 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Republican Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin's attempt to preside over the Senate and force a vote on a GOP workers' compensation bill was blocked Thursday when Senate Democrats refused to attend the session with her in charge.

"We will not engage in silly political games that are calculated to get somebody elected governor," said Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater.

"If they want to sit in there and posture themselves to run for governor, they can sit in there all night long. We're not going to participate."

Fallin adjourned the Senate at midnight Thursday, saying based on Senate Rule 101, they failed to have a quorum and would adjourn until 1:30 p.m. Monday.

Fallin said if negotiations were still at an impasse over the weekend, she would return to the Senate to preside on Monday afternoon.

Fallin, who has said she is considering running for governor next year, took her place as presiding officer about 9 a.m. and did not leave until 1:40 p.m. to attend the funeral of former House Speaker Jim Barker. She resumed the quorum call at 4:30 p.m.

"If necessary, I am prepared to sit here until the sun goes down to make it clear to the people of Oklahoma who is ready to tackle the most important issue of this session -- and who is not," Fallin said.

Her actions had little practical effect, however, because the Democratic boycott prevented her from getting a quorum of 25 members to conduct Senate business. Democrats hold a 26-22 majority in the 48-member legislative body.

"Senate Republicans reported to the Senate floor ready to work, while Senate Democrats are in hiding to avoid an up-and-down vote on real workers' comp reform," said Senate Minority Leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

At a news conference, Senate Democrats said Republicans were creating a carnival atmosphere and were more interested in scoring political points than having a serious discussion on workers' compensation.

"We're not going to debate issues at the point of a gun," said Sen. Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo.

The House has passed two comprehensive workers' compensation programs -- one incorporating suggestions of Republican Speaker Todd Hiett and the other including the proposals advanced by Democratic Gov. Brad Henry.

Democrats said those proposals could be used to reach a compromise later in the session.

Some business leaders say workers compensation insurance, which pays for medical care for injured workers, is too expensive in Oklahoma and changes are needed to bring down these costs and spur economic development.

The lieutenant governor is described as the Senate's presiding officer in the Oklahoma Constitution, but traditionally only presides over ceremonial joint sessions of the Legislature.

Morgan, who remained in his office into the evening hours, said he has received legal advice that Fallin "has no authority to preside over the Senate" as she insist she does.

Senate rules dictate that the Senate president pro tem or his designee will be in charge of Senate sessions.

Morgan said events during the day had confirmed Fallin and GOP senators were engaged in a "blatant, orchestrated political event" aimed at embarrassing Democrats.

He said the administrative assistants of Democratic senators were tied up during the day handling calls from special interests demanding that the Democrats bow to GOP demands and some senators received automated calls with recorded messages.

"This is all about politics, all about grandstanding," Morgan said. "This is not Senate business."

Morgan said he had been in his office, except for attending the Barker funeral, but had not been contacted by Fallin or GOP senators.

Earlier, Coffee said GOP senators asked Fallin to exercise her constitutional authority and preside because it was time to pass a workers' compensation bill that did not have to go to a conference committee.

"This is not about gubernatorial politics, this is about sound public policy," Coffee said.

"We have studied and debated and talked about workers' compensation reform for long enough in Oklahoma," Fallin said. She said allowing the issue to go to conference "will only ensure that Democrats can gut it like they did to lawsuit reform last year."

On Wednesday, Sen. Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, withdrew his workers compensation bill from consideration after an amendment was approved striking the title of the bill, meaning it would go to a joint conference for further work.

Pruitt said he did not want the bill watered down.

Democrats said difficult issues like workers' compensation normally go to conference committees in order to get a compromise that can be passed.

Sen. Charles Laster, D-Shawnee, who has been involved in negotiations on the bill, said he stands ready to pass a workers' compensation plan that is fair to all parties, but Pruitt's bill had undergone several changes in recent days and was not in shape to be approved intact.

Laster said he was concerned about some provisions in the bill that were onerous to working people. Fallin said Senate Democrats were in the grip of the trial lawyer lobby and did not want real reform.

Hiett said he said he backed his GOP Senate colleague's efforts to force a vote on the Pruitt bill, which like his own package, is geared toward reducing legal costs of the system.

The GOP speaker has opposed the governor's bill, which targets reduction of medical expenses, the No. 1 cost in the workers' compensation system.

Laster said Hiett had refused to take part in negotiations over the Pruitt bill. Coffee confirmed that House Republicans were asked to take part in the talks, but never responded to the request.

"We have not been a participant in any private meetings," Hiett said, while denying the House GOP had boycotted negotiations. "Workers' comp is by No. 1 issue this year and I am engaged," the speaker said.

Democrats said Republicans were skirting Senate rules by bringing Fallin to the Senate chamber to preside.

Henry said his staff had been working with both sides to draft a compromise and the talks had been productive.

"I believe that as long as those talks continue in good faith, we will strike a bipartisan agreement on this important issue very soon," Henry said. "Political stunts, however, do not get us any closer to comprehensive workers' compensation reform."