Prison funding bill sent to Governor Brad Henry's desk

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Senate gives final approval to a bill providing $24-million for prisons and increasing the pay of corrections workers by $2,800 annually.<br/><br/>The measure was the

Thursday, March 2nd 2006, 6:13 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Senate gives final approval to a bill providing $24-million for prisons and increasing the pay of corrections workers by $2,800 annually.

The measure was the subject of a 10-month dispute between the state Senate and state House, but passed on a 45-to-0 vote Wednesday and now goes to Governor Brad Henry.

Senators also sent to the House bills to increase the amount of money that goes into the constitutional Rainy Day Fund and to create a $100-million "opportunity fund" to create jobs.

Poteau state Senator Kenneth Corn says the emergency funding bill for the Corrections Department will allow the agency to quickly hire more correctional and probation and parole officers.

In other action, the state Senate passed a bill to exempt professional sports tickets from the state sales tax; approved a bill to redirect $7-million in fuel tax money for roads and bridges and passed a bill by Lexington state Senator Cal Hobson to set aside about $8-million for a federal program that helps low-income residents with their winter heating bills.