State Senate corrections bill assigned to state House committee

Tuesday, February 14th 2006, 6:02 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An appropriations bill that would provide $3,200, across-the-board raises for Oklahoma Department of Corrections workers is heading to a state House committee.

Democratic Representative Joe Sweeden tried to place the measure directly on the state House calendar so it could be considered by the full House as early as Tuesday.

But that motion was killed by House Republicans, who have their own pay-raise plan that includes $2,000 raises.

The state Senate voted without opposition for the Democrat proposal last week. Corrections officials say they will run out of money in March to pay for some private prison beds. The supplemental appropriation also would fund pay raises to ease a shortage of correctional officers.