Governor Brad Henry Nixes Bill Affecting Budget, Auditor

Saturday, May 6th 2006, 5:43 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Governor Brad Henry vetoed a bill he says would have ended the purpose of a legislative committee and made it an entity that duplicates the duties of the state auditor and inspector.

Henry said Friday the bill would unnecessarily increase the size and cost of government and conflict with the constitutional duties of the state auditor and inspector.

He says the bill would weaken Oklahoma's 2-year-old zero-based budgeting law when lawmakers should be working to strengthen it.

The measure would have created a legislative committee to conduct performance reviews and audits of selected state agencies, even though an existing legislative panel is tasked with enforcing zero-based budgeting.