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| Emergency funding bill for DOC sent to Okla. governor |
| By The Oklahoman |
| Published: 05/18/2001 |
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Legislators recently sent Oklahoma's governor, Frank Keating, a $15 million emergency funding bill to help the state Corrections Department operate through May 23. Another supplemental appropriation to get the agency through the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, is expected to be presented to legislators before the 2001 legislative session ends. The session ends May 25. A majority of Monday's appropriation -- $9.2 million -- will pay for private prison beds this month. Another $1.8 million will be used for operations, Sen. Dick Wilkerson, D-Atwood, told senators. The legislation, House Bill 1567, also authorizes the Corrections Department to transfer $4 million in existing funds to the prison medical program. Those existing funds include money not needed this fiscal year for the community sentencing program, Wilkerson said. In March, the Legislature approved $7 million in funding to get the Corrections Department through April. When the 2001 legislative session began, the department asked for $34 million to get it through the current fiscal year. Passage of the two emergency funding bills for corrections this session still leaves the agency $12 million short of what it said it needed in a supplemental appropriation for this fiscal year. Dave Miller, the Corrections Department's chief of administrative operations, said the agency will try to determine whether it can get through the rest of the fiscal year with less than $12 million. John Cox, press secretary for Gov. Frank Keating, said he couldn't say whether the governor would sign the legislation. However, it is similar to what has been discussed by the governor, Cox said. |
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