Capitol Spotlight for March 4 or thereafter

Senate votes to lift roadwork trigger

By Jim Campbell
OPA Capitol News Bureau

Reflecting the legislative popularity of Oklahoma's roads and bridges despite relative 
hard times for the state pocketbook, the Senate voted 47-1 to lift the trigger that trimmed 
this year's allocation by $32.5 million.
The bill by Sen. Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau, is one of two removing the required 3 percent 
growth in new money for the maximum appropriation of $50 million. Failing to hit that 
mark, funding fell to $17.5 million.
AAA Oklahoma and others urged lawmakers to find a way to meet critical state road 
needs. In the House, Rep. John Wright, R-Broken Arrow, has tried unsuccessfully to tap 
the brimming Rainy Day Fund for the money.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Johnny Crutchfield, D-Ardmore, questioned the fiscal 
responsibility of Corn's bill, saying the trigger was inserted two years ago in a deal 
providing a safety valve "for just the kind of situation we're in."
"Are you aware we could end up hurting every other agency in the state?" asked 
Crutchfield, who will negotiate final budget figures with the House and Gov. Brad Henry.   
Corn said he had not talked with the governor, but "I can tell you if we don't find a way 
to fund roads and bridges we will fully gut the eight-year plan."
He said he wanted to make sure roads and bridges are on the table during final budget 
talks.
Sen. Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo, also suggested tapping the Rainy Day Fund, proclaiming "for 
roads and bridges, it's raining."
Corn blamed recent tax cuts for lack of growth and said he is willing to dip into reserve 
funds if necessary. As an appropriation measure possibly headed to conference, the title 
is off the bill.
Senate consideration of SB 1672 by Corn, making taser misuse a felony, prompted the 
former chairman of the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission to warn once again that 
steady growth of felony crimes is dangerously packing prisons.
Sen. Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne, said there are currently 14 Senate bills creating 
new felonies and 73 House and Senate bills enhancing penalties if not establishing new 
crimes.
 "I'm all for public safety," said Lerblance, but insisted, "if we continue, continue, 
continue," there will be no room for all the felons. It was an argument he made repeatedly 
as head of the Sentencing Commission. 
Corn's bill passed Monday, 39-7.
***
Finding "dead dog state" hardly the image they were looking for, members of a House 
committee put to sleep legislation requiring release of euthanized animals to brokers 
peddling them to research labs.
Brian Gordon, a laboratory veterinarian at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 
told the Public Health Committee the bill by Rep. Phil Richardson, R-Minco, "will create 
a lot of negative publicity in this state."
"We will become known as the supplier of dead dogs throughout the United States, and 
that will be our tag rather than the excellence we are trying to establish," said Gordon, 
explaining he was speaking for himself rather than the OMRF. 
Richardson, a farmer and veterinarian, said he proposed HB 2250 because researchers 
have a hard time obtaining carcasses for their work. He said animal rights groups have 
made "a political issue out it."
Cynthia Armstrong of the Humane Society said donating animals for research is okay, 
but it is bad policy to release them to middlemen who profit from them.
The vote was 11-5.

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