ADDED.)
THE COURT IN WAY, SUPRA, THEN WENT ON TO CITE ANOTHER EARLIER CASE WHICH SAID:
"GOVERNMENTAL ENDS . . . AND EXPENDITURES INCIDENTAL TO THE PROPER REACHING THEREOF, ARE PLACED IN THE HANDS OF THE SOVEREIGN LEGISLATURE . . . NO ONE CAN CALL SUCH BODY . . . TO ACCOUNT FOR ITS OR THEIR EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS . . . UNLESS . . . TO RESTRAIN AND PREVENT THE COMPLETION OF A PURPOSE . . . IN VIOLATION OF THE BASIC LAW OF THE STATE."
635 P.2D AT 1017 (CITATION OMITTED).
THE COURT ALSO INCORPORATED THE LONG STANDING RULE OF "PRESUMPTIVE VALIDITY" OF LEGISLATIVE ENACTMENTS AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ITS REASONING. FOR EXAMPLE, THE COURT STATED THAT "(I)F THERE IS ANY DOUBT AS TO THE VALIDITY OF AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE, THE DOUBT MUST BE RESOLVED IN FAVOR OF THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE." ID. AT 1017 (CITATION OMITTED). THE COURT CONTINUED, AGAIN QUOTING FROM AN EARLIER CASE, STATING THAT "(A)N LEGISLATIVE INTENT TO VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION IS NEVER TO BE ASSUMED IF THE LANGUAGE OF THE STATUTE CAN BE SATISFIED BY A CONTRARY CONSTRUCTION." ID. AT 1017 (CITATION OMITTED). SIMILARLY, THE COURT STATED THAT IT IS THE "DUTY OF THE COURTS TO UPHOLD LEGISLATIVE ACTS UNLESS IT PLAINLY AND CLEARLY VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION." ID. AT 1017.
BASED ON THESE RULES, THE COURT IN WAY UPHELD THE APPROPRIATIONS AT ISSUE, CONCLUDING THAT SUCH APPROPRIATIONS WERE FOR:
`PUBLIC PURPOSES' WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 14 . . . AND BY REASON OF THE DETAILED REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENTAL CONTROLS AND SAFEGUARDS WHICH ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STATUTORY PLAN UNDER WHICH THE PLAINTIFF IS ENABLED TO RECEIVE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS, THE APPROPRIATION STATUTES ARE IN THE NATURE OF A UNILATERAL CONTRACT BETWEEN AN AGENCY OF STATE GOVERNMENT AND GRAND LAKE ASSOCIATION, INC., AND . . . ARE NOT, THEREFORE, IN VIOLATION OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 15.
ID. AT 1018.
THE RULING IN WAY WAS AFFIRMED BY THE COURT IN SUBSEQUENT DECISIONS. SEE, DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OKLAHOMA V. ESTEP, 652 P.2D 271 (OKLA.1982) AND OKLAHOMA CITY NEWS BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION. INC. V. NIGH, 683 P.2D 72 (OKLA.1984).
PERHAPS THE MOST CONCISE SUMMARY OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE LAW IN OKLAHOMA, INCORPORATING SOME OF THE BEST OF THE RULES ENUNCIATED BY THE COURT IN ITS EARLIER AND LATER DECISIONS, IS FOUND IN A.G. OPIN. NO. 82-071 WHEREIN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, IN CONSTRUING ART. X, 14 AND 15, OPINED:
"UNDER THESE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS, THE WELL ESTABLISHED RULE IN OKLAHOMA HAS BEEN THAT PUBLIC FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS, PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS IN THEIR FUNCTIONS OR ACTIVITIES, NO MATTER HOW WHOLESOME OR BENEFICIAL THE PURPOSES OR ACTIVITIES OF SUCH ENTITIES MAY BE AS TO THAT PORTION OF THE PUBLIC WITH WHICH THEY COME IN CONTACT.
* * *
THE STATE MAY, HOWEVER, CONTRACT WITH PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD WHERE PROPER GOVERNMENTAL CONTROLS AND SAFEGUARDS EXIST TO ENSURE