Opinion ID: 2633114
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: h.b.1105

Text: ¶ 2 On May 24, 2007, both houses of the Oklahoma Legislature passed H.B.1105. On May 25, 2007, the Governor received H.B. 1105 and the First Regular Session of the Fifty-first Oklahoma Legislature finally adjourned sine die in accordance with the Okla. Const., art. V, § 26. [1] On June 4, 2007, the Governor approved H.B.1105. Effective July 1, 2007, H.B.1105 transfers some 135 Million Dollars of surplus accrued in the General Revenue Fund as of June 30, 2007, for expenditure by some sixteen state agencies. ¶ 3 H.B.1105 contains five sections of law: one section allocates and transfers the surplus funds, two sections create and govern a revolving fund, and two sections declare an effective date for the act and an emergency. Section 1, to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as § 46.3 of Title 62, consists of subsections (A) and (B). Subsection 1(A) directs the transfer of more than 135 Million Dollars of surplus funds which may accrue in the General Revenue Fund for the State of Oklahoma for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, [2] and allocates the funds for expenditure by agencies in the executive branch of state government. Subsection (1)(B) lifts the fiscal year budgetary category and amount limitations on the transfers. [3] ¶ 4 In twenty-three enumerated paragraphs, subsection 1(A) of H.B. 1105 transfers and allocates specific amounts of the surplus funds to state agencies or agency revolving funds. [4] The paragraphs prioritize the allocations. Paragraph 1 sets aside the first Ten Million Dollars . . . to fund employer contribution rate increases to teachers retirement for the common schools and higher education, paragraph 2 sets aside the next Ten Million Dollars . . . to the State Emergency Fund, paragraph 3 sets aside the next Twenty-two Million Dollars . . . for purposes of a teacher salary increase, and so on. ¶ 5 A large part of the 135 Million Dollars of surplus funds is allocated to support public education. In three different paragraphs, subsection 1(A) of H.B.1105 allocates more than 27 Million Dollars to the State Department of Education for teacher retirement and teacher pay increases and pay incentives and, in four different paragraphs, it allocates nearly 43 Million Dollars to the State Regents Revolving Fund of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for operational expenses and capital improvements. The surplus funds are also allocated for several different and unrelated governmental purposes, including 15 Million Dollars to the Oklahoma Capitol Complex and Centennial Commemoration Commission Revolving Fund, 2.5 Million Dollars to the Rural Fire Equipment Grant Revolving Fund, 6.5 Million Dollars to the Research Support Revolving Fund, 6.5 Million Dollars to the Department of Public Safety Revolving Fund, 2 Million Dollars to the School for Deaf/Blind Revolving Fund, and 5 Million Dollars to the Private Prison and Halfway House Capacity Development Revolving Fund. ¶ 6 Section 2 of H.B.1105 creates the Private Prison and Halfway House Capacity Development Revolving Fund to be expended by the Department of Corrections. Section 3 of H.B.1105 authorizes the Department of Corrections to utilize the funds in the Private Prison and Halfway House Capacity Development Revolving Fund for payments on contracts in effect on July 1, 2007, for the purpose of funding up to five percent increase in payments to be made pursuant to such contracts. Sections 4 and 5 of H.B.1105 provide the act will be effective on July 1, 2007, and declare an emergency in accordance with the Okla. Const., art. V, § 58. [5]