Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed Friday evening most of the bill lawmakers passed in special session to deal with Oklahoma's $215 million budget hole.
Fallin vetoed all but five of the 170 sections in House Bill 1019, passed earlier Friday by the Senate and Wednesday by the House of Representatives.
"House Bill 1019 does not provide a long-term solution to the re-occurring budget deficits, and within three months we will come back facing an estimated $600 million shortfall," Fallin said.
Fallin intends to call a second special session for lawmakers to pass revenue measures.
The governor kept a $30 million emergency appropriation for the Oklahoma Department of Health. The agency needed the supplemental funding to pay employees and make it through the rest of the fiscal year without cuts.
Also preserved in Fallin's veto is short-term funding for the three health care agencies facing steep cuts after the cigarette tax passed during the regular session was struck down. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority were to receive the bulk of the $215 million from the tax.
"My action avoids immediate health and human services cuts and provides time for legislators to come back and approve revenue proposals that can provide a permanent fix," Fallin said.
HB1019 used $106 million in one-time spending, most of what the state had available. Fallin's veto means less of the state's cash reserves will be used. The $60 million in cuts to be spread across nearly all state agencies were also vetoed.
"We must find sustainable, predictable recurring revenue to fund our core services and get us out of the constant crisis. Let’s finish our work for the sake of our great state and our hardworking people," Fallin said. "I love this state and her people, and I will continue to work tirelessly with the Legislature for them."
Fallin's requests for the special session adjourned Friday were for lawmakers to find a long-term solution to continuing budget shortfalls, find more opportunities for consolidating state government, clarify exemptions to the new motor vehicle sales tax and give teachers a pay raise.
Lawmakers were not able to do any of those things over eight weeks.
