Governor explains delay in calling special session

TULSA — Twice since the Oklahoma Supreme Court threw out a bill that imposed a new “fee” on a pack of cigarettes, Governor Mary Fallin has issued statements saying a special session of the legislature will be required to fix the $215 million budget gap left by the ruling.

But she hasn’t called one yet, and during a visit to Tulsa this week, she was asked why.

She said the primary reason is that there are other lawsuits pending on other bills passed that could affect the budget as well.

“We’re waiting on the court to rule on the sales tax fee on cars, purchasing of new cars, they haven’t made the ruling on that,” she told KRMG.

But she said there’s a lot of work going on in the meantime, trying to reach some kind of consensus among lawmakers before they enter a special session, which costs taxpayers an estimated $30,000 per day.

“Hopefully our legislators will be able to come back in special session, and we’re still working through what will that call be,” she said. “We hope that we’ll be able to find some consensus  to come back in beforehand, and to reach those agreements.”

That said, she acknowledged that the clock is ticking, because agencies that will not get the money from the cigarette fee will soon face a budget gap.

And, as she pointed out, even after a new revenue measure is passed, it’s 90 days before the state can even start collecting the money.