The Oklahoma Supreme Court has voided bond provisions in a law passed by the Legislature in 2008 because it violated the state constitutional ban on bills with more than one subject.
SB 1374 authorized $75 million of bonds, with the proceeds divided equally among state flood control projects, a series of low-water dams on the Arkansas River in Tulsa, and the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum currently under construction in Oklahoma City. The bonds for the American Indian center have been sold, but the others have not.
Oklahoma City attorney Jerry Fent challenged the flood control bonds and the low-water dam bonds.
Rep. Dan Sullivan, R-Tulsa, who wrote the bond legislation, said measures currently before the Legislature will resolve the constitutional issue.
“We do have some bills available that we can plug these two projects into separately and send them through and do it again,” he said. “Unfortunately, it will cause delay for those needing these very important conservation projects that really does create a public safety issue.”
