OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma House will not return Monday to resume a special session at the Capitol, House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols said Friday.
Earlier this week, Echols told members to plan on being in session on Monday.
“We are still working on some details,” the Oklahoma City Republican said.
Gov. Mary Fallin called lawmakers into special session starting Sept. 25 after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled legislators violated the law in passing what amounted to a $1.50 tax increase on cigarettes.
The ruling blew a $215 million hole in the state’s budget. Coupled with a loss of federal dollars, the shortage is closer to $500 million.
The bulk of the funds went to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is the state’s Medicaid agency.
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House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, recessed the House on Sept. 27 to continue budget negotiations and save the state the $30,000 a day it costs for special session.
Although lawmakers are not at the Capitol, legislative leaders are still meeting with Fallin and her staff.
Echols said he didn’t know when lawmakers would return: “We are still talking.”
Senate Majority Floor Leader Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, said the upper chamber will not return until a budget agreement is reached.
Fallin has said she will veto measures that contain cuts to state agencies, but Echols said lawmakers have no choice but to make targeted reductions.
“Cuts are here,” he said.
However, Echols said across-the-board cutbacks to core services will not occur.
The House has not been able to muster the 76 votes needed for a supermajority to raise taxes. The House stands at 72 Republicans and 28 Democrats, so any proposed tax increase would need some Democratic support. Making the task more difficult is the fact that a sizable faction of House Republicans oppose just about any tax increase at all.
Any new revenue-raising measure would take 90 days to take effect.
The state Capitol is expected to be without power starting at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 as the electrical systems are upgraded as part of a massive restoration effort. It is scheduled to reopen on Oct. 23.
