OKLAHOMA CITY — A Senate panel on Tuesday killed a bill that would put the Legislature in charge of toll rate increases instead of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.
The Senate Transportation Committee killed Senate Bill 201, by Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow. The vote was two in support and seven opposed.
Dahm said he filed the bill based on a request from a constituent.
The Turnpike Authority recently voted to increase tolls to pay for the $935 million Driving Forward Initiative.
The bond-financed projects would include work on the Gilcrease Expressway, Muskogee Turnpike, Turner Turnpike, H.E. Bailey Turnpike, Kilpatrick Turnpike and a new Oklahoma City-area turnpike.
Tools are expected to rise as much as 12 percent.
The measure would have required a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate to sell bonds or to increase tolls.
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Dahm said that because lawmakers are elected by the people, they should have the final say on bonds and tolls.
“I would like us to have some more involvement in the process when it hits people in their pocketbook,” he said.
Dahm also said there are two main turnpikes that are used to subsidize the other turnpikes.
Sen. Marty Quinn, R-Claremore, expressed concern that giving the Legislature the power to approve bonds and tolls could inject politics into the process.
After the bill failed, Dahm thanked the committee and told its members he would be giving their cellphone numbers to his constituents.
