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Oklahoma City Attorney Sues Gov. Fallin, Claims Violation of State Law

Carolyn Kaster / AP
Gov. Mary Fallin speaks during the Republican National Convention in July 2016.

Leaders of a state education group are supporting a lawsuit that was filed against the Governor Mary Fallin on Tuesday. The governor has been accused of violating state law and the Oklahoma Constitution.

State officials over estimated mid-year budget cuts, and now have an overage of $140 million. Oklahoma City Attorney David Slane says the governor must immediately return that money to the state agencies it was originally cut from.

However, Fallin has suggested calling a special legislative session and using the money for teacher pay raises. But the lawsuit asserts she does not have the right to hold the money while she figures it out.

Ryan Owens, the executive director of CCOSA (a school administrator organization), agrees that teachers desperately need pay raises, but still supports Slane’s lawsuit.

"There is no authorization for OMES to continue to hold these funds while the Governor continues to contemplate whether or not to call a special session."

Owens says reallocating it to multiple agencies is the right thing to do.

Emily Wendler was KOSU's education reporter from 2015 to 2019.
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