Published: May 10, 2008 07:48 am            

Oil, gas program draws discussion

While the state budget has been passed and signed, money consistently remains an issue when it comes to the state legislature.

One topic that came up in the question and answer session at Friday’s eggs and issues legislative forum involved finding state funding to keep the Oil and Gas training program at High Plains Technology Center in Woodward and Kiamichi Tech in Poteau going.

Federal funding for the program runs out on June 30.

Keith Rowekamp with Unit Drilling pointed out to legislators - Sen. Owen Laughlin and Reps. Jeff Hickman, Gus Blackwell and Rob Johnson - that the center has trained 6,500 people and has created, “a tremendous amount of jobs in the oil and gas business.”

Industry representatives have talked to High Plains officials about making the program into fee, or tuition-based – currently not allowed under the terms of the federal grant – and eventually become self-sustaining, but to reach that point state money is needed to keep things going.

The program is already a public-private partnership. While operated with federal funds, oil and gas companies have provided much of the equipment used for training.

Sen. Laughlin, whose 12-year Senate career ends with the completion of this session, said he and other legislators in the area have made “very strong requests” for $750,000 to keep the program going and they are continuing to work on the issue.

“I believe we are in the hunt on that right now and we’re pressing that issue every day,” Laughlin said. “We’ve got two weeks left and this is the time in the session when things happen. We’re really hopeful that it’s still out there.”

The senator pointed out that the request eventually needs to go into the career tech budget as a recurring expense.

All the legislators urged oil and gas industry representatives and others to contact key people in the legislature - primarily those in the appropriations area - to push the issue.

The legislators said the willingness of the oil and gas industry to partner in a tuition-based program is “not a bad thing for legislators to hear as well.”

Continued transportation funding is also an issue in the state and the prospect of a bond issue for roads and bridges has come up in the legislature.

Rep. Jeff Hickman said he could potentially support a bond issue to help with roads and bridges, “if we can keep all the other things from being tacked on.

“We have to be very responsible about bond issues, but borrowing money economically may make sense for Oklahoma with roads and bridges.”

Health care issues, primarily a lack of doctors, also caught some attention.

“It’s a pretty tough situation, not only in Woodward but in all of Oklahoma,” Hickman said. “Oklahoma is 51st, even behind the District of Columbia, in access to primary medical care.

“It’s an issue we’re working on, trying to get physicians to look at rural Oklahoma. We need to give communities the tools to help recruit physicians.

Hickman said a task force is being put together to look at the entire health care situation in the state.

The legislators, all Republicans, also said lawsuit reform was a key in a number of areas.

A bill currently on the governor’s desk would require a certificate of merit - an expert witness to sign off saying there is merit to a lawsuit, before it can be heard.

Laughlin and Rep. Rob Johnson said the indications are the governor will veto the measure and they urged those in attendance to contact the governor’s office to urge him not to veto the bill.

Note: Gov. Brad Henry vetoed the lawsuit reform measure on Friday afternoon.

Another measure is called a “school protection act” which basically says school teachers, administrators and employees can’t be sued for doing their job, Laughlin said. That measure is currently in the Senate.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.