Author :  Erin Boeckman and Sh
Date :  04/30/2007

(OPT) The final week of consideration of bills from the opposite house saw the House adding significantly to Senate bills in its possession, while the Senate quietly considered the bulk of the measures sent to it by the House, which managed to meet the deadline a day early.

At the same time, budget negotiations were underway, although no details have been released. And Gov. Brad Henry did was has been done rarely, if at all: Waited until Saturday to veto a piece of legislation that was on his desk.

Henry vetoes tort reform measure

The governor issued a rare Saturday veto, rejecting SB 507, a tort reform bill touted by legislative Republicans.

Saturday was the last day for the governor to act on the bill. The Oklahoma Constitution gives the governor five days during the legislative session to sign or veto measures. Failure to act on a measure in the prescribed time during the session is a "pocket signature," rather than a "pocket veto," and the measure becomes law.

Henry had been expected to announce his decision concerning the controversial measure Friday but said he would review the bill one more day and announce his decision Saturday.