Oklahoma Senate Votes To Override Governor's Veto

The Oklahoma Senate has voted to override Gov. Mary Fallin's veto of a House bill dealing with federal gun regulations.

The Senate voted 39-0 Thursday to override. The House voted 86-3 on April 30 for the veto override and the bill now becomes law without the governor's signature.

The bill requires law enforcement authorities to certify within 15 days that a firearm applicant is eligible to receive it under federal regulations.

The Senate action is the latest signal of growing tension between the Republican governor and the GOP-controlled Legislature. Last week, Fallin vetoed 15 House bills she says were unnecessary or didn't have a meaningful purpose.

The override is the first since Fallin took office in 2011.

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin today issued the following statement after the state Senate approved final legislative action to override her veto of House Bill 2461:

"Last Tuesday I vetoed 15 bills in an attempt to refocus the attention of the Legislature on important issues facing this state that have been left unaddressed. Those issues include: the need to support local communities seeking to build storm shelters in schools; the need to repair our crumbling state Capitol; addressing our unfunded and fiscally unstable pension system; working to reduce the crisis of prescription drug abuse in Oklahoma; and delivering a responsible, balanced budget that funds core areas of government such as education appropriately while delivering targeted pay raises to some state employees.

"Those issues remain unaddressed and time is running out. The Legislature has chosen to override one of my vetoes, which is certainly its legal right and an outcome I knew was possible. The legislation they passed today makes it easier to sell and transfer restricted firearms and accessories like silencers, which is fine. Now that they've accomplished that, I am asking the House and Senate to work with each other and with me to deliver legislation to fund our state government, improve our economy and generally do the things their constituents have put them in office to do. The legislative session is scheduled to end on May 30th. The time for action is now."