Details of agreement to help DPS announced

Wednesday, March 29th 2006, 5:54 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) State legislative leaders have agreed on a $3.7 million emergency appropriation to the Department of Public Safety to prevent the furlough of Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers.

The announcement of the agreement was made yesterday by Senator Kenneth Corn, a Poteau Democrat, and Representative John Trebilcock, a Broken Arrow Republican.

Corn and Trebilcock head appropriations subcommittees that handle the budgets of public safety agencies.

In an Associated Press story last week, state Public Safety Commissioner Kevin Ward said the agency needed a $4 million supplemental appropriation to pay its bills for the fiscal year that ends June 30th.

Without the extra money, Ward said cost-cutting steps such as furloughing troopers would have been considered.