Governor, State Representative Discuss Vetoed House Bill 1009

Governor Kevin Stitt has vetoed a bill that lawmakers said would have updated the state's emergency alert system. 

Governor Stitt vetoed House Bill 1009, which would have given more than $8 million to update the system that alerts Oklahomans during emergencies. 

The governor said the plan wasn't fully flushed out. However, a state representative who helped with the bill said this veto puts rural Oklahomans at risk.

"If you received an amber alert, a silver alert, an incoming tornado, fire, flood, freeze, that all goes through this WARN system which is both state funded, federally funded, and partnered with OETA," said State Representative Logan Phillips.

Phillips helped work on the bill for the past year, and his district covers Okfuskee, Okmulgee and Hughes Counties.

He said updating the towers and receivers would have kept rural Oklahomans safe for the next 30 years.

"For the safety and well-being of our rural communities, we needed to expand and update this network, and to make sure it was continuing to work the way it was supposed to work," he said.

The governor said he didn't think the plan was a solid long-term solution, and not a good use of taxpayer dollars.

"We want to get those dollars on target, into the communities, there's counties that are still recovering from disasters from years ago, and the state needs to pay those counties, for roads and bridges, and some things that have washed out, before we just build new buildings," Governor Stitt said.

The governor said he doesn't believe vetoing the bill puts Oklahomans in danger, and if there's a disaster in the state, emergency crews are equipped to alert and respond.

"We have a great strategy to make sure we can get resources across the state, and I'm confident with our department," he said.

Phillips said lawmakers will not override the veto. As for what's next for the bill, he said hopefully the legislative body picks it up in regular session in February, but there is no guarantee that will happen.