Committee work resumes at state Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Lawmakers may get their first look at funding bills designed to close a budget gap as they continue shuffling legislation through committees when they return to the Capitol on Monday. Republican House Speaker Chris Benge of Tulsa says the staff was preparing bills that would include supplemental funding for health care, education and public safety. That's part of a deal reached last month with Gov. Brad Henry and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee to plug holes in the budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

There's still disagreement about how much money will come from the state's constitutional reserve fund. Henry proposed spending $485 million from the Rainy Day Fund, but Benge and Coffee say they want to spend no more than $225 million. They say the rest can come from federal stimulus dollars.