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PrintE-mailHouse passes Land Office modernization bill

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Published: 03/03/10 - 4:27pm Written by Dick Pryor

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Legislation to improve auditing practices at a state agency where a former employee is accused of embezzling nearly $1.16 million has been approved. The House and Senate passed separate bills Wednesday that supporters say will modernize the Commissioners of the Land Office. The agency manages public school lands for the benefit of the state's public schools.

Roger Melson, the former director of audit for the Land Office's royalty audit division, was indicted by a multi-county grand jury in June on 174 counts of embezzlement. Melson is accused of taking more than $1.16 million in royalty payments to the office over the last five years. Land Office Secretary Mike Hunter says commissioners want to make sure that embezzlement will not happen in the future.