As the 1992 session opened, Horner requested a conference committee composed of herself and fellow Democrats Vickie Miles-LaGrange, of Oklahoma City and Ed Long of Enid. The trio would try to hammer out an agreement with Ross, Lawton Democrat Sid Hudson, Carolyn Thompson, a Norman Democrat who chaired the House education committee, Tulsa Democrat Betty Boyd and rural lawmaker Jack Begley.
Negotiations weren’t easy.
“When you had Miles-LaGrange, Ross, Thompson and Begley all on the same group, you had your hands full,” the former Senate staff member said. “They didn’t always work well together.”
Months passed without an agreement.
Then, in early April, Horner’s conference committee — discarding the House’s earlier version of the bill — made a second attempt to pass the bill.
They failed.
Members from both houses said “no” and the measure was sent back for a second conference committee April 28.
A week later, on May 5, the bill remained in legislative limbo.
Finally, on May 14, the revised SB156 passed; Senate members adopted the second conference committee report by a 47-1 vote. Only Edmond Republican Mike Fair voted against the measure.
And once again, like her efforts a year later, Horner’s bill was sent back the House of Representatives.
“This was it,” the former staffer said. “The House vote was Horner’s last card. If it failed there, it was over and, more than likely, no one would bother with a similar proposal for a while.”
But Horner had extra help.
With the support of Frederick Democrat Loyd Benson, the compromise version of SB156 was adopted May 14. Thirteen days later, the bill passed the full House by an 89 to 5 vote.
And while some conservatives supported the measure, many metro House members did not, including Moore Representative Carolyn Coleman; Oklahoma City lawmakers Bill Graves and Joan Greenwood and Mustang Republican Tim Pope. Seven other lawmakers did not vote.
“It’s entertaining,” the former Senate staff member said, “that many of the current lawmakers in those same districts support and campaign using OHLAP, while their predecessors did not. The districts haven’t changed. Just the lawmakers in them.”
On May 28, 1992 — more than a year and a half after Horner first introduced it — the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Plan passed the Oklahoma Senate for the final time; from there it would be sent to Gov. David Walters who was elected in the fall of 1990.
Maxine Horner had — in spite of the obstacles and amendments thrown in her way — steered a third, major piece of education reform legislation through the Oklahoma Legislature.
But that process was far from finished; SB 156 had not yet become law. Walters, a Democrat, had the final say.
“At first, yes, I was worried,” Horner said. “I was pretty sure the governor supported the idea, but after all the controversy, well you never know.”
Once again, Horner succeeded.
On June 4, Walters signed SB 156, and the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Plan became a part of state law.
“Oh, yes I was happy,” Horner said. “We put so much into it, and I knew it would be a success. It just took a while to get people to believe.”
M. Scott Carter
366-3545
scarter@normantranscript.com
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