Big Bird Lives On In Oklahoma

Members of the state House defeated a measure Thursday that would eventually remove direct appropriations from the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority.

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Credit OETA

OETA's Dick Pryor with state Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman and minority leader Sean Burrage on the set of Oklahoma Forum.

The author of House Bill 2218, Republican Rep. Tom Newell, told members the director of OETA has been working with him on the bill. But House minority leader Scott Inman said the bill was really a poison pill forced on the television network.

The bill would have cut appropriations to OETA until it is eliminated by June 30, 2022.

Newell argued that lawmakers need to prioritize funding to other areas in state government.