The Oklahoma House's top Democrat is wants an attorney general's opinion on the constitutionality of a legislative dictate that diverted almost $7.9 million from the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.
Democratic Rep. Scott Inman of Del City made the request Wednesday. Inman says he believes it is unconstitutional as well as immoral to reduce funding for the college scholarship program, and that some students in OHLAP won't receive the tuition assistance they were promised.
OHLAP provides free tuition to Oklahoma students whose family income is $50,000 or less and who maintain a certain high-school grade point average. OHLAP serves about 19,000 students at an annual cost of about $60 million.
Inman says he questions whether the Legislature has the authority to order the Board of Equalization to reduce OHLAP's funding.
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