Governor vetoes open carry, health care lawsuit measures

House Joint Resolution 1054 would have prohibited any law or regulation requiring any Oklahoman to have individual insurance coverage. It also would have banned any state resident from being fined for failing to have health insurance.

The measure also would have authorized Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, and House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, to hire a lawyer to file a lawsuit against Congress, President Barack Obama and the head of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department to prevent the recently passed federal health care legislation from taking effect.

In his veto message, the governor said HJR 1054 would have triggered a futile legal battle and a possible loss of federal health care funding.

Open carry

The governor also vetoed House Bill 3354, the so-called open carry law. The law would have allowed those with permits to carry concealed handguns to display their weapons in public view.

The governor said he listened to safety concerns expressed by law enforcement about the measure.

"We already allow trained and licensed Oklahomans to protect themselves by carrying concealed handguns, and it doesn't make anyone safer to wear a holster and display that weapon to the rest of the public," Henry said. "On the contrary, it makes it more difficult and dangerous for law enforcement officers to try to sort out the good guys and bad guys when they arrive at a crime scene."