Governor Speaks Out Against House Education Bill

Governor Mike Huckabee blasted the latest education bill from the House and said he will not sign it into law. House Bill 1109, which received final approval on Friday, "is less than what voters approved in 1948," Huckabee said. He plans to push for a ballot vote as early as June. "While the plan that was passed yesterday may represent the very best we can get out of this legislature, it clearly is not the best we can get out of the people," he said. Huckabee contends the bill contains language that would administratively consolidate less than half of the 59 districts. Representative Will Bond of Jacksonville, who sponsored the bill, refutes that claim and says any further delays would only waste money. "We need to do our job and go home and if the Court says we haven`t done it, that`s for them and the master to tell us later," said Bond. The State Supreme Court says it will appoint a special master to reform public education after the legislature missed several deadlines. The bill would become law if Huckabee takes no action within five days. He says he`ll decide next week whether to veto the bill.