OKLAHOMA CITY – House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, today released a statement following Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond's announcement that he was withdrawing a legal opinion issued by his predecessor regarding state funding for religious schools: 

"Today, AG Drummond exercised the power of his office to withdraw an opinion handed down by his predecessor regarding state funding for religious schools. Among other reasons for withdrawal, the attorney general stated that the opinion 'misuses the concept of religious liberty by employing it as a means to justify state-funded religion.' AG Drummond was well within his powers to withdraw a previous legal opinion, and today's action demonstrates just how important full passage of the House's Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act will be for Oklahoma parents and students. The Act will provide an avenue for parents to use their own hard earned money to spend on an education for their child that is of their choosing, and it provides for less government intrusion into local districts and the personal lives and finances of Oklahomans. 

Today's action shows how critical it is to provide Oklahomans with a well thought out, logical approach to school choice that will benefit everyone equally and limit the potential for waste, fraud and abuse. The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act does all of those things, and more, and will allow parents affected by today's decision to continue providing the education of their choosing for their children."