Governor Mary Fallin Highlights Successes in 2018 Legislative SessionOKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today complimented lawmakers for passing criminal justice reform legislation, appropriating a record amount of funding for public schools, and app…
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today signed the Fiscal Year 2018 budget bill (Senate Bill 860) into law, which closes an $878 million shortfall, maintains common education funding at current levels, and prevents the closings of hospitals and nursing homes. The 2018 fiscal year appropriated budget will be $6,830,177,825. It is $37,782,641, or 0.55 percent less than the revised fiscal year 2017 appropriated budget, which includes supplementals and the revenue failure.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz commented on the 2017 session, saying great policy bookended a session dominated by a $1 billion budget shortfall.
“The Oklahoma Senate worked this session with the goal of ensuring the policies we enacted had long-term vision and set Oklahoma on the path to success now and years down the line. Despite a session that was dominated by the $1 billion shortfall, the Senate was able to enact important policies that will help grow our economy, create jobs and generate wealth, and yield new revenues for the state budget.
Here’s one idea from Fred Morgan which I can really support the need for. There is very little continuity of oversight in our state agencies. Every May, in the waning hours of the long session; with bloodshot eyes our two chambers are presented with a “take it or shut it down” decision. Much of the money in the annual proposed budget has no specific earmark language tied to it. The Agencies take the money and do whatever level of serving the public that […]
Part One in a series of election previews McDugle, McEachin, & Grimes are each running in state house races. The editorial board of Sooner Politics begins posting our research findings on several state legislative races in the coming days. Today we start off with three solid candidates whom we are sure will not disappoint. The 3 member editorial board of Sooner Politics will be posting in other races, in the coming days. […]
Tonight I had the privilege of spending the evening with a small group of conservatives. We asked the Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector, Gary Jones, to give us his report on the state of Oklahoma government. He gave us more information than I could dictate to my twitter account, but I got some bullet points to share with the readers. Mr. Jones said little about the recently released audit of the Oklahoma County jail, in Oklahoma City. Most of that is covered in my previous repor […]
This last week has been an exciting one in the life of the Oklahoma Academic Standards (OAS). Here’s what you need to know.
This last week has been an exciting one in the life of the Oklahoma Academic Standards (OAS). Here’s what you need to know.
The public began making comment on the new OAS after the release of the first draft in June of 2015. ROPE also began …
Restore Oklahoma Public Education (now Reclaim Oklahoma Parent Empowerment) concluded a near five year odyssey dedicated to the task of repealing the Common Core State Standards in our state, when the ink from Governor Fallin’s pen dried on HB3399… Continue Reading →
OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 8, 2016) – An Oklahoma bill would require legislative approval before a state agency could adopt or enforce any new federal rule or regulation, setting the stage to nullify such rules and regulations in practice.
Sen. Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) introduced Senate Bill 1161 (SB1161) on Feb. 1. The legislation would require state agencies to submit any new federal rule or regulation applying to them to the Oklahoma House and Senate before its adoption or implementation. Under the proposed law, the legislature would have the power to disapprove any such federal rule or regulation through passage of a joint resolution.
The Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program was appropriated $5 million for Fiscal Year 2016 and is a program which offers expense rebates to film companies who film in the State of Oklahoma (House Bill 2242). In essence, Oklahoma is paying film companies to make movies here. Although a small amount compared to the 2016 total budget (around $7 billion), the film rebate program is one among many small cuts which could be made to help out in times of budget shortfalls. Oklahoma Legislative Review is calling on Legislators to boldly cut this and other unnecessary functions of government.
