The primary work of the second legislative special session of the year is over.
On Friday afternoon, Governor Mary Fallin signed SB0001XX and SB0002XX to provide supplemental funding for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and Department of Human Services to get the agencies through April. The Senate passed the bills on Wednesday and the House of Representatives passed them on Friday, without any no votes, to send them to the governor.
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority will receive $17.7 million from the general revenue fund. The supplemental funding will delay further health care provider reimbursement rate cuts. The Department of Human Services will receive $26.5 million, also from the FY2018 General Revenue Fund.
The work of the special session may not be over. On Friday, the House of Representatives adjourned subject to the call of the chair, meaning lawmakers may return to consider more legislation before the regular session of the legislature begins on February 5, 2018.
A committee of business leaders and elected officials is continuing to try to find ways to increase the amount of revenue available for the state budget. Projections show lawmakers may begin the 2018 regular session with a budget hole of $500-700 million.
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