Oklahoma Leaders Unveil $12.6B Budget Deal with Income Tax Cuts, Flat Agency Funding
Oklahoma lawmakers and Gov. Kevin Stitt announced a state budget agreement at a press conference yesterday Wednesday. Agency appropriations are staying mostly flat, and an income tax cut is on the way.
The House and Senate have agreed to a $12.6 billion state budget.
It comes with an elimination of the bottom three income tax brackets and quarter percent income tax cut for everyone else.
Overall, Stitt says, the agreed-upon budget meets critical infrastructure needs across the state while continuing to make Oklahoma ‘business friendly.’
"This isn't a governor's budget. It's not a house budget. It's not a Senate budget. But it is the best budget that we put together to make Oklahoma a top ten state," Stitt said.
Stitt was flanked only by House and Senate Republican Leadership on both sides.
Senate Democratic minority leader Julia Kirt responded in a press release minutes after the governor's presser, saying the budget helps big companies and people who are well-connected, not everyday working Oklahomans.
OMMA Blames Software Glitch for Accidental Cancellation of Thousands of Marijuana Business Licenses
Thousands of medical marijuana business owners in Oklahoma received notices their business licenses were cancelled Wednesday due to a technical glitch.
In a Facebook post, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority says it is aware of a software glitch that cancelled thousands of business licenses overnight.
It also says it's working with its third party licensing vendor, Thentia, to figure out what caused the glitch.
The agency clarified businesses that received the notification can continue operations as usual.
Just two days earlier, the agency made a scam alert about individuals claiming to be OMMA agents calling licensed medical marijuana businesses to demand $5,000 or more to pay for supposed fines or violations.
The agency stated it would never call businesses and ask them to wire money.
Stitt Signs Law Banning State-Funded DEI Programs at Oklahoma Colleges and Universities
Oklahoma colleges and universities will be banned from using state funds for diversity, equity and inclusion activities and positions. Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 796 into law Wednesday.
The law prevents higher education institutions from requiring DEI training, employee positions, departments or programs “to the extent they grant preferential treatment based on one person’s particular race, color, ethnicity or national origin over another’s.”
It bans universities from requiring anyone to receive DEI training and any job applicants from providing a DEI statement.
It does not apply to the individual instruction of faculty members, scholarly research, student organizations or guest speakers.
The law takes effect this July, but Oklahoma institutions have already been subject to nearly identical language in a Stitt executive order that took effect in May of 2024. The law codifies the existing order into state statute.
By July of 2026 and annually after that, colleges and universities will have to submit a certificate of compliance.
PGA Championship Returning to Tulsa’s Southern Hills in 2032
The PGA Championship is underway at the Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina. But it's been announced the championship will return to Oklahoma in 2032.
Earlier this week, the PGA of America announced Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa will again host the PGA Championship in 2032.
Southern Hills hosted the tournament five times already, most recently in 2022 when Justin Thomas won in comeback fashion in a three-hole aggregate playoff after the final round.
Tiger Woods won the PGA at Southern Hills in 2007. The course hosted the 2021 Senior PGA Championship as well, and was also the site of three U.S. Opens in 1958, 1977 and 2001.
In a social media post, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell says the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills had an overall economic impact of more than $150 million.
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