As they completed their work in the 2022 Regular Session, Oklahoma lawmakers sent to the governor a state budget for fiscal year 2023 that provides additional appropriated dollars for various law enforcement agencies.
TRANSCRIPT:
Dick Pryor: This is Capitol insider taking you inside politics, policy and government in Oklahoma. I'm Dick Pryor with Quorum Call publisher Shawn Ashley. Shawn, on Friday the House passed the general appropriations bill for the fiscal year that begins in July and sent the bill to the governor. Both chambers also passed bills that implement funding in the year ahead. Higher education gets an increase in funding. Who else comes out ahead in this year's appropriations?
Shawn Ashley: Well, state law enforcement officers fare very well in the fiscal year 2023 budget. Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation officers will see 30% pay raises. Department of Corrections and Pardon and Parole officers also receive pay raises, along with law enforcement officers at the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, the Attorney General's Office, the Bureau of Narcotics, the Alcoholic Beverage Law Enforcement Commission, and the Council on Law Enforcement, Education and Training. The Department of Human Services will see nearly a $40 million increase, including the much touted $32.5 million for the developmentally disabled services waiting list, an effort lawmakers have been working on for several years. Governor Kevin Stitt has until midnight Thursday to sign or veto that budget.
Dick Pryor: Funding for pre-K through 12 education was relatively flat. What other agencies probably came away disappointed?
Shawn Ashley: Well, when you look across the list of agencies, what you see is that some see no change in their appropriations under this budget, such as the governor's office and the state treasurer's office. Others, it appears, are receiving reductions in their spending, such as the Commissioners of the Land Office, the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority and the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. But that's really because they are simply losing funding for on- time projects. Overall spending for agencies is increasing under the FY 23 budget.
Dick Pryor: There was no traction in the Senate on eliminating the grocery tax, which would have helped a lot of people deal with rising prices. Do regular Oklahomans benefit from this budget?
Shawn Ashley: Yes, they do. In December, Oklahomans who filed their 2021 individual income tax as single will receive a $75 one-time rebate, and those who filed married jointly will receive a $150 one time rebate under the Inflation Relief Stimulus Program. The budget also eliminates the sales tax on motor vehicles that was implemented five years ago during a state budget downturn. So those buying new and used cars will see a reduction in their cost.
Dick Pryor: Legislators called a special session to decide how to spend almost $2 billion in federal ARPA money. Why did they do that?
Shawn Ashley: The legislature created the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief eleven months ago and began accepting proposals for how the money might be spent. In October. They closed that portal back in March, and thousands of proposals were submitted greatly exceeding the amount of money available. The committee has recommended more than $125 million in projects to Governor Kevin Stitt, who has the final say. But he's only acted on two of them totaling about $10 million, Senate Majority Floor Leader Greg McCortney and House Speaker Pro Tem Kyle Hilbert said Tuesday. But McCortney said Oklahoma is significantly behind other states in allocating its funding.
Dick Pryor: Oklahoma is again in the national news for passing another highly restrictive anti-abortion bill - possibly the strictest in the nation - which Governor Stitt has pledged to sign. The latest bill essentially prohibits abortion from the moment of fertilization and allows for civil lawsuits against anyone who performs or assists a pregnant person to get an abortion. It's like the Texas bounty law. As a practical matter, Shawn, how do lawmakers expect this bill to be enforced?
Shawn Ashley: Abortion providers are indicating they will no longer provide abortions after six weeks, which are already prohibited under Senate Bill 1503. If Governor Stitt signs House Bill 4237, which prohibits abortions after fertilization, providers are indicating they will have to stop providing abortions altogether. So practically, abortion will end in Oklahoma.
Dick Pryor: What is on the legislative agenda this week?
Shawn Ashley: Lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Capitol on Thursday for special session to move forward the shell bills into which the ARPA projects will later be placed. They will vote on those on Friday. Friday is also the last day they can meet in regular session either to consider final bills or possibly override any vetoes that Stitt issues in the coming days.
Dick Pryor: Thanks, Shawn. The session is almost over.
Shawn Ashley: Almost.
Dick Pryor: If you have questions, email them to news@kgou.org or contact us on Twitter @kgounews and @quorum.call.shawn. Until next time, with Shawn Ashley. I'm Dick Pryor.
