In order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with diverse abilities, this site has been designed with accessibility in mind. Click here to view
Oklahoma Senate
COUNTDOWN TO THE SHUTDOWN: 17 Days until Senate Dems Shut Down State Government
Senator Glenn Coffee
Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee said he is disappointed that Senate leader Mike Morgan and the Senate Democrats have refused to consider a Senate GOP proposal that could prevent a government shutdown from occurring on July 1.
“It is very disappointing that Sen. Morgan and Senate Democrats have refused to consider our proposal to pass a stand-still, stop-gap budget bill to prevent a government shutdown if a final budget agreement is not in place by July 1,” Coffee said.
“Today we are just 17 days away from a government shutdown. A shutdown is becoming a very real possibility because of the continued obstruction by the Senate Democrats,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. “We are very concerned that Senate Democrats may try to force a government shutdown for political gain, just as former President Bill Clinton did to the federal government in 1995.”
A state government shutdown will occur in 17 days, on July 1, if a state budget is not in place before then. But if legislators adopt a stand-still general appropriations bill, the state government can continue to operate at current funding levels until a final budget is in place.
Oklahoma’s Democrat governor and Republican Speaker of the House reached a bipartisan agreement on the budget weeks ago, but Senate Democrats have refused to compromise on the budget.
Senate Democrats began laying the groundwork for a budget crisis months before the end of the regular legislative session by calling for a special session on the budget. Last week a senior Democrat senator announced that Senate Democrats are willing to hold up budget negotiations “until the November elections if necessary.”
