GOP Leaders Praise Oklahoma Senate’s Unanimous Passage of ‘Historic’ Budget Bill

Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee and Appropriations Committee Co-Chairman Mike Johnson praised the unanimous passage by the Oklahoma Senate of HB 1234, a general appropriations bill, on Tuesday.

“The Legislature has a constitutional duty to appropriate money, and we have worked very hard to develop this carefully balanced, bipartisan budget agreement. When Gov. Henry returns from his Spring Break vacation, we are confident he will like what he sees in this historic agreement,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

“The Legislature has made history by reaching the earliest agreement on the state budget since 1972. This budget represents good government and fiscal responsibility, and is the result of the sincere, bipartisan cooperation by legislators and leaders of both parties,” added Johnson, R-Kingfisher.

The bill includes $92 million in supplemental funding for education, corrections, and other agencies, as well as a $6.87 billion “current services” budget for fiscal year 2008. The FY 2008 budget is about 3% less than the total amount of money the Legislature is spending in the current fiscal year.

The Oklahoma Senate passed HB 1234 by a veto-proof 48 to 0 vote.