Pro Tem Treat Comments on Unnecessary Delay by Oklahoma House in Budget Process

Treat: Senate to stop hearing House bills in appropriations until transparency prevails

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, today expressed disappointment that the Oklahoma House of Representatives is unnecessarily stalling budget negotiations. 

The pro tem said although the House didn’t want to participate in the transparent process the Senate was undertaking, they had previously committed to sharing their budget with the Senate and they are now refusing. 

“In an inexplicable attempt to stall and evade progress on state budget negotiations, the House has refused to share their proposed budget with the Senate,” Pro Tem Treat said. “The House isn’t being transparent, or good partners in this process. I am not going to allow the Senate to be held hostage by the House's inability to cooperate. I am concerned that their end game may be to try to force everything through JCAB at the very end of session, completely eviscerating the gains made through our transparency initiative. Oklahomans deserve better.  

“It boils down to a very simple concept – the Senate wants Oklahomans to know where every dollar is being spent, as we have demonstrated. The House does not. The House is using shady tactics to force the Senate to step back from what we have successfully accomplished thus far. 

“Therefore, the Senate will stop hearing all House bills assigned to the appropriations committee until they are willing to give us their budget numbers so we can continue with the open and transparent budget process we have instituted this session.”