Senate Committee Advances Bullard Bill to Protect Local County Extension Funds

OKLAHOMA CITY — Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, has advanced legislation that would maintain local control of funds raised by local county extension offices across the state.

By keeping locally raised funds separate from state funds, House Bill 3557 ensures that those local dollars can’t be redirected away from county offices.

Bullard said there have been instances where local extension funds have been swept away with state dollars because the two funding sources were comingled.

County extension offices operate in all 77 counties through Oklahoma State University’s Agricultural Extension Division. Some of the offices rely on local fundraising to supplement state funding.

“Local dollars should stay close to home,” Bullard said. “County extension offices are the backbone of a critical support system for farmers, ranchers and youth programs. When 4-H chapters and other groups raise money to support their home extension offices, residents expect those funds to be reinvested within their community. All this common-sense bill does is keep those local dollars where they belong.”

HB 3557 recently passed the Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee in a vote of 10-2. The bill is now eligible for a hearing in the full Senate.