Senate to Consider Funding Bills for 42 Agencies Tuesday

The Oklahoma State Senate will begin considering single agency appropriations measures by hearing bills to fund 42 state agencies Tuesday, Senate Appropriations Chairman Johnnie Crutchfield said.

“These bills represent funding for more than half of the agencies in state government and 20 percent of the total state budget,” said Crutchfield, D-Ardmore. Crutchfield said the measures that will be considered by the Senate Tuesday are appropriations for the agencies on which Senate and House negotiators were able to come to agreement while attempting to craft a general appropriations bill over the last several weeks.

“These numbers mirror those included for these agencies in the House general appropriations bill,” Crutchfield said. “I am hopeful that by beginning with the agencies where we already have an agreement we can work through agency budgets and avoid the same kind of government shutdown Newt Gingrich brought about in Washington a decade ago – the kind of government shutdown our own House leadership has hinted at in recent press releases.”

The Senate Appropriations Chairman noted House Speaker Todd Hiett’s declaration last week that talks on a GA bill were at “an impasse” and that House budget framers were going to begin working on single agency bills.

“It’s important to point out, as well, that the Senate passed the first single agency appropriation bill four weeks ago when Senators voted 43-0 for a $2.152 billion common education budget. If the House is serious about single agency appropriations, then it should take up Senate Bill 217 and end the uncertainty facing school districts across our state,” Crutchfield said.