Senator Corn says Measures Will Promote Greater Financial Responsibility and Accountability for State Government

A bill that will bring greater financial responsibility and accountability to state government won the approval of the full Senate today.

The Senate author, Senator Kenneth Corn, said Senate Bill 1341 requires independent performance audits of state agencies to determine if the agencies are adequately carrying out the mission they have been assigned by the Legislature.

“I believe Oklahomans want policies that promote responsibility and accountability and the measures I will file certainly offer that,” said Corn, a Democrat from Poteau. “We have a moral obligation to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars so that we can create a better tomorrow for Oklahoma’s children.”

Corn said that state agencies in Oklahoma provide critical services upon which all Oklahomans depend, such as access to affordable quality health care, senior nutrition programs, rural fire protection and access to quality education.

“We need a process that will ensure these services are being delivered to taxpayers in the most efficient manner possible and the provisions of SB 1341 will allow that process to happen,” he said.

Corn said the measure also calls for creation of a board of private citizens – individuals from outside the Legislature and state government – to work with the State Auditor and Inspector to develop the criteria to be used in determining the effectiveness of state agencies and programs.

“It’s the people’s money and this bill involves the public in the process,” Corn said. “The final reports will be released to Legislature, the governor and to the citizens of Oklahoma.”

The bill calls for the audits to be performed by the State Auditor and Inspector and additionally gives the State Auditor the authority to contract with outside firms to assist with the audits.

Corn said the measure doesn’t remove the Legislature’s responsibility for determining the level of agency budgets. Instead, he said, it gives lawmakers another tool to use in the appropriations process.

“Senate Bill 1341 gives the Legislature additional information – objective data compiled by a third party auditor – to assist us in determining whether the people are getting their money’s worth,” Corn said. “It will make Oklahoma government more accountable to the taxpayers of our state.”