Author: Steve Lewis

Is history repeating with state’s current education turmoil? (Capitol Update)

With the first post-pandemic school year about to start, a devastating teacher shortage, and many students who have fallen behind because of the interruptions in their education, you’d think the state board of education would be laser focused on policies… Read more [More...]

State ARPA spending starting slowly, but likely ramping up this fall (Capitol Update)

It looks like the legislature is pointing toward late September or early October to go back into special session to appropriate part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Congress passed ARPA in March 2021. My understanding is legislators… Read more [More...]

A contrast in focus about Oklahoma’s education needs (Capitol Update)

There’s an interesting contrast between the focus of Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, who chairs the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education and that of Oklahoma Secretary of Education Ryan Walters, who was appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt and is… Read more [More...]

Modernizing the school funding formula (Capitol Update)

The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) issued a report last week calling for changes in the state aid school funding formula. It recommends providing more funding for school districts with high concentrations of students in poverty; changing the statutory… Read more [More...]

Interim studies indicate increased focus on children and youth issues (Capitol Update)

There was not a lot of substantive legislation aimed directly at children and youth issues that passed in this legislative session compared to the 2021 session. But judging from the interim study requests by a variety of legislators, this next… Read more [More...]

If Oklahoma wants to draw businesses, we might need to invest in our people (Capitol Update)

I don’t know whether large companies who make location decisions tell the winners and losers the unvarnished truth about why they made their decisions or not. Probably not. They’re not required to, and the truth might not be well received… Read more [More...]

Latest state treasurer’s report gives clues for next year’s state budget picture (Capitol Update)

State Treasurer Randy McDaniel’s most recent “Gross Receipts to the Treasury” report that came out last week is interesting because it contains the annualized state revenue numbers for Fiscal Year 2022, which ended June 30. Although state agencies won’t know… Read more [More...]

First look at Senate interim study requests (Capitol Update)

The Senate has published the list of 41 interim studies that have been requested this year. Unlike in the House, Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, does not approve or disapprove allowing the studies. He assigns each of… Read more [More...]

Time will tell about effectiveness of Oklahoma’s move towards more top-down governance model (Capitol Update)

Adding a new state agency is a rare event, but it happened last session when the Legislature created the new Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) as a standalone agency. The current OMMA is a division of the Oklahoma State Department… Read more [More...]

More ARPA fund spending decisions expected starting in July (Capitol Update)

It’s a little difficult to track, but I believe the Legislature so far has appropriated about $202 million of the $1.87 billion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the federal government. The state has been a little slow out… Read more [More...]