Author: Steve Lewis

Interim studies address issues of lack of housing, childcare facilities (Capitol Update)

Legislators continued their work last week with interim studies to look at issues they may want to address when session begins in February. Two important studies that caught my attention have to do with lack: Lack of affordable housing and… Read more [More...]

Mansion fundraising controversy, and looking back at how past governors used the facility (Capitol Update)

Something of a controversy has developed over Gov. Kevin Stitt’s plan to raise about $6.5 million in private funding and build a new governor’s mansion. According to reports, “Friends of the Mansion” has been accepting donations of up to $250,000… Read more [More...]

Legislature passes ARPA relief proposals; Governor signs 8, vetoes 3, while 21 others pass into law without his signature (Capitol Update)

The legislature recessed its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) special session on Sept. 29, giving the governor until last Wednesday (Oct. 5) to act on the bills. Gov. Stitt, largely uninvolved in allocating the $1.8 billion in ARPA funding, had… Read more [More...]

Taxes, including tax cuts proposals, expected on agenda for 2023 legislative session (Capitol Update)

The legislature appears to have made it through the 2022 regular session and a couple of special sessions without a large election-year tax cut. Legislators last week recessed the special session that they (the legislature) called to appropriate the federal… Read more [More...]

Sufficient funding for OJA will support Oklahoma families

The Board of Juvenile Affairs approved the FY 2024 budget request for the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) last week for filing with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) by Oct. 1. Agency budget requests can be used… Read more [More...]

Lawmakers’ recommendations on ARPA spending starting to take shape (Capitol Update)

There was a lot of activity at the Capitol last week with interim studies discussing a variety of topics and American Rescue Plan (ARPA) working groups considering and approving multiple funding proposals. The next stop for the working group proposals… Read more [More...]

Interim study discusses parental rights and protecting well-being for endangered children (Capitol Update)

An interim study requested by Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole, and Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, was held in the House Judiciary-Civil Committee last week and went in a slightly different direction than I expected. The study request indicated it would examine… Read more [More...]

LOFT report shares opportunities to coordinate state’s behavioral health services (Capitol Update)

An interesting behavioral health report was presented last week to the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) Oversight Committee, a joint House-Senate Committee chaired by their respective Appropriations Chairs. LOFT has become a valuable tool for the legislature to get… Read more [More...]

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...]