General Government Agencies and Services

Government operations agencies include:

• those supporting the state’s elected officials and the elections process itself;
• central administrative agencies that collect taxes and provide services shared by all agencies, including human resources management, information systems, and accounting; and
• oversight agencies that conduct financial audits and enforce elections and personnel laws and rules.

Several large general government agencies receive state appropriations.

• The Office of Management and Enterprise Services manages the state’s finances and accounting; operates centralized purchasing, building operations, data processing and telephone services for state agencies, and coordinates the hiring of and benefits for state employees. Its $93 million FY 2021 appropriation was supplemented by $250 million in fees and charges to other agencies for services.
• The Oklahoma Tax Commission collects and apportions most of the taxes in the state. It also enforces compliance with tax laws. It received $46 million in appropriations in FY 2021 and supplemented this with over $55 million from interest and penalties on taxes and various dedicated fees.
• The Legislature (including the House of Representatives, Senate, and Legislative Services Bureau) received approximately $47 million in FY 2021 appropriations, a 46 percent increase since FY 2011.
• The Military Department, better known as the Oklahoma National Guard, used $16 million in appropriations and  $59 million in federal funds to serve as a reserve for the nation’s military and respond to civil emergencies.
• The Election Board, which oversees voter registration and elections in the state (most of which are operated by county election boards), was appropriated $10 million in FY 2021.
• Several other small agencies receive funding, including the Office of Civil Emergency Management, which plans for and responds to natural and other disasters, the state Ethics Commission, and the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer and Auditor and Inspector.

Several important general government agencies do not receive state appropriations.

• The Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board, better known as HealthChoice, provides health insurance for state employees and teachers and their dependents, where desired. This agency spent $1.1 billion on benefits for state and local employees in 2019.
• The Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority issues bonds on behalf of state agencies, which use the proceeds to construct facilities and purchase major equipment. Agencies make lease payments to the Authority, which then repays the bonds over time. OCIA spent $501 million in 2019; at the end of the year it had $1.2 billion in outstanding bonds.
• The Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency issues bonds and distributes approximately $150 million in federal funding to improve housing options for Oklahomans.

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