Fallin Signs Performance-Informed Budgeting Reforms Measure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 24, 2015

Governor Mary Fallin Signs Performance-Informed Budgeting Reform Measure

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today signed a bill that requires state agencies to use performance-informed budgeting techniques, which was one of her key legislative priorities.

Senate Bill 189 changes the budgeting process to align resources with state priorities and measurable outcomes. Lawmakers appropriated money in 2012 to purchase software to develop the new process.

“Performance-informed budgeting moves Oklahoma from funding programs we think might work to funding programs we know do work,” said Fallin. “This bill will help to ensure that government is allocating taxpayer resources wisely and delivering tangible, measurable results.”

The governor identified implementing a performance-informed budgeting system as a priority during her State of the State address to lawmakers earlier this year.

Fallin and her Cabinet have worked with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services the last few years to develop the performance-informed budgeting system. Part of that process included creation of the website OKStateStat.ok.gov, which features 160 key, measurable objectives for state government.

Once fully implemented, Oklahoma will become the first state in the nation to develop a comprehensive budgeting system that ties spending to measurable goals and outcomes.

“The groundwork is now laid to transform state budgeting from the blunt instrument it is today to a much sharper tool for tomorrow. Over time, the state will start budgeting with reliable data that drives results instead of gut feelings and anecdotes that drive up costs but rarely deliver,” said Secretary of Finance, Administration and Information Technology Preston L. Doerflinger.

Sen. Ron Sharp and Rep. Dennis Casey are the principal Senate and House authors of SB 189, which is called the Performance Informed Budget and Transparency Act of 2015.

The measure stresses using performance-informed budgeting techniques when agencies submit budget requests and when evaluating and providing oversight of agency management, operations, programs and fiscal requirements. It takes effect July 1.

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