Oklahoman: Details On State Budget Deal May Finally Emerge
Some budget bills may finally surface amid Oklahoma’s record funding shortfall
by Rick Green
The first budget bills may get a vote in the House in about a week as lawmakers finally begin to deal with what has been the elephant in the room all legislative session — a record $1.3 billion revenue hole.
House Appropriations and Budget Committee Chairman Earl Sears said the governor’s office along with Republican leadership in both chambers agree on some legislative approaches that will take the form of bills likely to be heard the second week in May.
The session is required to end by May 27, but leaders have discussed concluding a week early.
There is an effort to minimize cuts to priorities like education and health care in the new spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1.