State lawmakers have taken up a few measures on behalf of agencies in need of more funding before the current fiscal year ends.
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services an additional $34 million in funding this fiscal year to avoid further cuts to disability and aging services. Due to budget constraints, lawmakers last year funded DHS for 10 months, deciding to appropriate the last two months of the fiscal year later.
That time has come, and nearly $30 million will come from Oklahoma’s Unclaimed Property Fund. Appropriations and Budget Chair Leslie Osborn said Treasurer Ken Miller assured her the money is there.
"He never allows more to come out than is actuarially sound, which means the standards accepted by industry that we would not allow anything to come out that would ever be in the amount that could potentially be utilized that year," Osborn said.
The additional $4 million would come from the Rainy Day Fund.
The Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget approved the funding measure, House Bill 2342, Monday afternoon. It was on Tuesday’s House floor agenda but was not heard.
JCAB also approved Monday Senate Bill 835, which extends the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ability to request transfers from five revolving funds. Sallisaw Republican Rep. John Bennett and Tulsa Democratic Rep. Eric Proctor see the court differently.
"Is this the same Supreme Court that has struck down our Ten Commandments monument, our pro-life bills that we've been sending to them and the same Supreme Court that struck down the constitutional amendment to our state constitution that defines marriage between one man and one woman?" Bennett said during the committee hearing.
"Chairwoman Osborn, is this the same Supreme Court that's one of the three equal branches of government here in Oklahoma?" Proctor said later in the hearing.
The Senate voted 41–0 Tuesday for the extension. The court will be short on funding by the end of this fiscal year if lawmakers do nothing.
Lawmakers also say Oklahoma’s Indigent Defense System is among state agencies needing more money to get through this fiscal year. The system provides representation in criminal court for those who can’t afford it in all counties except Oklahoma and Tulsa counties.
"There's no question the money was there last year, but with that particular agency, their request, their needs are there," Sears said. "We would take the additional $710,731 — or, we'd not take it, but, again, it'd come from the Unclaimed Property Fund."
The funding measure easily passed JCAB. The Senate approved it 36–6 Tuesday, sending it to the House floor.
