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Oklahoma House Budget Chair Replaced After Disagreement With Speaker

State of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Speaker Charles McCall has replaced the House Appropriations and Budget chair the day after a public disagreement over Department of Human Services funding.

In an email Tuesday to some members, McCall said Rep. Leslie Osborn will be replaced by her vice chair, Kevin Wallace.

Members, I wanted you to be the first to know that I have replaced Rep. Osborn as Chair of the Appropriations and Budget Committee. Rep. Kevin Wallace is now Chair of the Appropriations and Budget Committee. I was greatly impressed with Kevin's knowledge and capabilities of the budget process last session, and I appreciated his willingness to engage with all members of our Caucus. I believe he will serve our caucus and state well in his new role. As always, I welcome the opportunity to visit with you personally about this matter or any other issue of significance to you. Please call me any time if you have questions. Sincerely, Speaker Charles McCall

McCall has labeled 30 million dollars worth of DHS cuts to services for elderly and disabled Oklahomans as a political stunt. On Monday, Osborn and two other Republican lawmakers, Rep. Earl Sears and Rep. Pat Ownbey, said that’s a "mischaracterization."

Osborn, Sears and Ownbey defended DHS, pointing out while the legislature has increased the agency's appropriation by $28 million, its cost increases and lost revenue add up to $175 million.

McCall’s email says he’s impressed with Wallace’s knowledge of the budget process. Wallace did not author any budget measures last session.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.