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Cantrell
It’s hard to believe we only have one more week of regular session. Over the past several weeks, w e ’ ve been considering Senate amendments to House bills. If bills are amended in the opposite chamber, they must return to their chamber of origin for a vote to accept or reject the changes.
If amendments are rejected, the bills have one final possibility to advance in the current session – through the conference committee process. This is where members from both the House and Senate committees where the bills were initially considered to gather to approve or disapprove the final language. Many measures die at this crossroads, but a few survive.
Now, if the governor veto’s a bill and we want to override it, we must first make a motion to consider a veto override on a House bill; then, we can ask questions or debate. It must pass by a 2/3 vote unless the bill has an emergency, which requires a three-fourths vote. If it passes the House, it goes over to the Senate, where they repeat the process. If both chambers override it with a 2/3 vote, it becomes law.
The Oklahoma Constitution states that the Legislature’s regular session shall be “adjourned sine die not later than five p.m. on the last Friday in May of each year.” However, lawmakers in the House and Senate have called for a concurrent special session that will begin meeting this week. The concurrent special session will allow us to finalize this year’s budget and meet after the constitutional adjournment date of May 26 if needed.
Inthemeantime,theLegislature is continuing to work on the state budget. In late February, the state Board of Equalization certified revenue of about $12.6 billion to appropriate for FY2024. Now, that’s a significant figure; however, we have plenty of needs in the state to meet.
The legislatively-appropriated budgettakesmonthstoprepareand isbasedoninputfromdozensofpublic legislative budget hearings, the governor’s executive budget proposals, hundreds of publicly available agency budgets and requests, and all citizens through their elected representatives, who each serve on budget committees.
The budget process is robust and transparent, giving ample time for members of the Legislature and the public to hear information on how taxpayer dollars are appropriated and expended. While the final appropriations amounts are still in negotiations, the House will work to ensure a fiscally conservative approach to the FY24 state budget that meets Oklahoma’s core needs and moves our state forward.
Now, for some great news. I am excited to share that state leaders have agreed to a historic public education funding package. The plan will allocate more than $625 million to public schools, adjust the state formula to support smaller schools, raise teacher salaries statewide and provide teachers with six weeks of paid maternity leave.
Also included is $125 million of funding in the Redbud Fund, which addresses property tax revenue disparities in districts with lower ad valorem bases and helps meet basic infrastructure and maintenance needs so schools can keep their doors open and divert funding to other areas.
In addition to historic investments into public education, the education agreement also includes funding for innovative programs to improve reading levels and ensure students, teachers and staff are safe at school.
The proposal does what’s best for our students, supports strong parent involvement in their children’s education and ensures that our teachers have the resources needed to excel in their jobs. I am grateful to be a part of such a historic investment into Oklahoma’s public education.
Again, thank you for electing me to serve District 49. It is truly an honor and privilege to represent you at the State Capitol. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 405-5577383orjosh.cantrell@okhouse.gov.. Rep.JoshCantrell,aRepublican, serves District 49 Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers Carter, Love and Marshall counties.