Oklahoma Lawmakers Reach Budget Deal

Gov. Mary Fallin and leaders of Oklahoma’s

GOP-controlled Legislature have reached an agreement on a $6.8

billion budget to fund state agencies for the upcoming fiscal year.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Clark Jolley unveiled

the general appropriations bill late Monday in a Senate committee

that contained details of the budget plan.

Jolley says the final budget reflected a 3.13 percent increase

in state spending above last year’s budget, with virtually all of

the growth revenue going to fund transportation and health care.

Most of the other state agencies received an essentially flat

budget. Jolley says about $52 million in supplemental funding for

teacher bonuses and health care benefits for teachers was

annualized as part of the Department of Education’s budget.