Governor Fallin Signs FY2019 Budget Bill

Governor Mary Fallin Signs Budget Bill

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today signed the Fiscal Year 2019 budget bill (Senate Bill 1600) into law, which includes historic teacher pay raises and increases for public schools as well as criminal justice reform measures that she recently signed into law. The $7.6 billion budget puts significantly more money toward education, mental health services, and public safety.

“The budget includes many of the priorities I have called for in my annual State of the State address to lawmakers the past three years. Core services of state government are prioritized throughout the budget. It provides for a teacher pay raise and additional funding for public schools as well as increased funding for mental health and corrections to implement criminal justice reform measures. The legislation also includes additional revenue growth to put Oklahoma on a stable foundation, and reduces reliance on one-time funds.

“The budget includes a 19.8 percent increase for common education, the largest appropriation for public schools in state history. The appropriation includes $353 million to fund teacher pay raises that average $6,100 per teacher, which move Oklahoma teacher from last in the seven-state region to second for average annual pay, and from 49th in the nation to 29th. When taking into account the cost of living, Oklahoma teachers will be the 12th-highest-paid in the country. It also has $52 million for support personnel pay raises, $24 million for flex health benefits; $33 million for textbooks, and $17 in new funding for the school funding formula.

“This budget includes $11 million for multiple criminal justice reform measures, such as:

• $5 million to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services - $4 million to fund risk/needs assessments, and $1 million to drug and mental health treatment courts.
• $4.8 million to the Department of Corrections to fund a new system that will allow the agency to track and monitor offenders on probation in one system, and will allow for shared data regarding offenders to be shared in one database statewide.
• $500,000 for the Pay for Success program, which reduces the number of women sent to prison and the resulting impact incarceration has on their children.

“The budget also includes about $23 million for the Department of Human Services to help Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens. This will fully fund the Pinnacle Plan, which calls for improving services to our children in state custody, and restoring provider rates that had been cut, as well as addressing those on the Developmental Disabilities Service Division waiting list.

“For the first time in years, no agency is receiving a cut. This budget provides a long-term solution to the re-occurring budget deficits and helps reduce the reliance on one-time funds. The people of Oklahoma expect excellence and demand we solve our state’s problems. This budget provides an opportunity to bring forth an enduring reality for a promising future.” – Governor Mary Fallin

State Senate approves $7.6B FY'19 budget

Oklahoma Senate approves FY’19 budget giving education, mental health, criminal justice reform significant increases

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday approved a $7.6 billion general appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2019 that gives significant funding increases for common education, mental health services, child welfare programs, and criminal justice reform.

“For the first time in years, we have a budget in which no agency receives a cut. The budget contains a 19 percent increase for common education, more than $24 million for the Department of Human Services to fully fund the Pinnacle Plan, and $11 million for multiple criminal justice reform measures,” said President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz, R-Altus. “This budget puts additional resources toward core services like education, mental health, child welfare services, and public safety. And early approval of this budget increases the likelihood the Legislature can adjourn early, saving the additional costs of a few more weeks of session.”

“In this budget, Oklahoma Senate Republicans undeniably have demonstrated our commitment to education. This budget contains $365 million for a $6,100 on average teacher pay raise, $52 million for support staff raises, $33 million for textbooks, and $17 million in new funding for the school funding formula. We also secured $7.5 million in funding for concurrent enrollment. Education is important to the success of our state which is why Senate Republicans worked so hard to secure significant increases for our students, teachers, and schools in this budget,” Schulz said.

Senate Appropriations Chair Kim David, R-Porter, said, “After years of economic recession in Oklahoma that led to massive cuts to the state budget, our state has finally turned the corner and this year’s budget reflects that. The fiscal year 2019 budget has $260 million in growth revenue due to policy changes and growth in the economy. That growth means our budget is on more stable financial footing because it has greatly reduced our reliance on so-called ‘one-time money.’ It’s a great feeling to have no agency budget cuts, and instead have a budget that puts significantly more money toward education, mental health services, and public safety.”

Highlights of the FY’19 budget:

- $7.6 billion budget

• Approximately $745 million increase over FY’18$365 million for teacher pay raises
• $54 million for state employee raises
• $260 million in growth revenue
• No cuts for any agency

- $2.9 billion for common education, a 19 percent increase

• $6,100 teacher pay raise, on average
• $52 million for support staff raises
• $33 million for textbooks
• $17 million in new state-aid funding formula
• $7.5 million increase for concurrent enrollment

- $24.6 million funding increase for Department of Human Services, fully funding Pinnacle Plan

• 7 percent increase for Medicaid Advantage waiver, Developmental Disability and Group Home rate increases
• 5 percent increase on foster care and adoption rates
• $2 million increase for the Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) wait list

- $11 million in criminal justice reform initiatives

• $5 million to Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
• $1.1 million to Oklahoma Indigent Defense System (OIDS)
• $1 million to District Attorney’s Council

- $2 million for agency performance audits conducted by Agency Performance and Accountability Commission

- $4.8 million to Department of Corrections to implement electronic offender management system

- $4 million to Office of Emergency Management for disaster relief

- $400,000 to Department of Agriculture for rural fire fighters

Senate voting on $7.5B FY2019 budget bill

The State Senate is hearing SB1600 (the FY2019 budget bill) right now. It appropriates $7.54B, an increase over FY2018 of 10.92%. Word is that after passing the budget this week, the Legislature will try to adjourn next week -- nearly four weeks early.

You can follow proceedings and legislative action by watching the Senate video feed, House video feed, or following this Twitter feed (includes House proceedings as well):

A Twitter List by JamisonFaught