Governor Stitt delivers 2022 State of the State address

GOVERNOR STITT DELIVERS 2022 STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 7, 2022) – Governor Kevin Stitt delivered the 2022 State of the State Address today to the 58th Legislature. Governor Stitt outlined his legislative agenda for 2022, focusing on four main pillars: Driving Hope for all Oklahomans by investing in education reforms and giving parents more school choice; protecting Oklahomans and our way of life through better regulation of the medical marijuana industry and cracking down on the black market, as well as investing in law enforcement; making Oklahoma the most business-friendly state in the nation by reforming our tax code and eliminating the grocery tax; and delivering taxpayers more for their money through more government reform, budget transparency, and record investments in infrastructure. A full transcript of the governor’s remarks can be found here.
 

1889 Institute: Appointing a State Superintendent would improve Education

Appointing a State Superintendent Would Improve Education

Whatever your gripe about public education, Governor Kevin Stitt can do very little about it. That’s not because he doesn’t care or doesn’t have good ideas to improve education. It’s because he lacks the authority needed to shape state education policy: the power to oversee and direct the State Department of Education.

Oklahoma has a dysfunctional government. I don’t mean that we have gridlock, or that we have derelicts in important public offices. I mean that our state government—particularly our executive branch—is not designed to function efficiently or accountably.


Fortunately, reform appears to be at hand. Last year the Legislature granted the Governor the power to hire and fire the leaders of the state’s largest executive agencies, and recently the Governor called for the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction to become an appointed position under the Governor.

This is long overdue.

Consider the recent discovery that many Oklahoma public schools cling to a scientifically discredited method of teaching reading despite ample evidence that it harms students. In a well-functioning government, the Governor would learn of this inexcusable failure and order his employee running the State Department of Education to make an immediate change. The agency head would get to work correcting the situation, or she would get to work updating her resume.

In Oklahoma, the Governor can call the State Superintendent and politely ask her to stop schools under her administration from allowing another generation of students to fall behind. But the Superintendent can tell him to kick rocks.

Likewise, in a functioning government, if agencies refused to carry out policy priorities set by the Legislature, there would be one person to hold accountable—the Governor. And the Legislature would have multiple levers to pull to get him to comply.

An independently elected Superintendent is often more beholden to the education system’s special interests that elect her rather than to the general public, teachers, or children. The only threat the Legislature can make is to cut the education budget, and we’ve seen in recent years how ineffective that is.

Ultimately, what I am describing is accountability to the people as a whole in policymaking. A Governor, as the head of the executive branch of government, would create a vision, set priorities, and direct, and agencies would act accordingly. The Legislature would set policy and have some confidence that the executive branch would execute those policies.

And the people would hold all of these officials accountable on election day.

The Governor wants a constitutional amendment so he can more effectively implement state education policy set by the Legislature. Will Legislators recognize they enhance their own power by strengthening the Governor’s?

Struggling readers in our public schools await their answer.

Benjamin Lepak is 1889 Institute Legal Fellow and can be contacted at blepak@1889institute.org.

Senate Pro Tem Treat makes Office of Juvenile Affairs board appointment

Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat announces OJA board appointment

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Thursday announced his appointment of Sidney Ellington of Oklahoma City to the board of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.

Ellington currently serves as executive director of the American Red Cross of Central and Southwest Oklahoma. He previously served as executive director of the Warrior-School Project, a non-profit organization that provided educational services for military veterans leaving service to pursue college degrees. Ellington also served as a teacher in New Orleans in the Teach for America program and as director of a veterans’ outreach and support initiative for Teach for America. He also planned and spearheaded for the Louisiana Department of Education a city-wide truancy reduction program for New Orleans.

Ellington served in the U.S. Navy, retiring after 20 years as a Navy SEAL officer. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as a doctorate, in political science all from the University of Oklahoma. He is a member of several community service organizations, including the Knights of Columbus Council, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign War, and the Teach for America Alumni Association. He received the 2016 American Legion National Education Award. Past award winners include First Ladies Barbara Bush and Laura Bush, and Tom Brokaw, Fred Rogers, and Bob Keeshan.

“The Office of Juvenile Affairs is on the frontlines of helping youth and families involved in the justice system. Sid Ellington is a successful leader and has demonstrated the desire and ability, whether as a member of Teach for America or as a Navy SEAL, to help others succeed. We need people to partner with the leadership and staff at OJA to help change the future of youth involved in the justice system and I know Sid Ellington will do just that. I appreciate his willingness to step up and serve the state of Oklahoma,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Senator Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, commended the selection of Ellington and said he brings a great work ethic and skillset to the OJA board.

“Sid is a leader who passionately cares about others and always works to help get the best out of his team. His experience as an educator, in the non-profit world, and as a member of our U.S. Navy makes him a great pick for the OJA board and I know that he’ll do a great job. I wish him all the best,” Rosino said.

Ellington’s appointment is effective January 1, Treat said. Ellington will replace Tony Caldwell, who serves as chairman of the OJA board and is resigning at the end of December. Caldwell was first appointed to the board in 2015.

“Tony Caldwell’s dedication to OJA and its mission is commendable. I want to thank Tony for his years of distinguished service on the OJA board,” Treat said.

Speaker McCall announces new oversight effort by House

Speaker McCall announces new oversight effort by House

OKLAHOMA CITY – Building off of greater oversight and transparency initiatives by the House over the past three years, House Speaker Charles McCall has launched a new initiative to increase legislative oversight and assess the performance of agency governing boards.

“The Legislature has been too deferential and hands-off with these governing boards for most of state history, and the House is going to change that,” said McCall, R-Atoka.

Speaker McCall is assigning House committees to regularly monitor the governing boards of more than three dozen state agencies and identify legislators to attend governing board meetings as necessary – including attendance at private executive sessions as authorized by state law – so legislators can be better informed and increase their watchdog role over agencies.

Additional government oversight by the House began in 2016, when the House launched more robust budget hearings for the largest state agencies. In 2017 and 2018, the House exposed waste and mismanagement at agencies through agency accountability hearings. In 2019, the Legislature created the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency, which next year will start providing legislators with independent budget information and agency performance reviews.

“Citizens want more oversight of government, and we are continuing to deliver it,” McCall said. “The House is continuing to build on the oversight efforts we have made in the past three years. This time, we are rolling up our sleeves, getting out of the Capitol and visiting agency governing boards ourselves to inform our policymaking. This work will occur year-round – regardless of whether the Legislature is in session.”

The initiative has five goals:

• Improve legislator understanding of agency governance and operations
• Assess each board’s oversight efforts and the effectiveness of the agency
• Monitor whether state appropriations are being used as intended and if adequate consideration is being given to potential liabilities attached to federal or other grants agencies may pursue
• Ensure enactment of new and existing laws, including rulemaking, is consistent with legislative intent and facilitates effective service delivery to the public
• Determine if executive sessions closed to the public are being used properly

“Oklahomans elected a record number of new legislators to bring real change to government, and this increased oversight is one way we will fulfill that voter mandate,” McCall said. “Between this House initiative, the creation of the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency last session, and the fresh eyes the Stitt administration is bringing to the executive branch, it is very much a new day of accountability in state government.”

Background

Oklahoma has nearly 200 boards and commissions overseeing state agencies. Many have existed for decades, or even since statehood.

“Quality Oklahomans serve on several of these boards, including many appointed by the legislative branch, but we as elected state representatives need to do more to monitor what these boards are doing or not doing. It is our constitutional duty,” McCall said.

A preliminary list of 40 boards that will be monitored and the committees assigned to them can be found here. Additional boards may be added in the future as warranted.

“The reality is there may need to be some wholesale restructuring of agency governance models in order to truly optimize government and improve service delivery for citizens. This effort will help sort out when and where that approach may be necessary,” McCall said.

McCall said the initiative complements efforts the governor’s administration is making to more proactively manage state agencies.

“Governor Kevin Stitt is doing a tremendous job providing stronger oversight of agency operations from the executive branch, and we are joining him in that effort from the legislative branch,” McCall said. “The direct hire and fire ability the Legislature recently granted the governor over some agency leaders, and the rebalancing of at-will board appointments, is already resulting in profound, positive culture change at state agencies. Oklahoma needs to build on this progress by placing additional agencies under similar structures.”

McCall added: “House members will not be attending these meetings as participants or to direct these entities. We will be there to observe and use information gleaned to improve our policymaking while ensuring agencies are giving taxpayers the best return on their investment. It will also heighten our ability to respond to constituent inquiries about agencies and services.”

Executive sessions

Since its enactment in 1977, the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act has contained a provision authorizing legislators to attend private, executive sessions of governing body meetings, but the provision has rarely been invoked.

“This is an important oversight component of the Open Meeting Act that we intend to start use,” McCall said. “There are legitimate reasons for executive sessions, but when they are used for the wrong reasons, it is to the detriment of Oklahoma citizens.”

Guidelines will be put in place to ensure confidentiality of executive sessions is maintained when a House member attends.

“House members will not be able to publicly share information discussed in those sessions if it is confidential information. However, if a representative observes something truly egregious, we will not hesitate to exercise our constitutional authority and independence as the situation warrants,” McCall said.

Some House members have already started attending governing board meetings – including executive sessions.

Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, attended a Board of Education meeting and executive session in July. Reps. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, and Mark McBride, R-Moore, attended a University of Oklahoma Board of Regents meeting in September, and plan to attend meetings of other university governing boards in the future.

“The House members already attending these meetings have been warmly welcomed by the board members and agency staff, and we expect that will continue,” McCall said. “Ultimately, we see this as a partnership to foster better communication and cooperation between elected officials and agencies that results in a more functional government for Oklahomans.”

View Governing Board Monitoring Assignments here [PDF].

Stitt issues executive order to create accountability with Federal dollars pursued by state agencies

GOVERNOR STITT ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER TO CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS PURSUED BY STATE AGENCIES

Oklahoma City, Okla. (Sept. 24, 2019)  – Governor Kevin Stitt announced today a new executive order to create stronger oversight and accountability for state agencies’ pursuit of new federal funds and other grant resources. Executive Order (EO) 2019-40 requires state agencies, boards or commissions to first submit any grant application for review to the office of the Governor and for approval by the Secretary of Budget before the agency’s final submission to the funding source.

“For the first time in state history, our executive budget this year outlined total dollars spent by state agencies, to include roughly 30% of funding that comes from the federal government,” said Gov. Stitt. “In this administration, we are focused on delivering transparency, accountability and oversight of Oklahomans’ tax dollars, whether it’s generated through the feds, fees, or fines. With this executive order, we will work to avoid the pursuit of short-term money that often leaves taxpayers holding the bag when the funding dries up, while also making certain that the grants we do apply for match the vision and values of Oklahoma.”

“Federal dollars are a significant part of the State’s total $19 billion budget,” said Secretary of Budget Mike Mazzei. “We’ve collaborated with the entire cabinet in order to address federal grants in a thoughtful manner that will streamline the approval process and comply with federal requirements to maintain a centralized database.”

EO 2019-40 requires all state agencies, boards, and commissions (other than State higher education member institutions and local school district boards) that desire to apply for a grant of $50,000 or more, including but not limited to grants from state government, private or public foundations, individuals, and non-profit organizations, to obtain the written approval of the appropriate Cabinet Secretary prior to beginning the grant application process. 

If a grant application is approved, the Cabinet Secretary will communicate the details of the grant application to the Secretary of Budget.

EO 2019-40 also requires state agencies, boards, and commissions (other than State higher education member institutions and local school district boards) that desire to apply for a grant in excess of $100,000 of any kind from the Federal government to obtain the written approval of the appropriate Cabinet Secretary and the Secretary of Budget prior to beginning the grant application process.

The executive order does not apply to “emergency” grant funds from the Federal government where the time from application to distribution of funds is typically less than 10 days, as is often the case with grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and any “formula” grants from the Federal government that an agency, board, or commission has applied for in the past and received.

The Secretary of Budget is designated as the State of Oklahoma’s single point of contact (“SPOC”) under Presidential Executive Order 12372 to act as the State’s contact for the coordination and review of any proposed Federal assistance and/or direct Federal development.

A copy of EO 2019-40 is available by clicking here.

Stitt signs bill to track Federal dollars in state agencies

Sen. Dahm (left) and Rep. Hilbert (right) are joined by Dave Bond of OCPA and his son as Gov. Stitt signs SB271.

Gov. Signs Dahm, Hilbert Bill to Track Federal Dollars in State Agencies

OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill to improve government transparency in a ceremony at the State Capitol last week. Senate Bill 271 was authored by Sen. Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) and Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow).

The bill requires all state agencies to annually disclose and rank all federally affiliated funds, programs and priorities. Hilbert, who serves as the vice chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, said any agency receiving and administering federal funds that require any level of security clearance in order to administer received funds is exempt from the disclosure requirements.

“As elected officials, we should always take into consideration transparency and accountability,” Dahm said. “Unfortunately, many agencies choose not to share all the information in order for fully-informed decisions to be made. This bill will allow us to better represent our constituents by having this information known when making budget decisions. And by having the agencies post it on their website, this financial information will be directly available to the citizens of Oklahoma as well. It’s a huge step forward for transparency in how agencies spend our money.”

“The Legislature currently does not have a clear understanding of how many federal dollars various state agencies are receiving, how they’re being used or what strings are attached to those federal dollars,” Hilbert said. “The state agencies already have this information available, and Senate Bill 271 will make this information readily accessible to state legislators while considering funding and appropriations.”

SB 271 was officially signed by Stitt on April 29 and will go into effect on Nov. 1.

Stitt appoints new director to OK Health Care Authority

GOV STITT APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR TO OKLAHOMA HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. (August 5, 2019)— Governor Kevin Stitt announced today the appointment of Kevin Corbett as the next agency director for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA).

“Kevin Corbett’s financial expertise and strong organizational leadership will serve the Health Care Authority and the State of Oklahoma well,” said Gov. Stitt. “Corbett will bring his wealth of experience in accounting and consulting to ensure OHCA’s $6 billion budget is being delivered on target and to effectively partner with other state agencies to improve care for the most vulnerable in our state. I look forward to working with Corbett in order to achieve Top Ten outcomes in Oklahoma.” 

Corbett will begin leading OHCA on August 15, and his appointment will require Senate confirmation in the 2020 legislative session.

Corbett previously served as the Interim Chief Financial Officer at Lagoon Water Solutions. Prior to this, Corbett served as a senior partner and Risk Advisory practice leader with Ernst & Young, retiring in 2017 with over 38 years of service. During his career, Corbett advised some of the largest companies in the U.S. and abroad, gaining extensive experience in a wide array of corporate matters, including public offerings, merger and acquisitions, debt restructurings, bankruptcy proceedings, risk management and transformational change. Corbett is a graduate of Oklahoma State University (BS in Accounting) and the executive management program at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Corbett has served on the board of several civic organizations in Oklahoma and Texas, including Sunbeam Family Services, Junior Achievement, United Way, and Oklahoma State University Foundation Board of Governors. Corbett is a CPA licensed in Oklahoma and Texas and a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

“Kevin Corbett brings to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority a distinguished record of leading people to drive effective outcomes. His proven ability to focus and lead high-performing teams will be a powerful tool in helping us achieve Top Ten outcomes for the health of all Oklahomans - particularly the most vulnerable among us. I deeply appreciate Kevin's willingness to bring his seasoned experience to bear in service to his home State.” – Jerome Loughridge, Secretary of Health and Mental Health

“It’s exciting to have Kevin Corbett join the leadership at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Kevin brings a wealth of business experience and acumen to this position. His results-driven leadership and ability to build teams will transform the OHCA into a high performing agency that is committed to advancing the health status of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable populations and to making Oklahoma a Top Ten State in health.” – Dr. Kayse Shrum, Secretary of Science and Innovation

“I have had the privilege to know and work with Kevin Corbett for many years. His leadership skills, business acumen and knowledge of best practices will be of great benefit to the OHCA. I have full confidence he will serve the people of Oklahoma well.”– Mike Sanner, Former Oklahoma City Managing Partner at Ernst & Young

“Governor Stitt has made an excellent choice in Kevin Corbett. As a consultant to my company, Kevin was an effective manager and skilled accountant who helped us drive stronger outcomes with our resources. He will bring accountability and precision to the Health Care Authority’s multi-billion-dollar budget and ensure taxpayer dollars are achieving the goals of the state. I cannot think of anyone better to manage this important state agency.” – David Williams, Former Chairman and CEO of Noble Corporation

The OHCA administers two health programs for the state: Soonercare, Oklahoma's Medicaid program that works to improve the health of qualified Oklahomans by ensuring that medically necessary benefits and services are available, and Insure Oklahoma, which assists qualifying adults and small business employees in obtaining health care coverage for themselves and their families.

ODOT seeks input for next 25-year long range plan, invite public to take survey

ODOT seeks input for the next 25 years, public invited to take survey today

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is developing its 2020-2045 Long Range Transportation Plan and is inviting the public to get involved in the year-long process.

The federally required plan will establish transportation policies and priorities for the next 25 years for various modes of travel and commercial freight movement in the state including highway; passenger and freight rail; public transit; bicycle and pedestrian; ports and waterways and airport access. The plan doesn’t focus on specific projects like ODOT’s Eight-year Construction Work Plan, but rather encompasses overall transportation priorities and goals.

“There is a lot of interest in infrastructure right now nationwide and it’s critical for ODOT to get input from every community in the state to help update Oklahoma’s transportation plan for the future,” ODOT Deputy Director Dawn Sullivan said.

Oklahomans can visit www.oklongrangeplan.org to find out more about the plan’s development, view past plans and sign up to receive more information throughout the process. The department is also using an interactive, online engagement tool called MetroQuest to gather feedback using realistic transportation situations. The first opportunity to provide input via a MetroQuest survey at https://oklrtp.metroquest.com is available until Aug. 12. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and allows users to encourage fellow Oklahomans to participate through email and social media.

The agency will use the public’s input to document the condition of the existing system, analyze future needs and trends, evaluate how to meet those needs and develop related strategies and policies for the next 25 years. The department will come back to the public for additional input when Draft Plan recommendations are ready – expected to be in late spring 2020 – with an overall goal for the plan to be considered for adoption by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission in summer 2020. Following completion, the Long Range Transportation Plan will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.

Gov. Stitt issues new Executive Order Extending Restriction on Contract Lobbyists

GOVERNOR STITT FILES NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER EXTENDING RESTRICTION ON CONTRACT LOBBYISTS

Oklahoma City, Okla. (July 5, 2019) – Governor Kevin Stitt announced today a new executive order, EO 2019-29, making permanent the restriction on state agencies entering into contracts with external lobbyists.

“When taking office, I uncovered that several state agencies were collectively spending more than $1 million annually on contract lobbyists to advocate for their own special interests to the Legislature and the executive branch,” said Governor Kevin Stitt. “The agencies’ practice of hiring contract lobbyists skirts transparency laws and empowers agencies to ignore voters’ mandates. I quickly issued an executive order limiting agencies from entering into new contracts or extending current ones through the end of the 2019 fiscal year. My new executive order makes this restriction permanent during my administration. Oklahomans are united around a vision to make our great state Top Ten, and I will continue to pursue common-sense reforms, such as EO 2019-29, to ensure state agencies are in alignment.” 

A copy of EO 2019-29 is available by clicking here.

On January 24, Governor Stitt filed Executive Order 2019-2 to require all state agencies, boards and commissions to submit a list of every contract lobbyist hired and the amount of each contract dating back to 2015. The EO placed a freeze on agencies, boards and commissions from entering into new contracts while the information was being submitted. All entities came into compliance by April, which is linked in an excel format here.

OCPA column: A much-needed agency lobbying reform

A much-needed agency lobbying reform

By Jonathan Small

Should agencies be allowed to indirectly fund politicians’ campaigns with taxpayer dollars? If you think the answer is “no”—as I do—then you should welcome Gov. Kevin Stitt’s decision to ban agency use of contract lobbyists.

The Stitt administration found 33 state agencies, boards and commissions have private contracts with lobbyists and spent about $1.5 million per year for each of the last two years on lobbying. Now he’s implemented a ban on that practice.

This is good policy on several fronts, including government transparency and accountability.

For one thing, agencies’ practice of hiring contract lobbyists indirectly allowed taxpayer money to land in politicians’ campaign coffers. While state agencies cannot contribute to political campaigns, contract lobbyists can. Thus, when agencies hire contract lobbyists, they are sending taxpayer money to lobbyists who then often contribute to legislators’ campaigns. This creates a roundabout funnel in which agencies effectively use taxpayer money to fund political campaigns. As President Trump would say: Not good.

Agency use of contract lobbyists also impedes public access to open records. If an agency uses an in-house legislative liaison to communicate with legislators, those communications are public record and may be obtained by any Oklahoma citizen. But if an outside lobbyist is used, that lobbyist’s direct communications with legislators are not subject to open-records law. Does anyone think new layers of secrecy will produce better government for Oklahomans?

Most importantly, Oklahomans elect the governor to run the executive branch, and no agency should be pursuing any objective that isn’t first cleared with the governor’s office. A major focus of the Stitt administration has been to reform government so the head of the executive branch truly runs the executive branch. Stitt’s ban on agencies’ use of outside lobbyists is in the same vein with his successful effort to gain the power to appoint the leaders of five major state agencies.

While technically legal, agencies’ use of contract lobbyists never passed the smell test. This is especially true when agencies would scream “poverty” even as they diverted taxpayer money to contract lobbyists who would then lobby the Legislature to provide the agencies more taxpayer money.

For too long, Oklahoma government has been a system in which rogue agencies work at cross-purposes with each other, the governor, and the will of the voters. Under Stitt, Oklahoma’s executive branch will have a true executive leader who gets the credit for success but shoulders the blame for failure.

That’s a welcome, and much-needed, change.

Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

Stitt appoints interim director for Dep't of Corrections

GOVERNOR STITT ANNOUNCES INTERIM DIRECTOR OF ODOC

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 14, 2019)— Governor Kevin Stitt has appointed former Oklahoma Department of Corrections’ Chief of Operations Scott Crow as interim director of the state’s second-largest agency.

Crow has been with the agency since April 1996, when he was hired as a Special Investigator Supervisor.

Before ODOC, he worked in law enforcement in southwest Oklahoma, from officer-level up to leadership, including as a captain with the Comanche County Sheriff’s Department and Assistant Police Chief for the City of Cache.

Crow’s appointment comes after former-Director Joe M. Allbaugh announced his immediate resignation Wednesday during the monthly meeting of ODOC’s volunteer governing board, the Oklahoma Board of Corrections.

“I appreciate Joe Allbaugh’s time serving the state of Oklahoma and building a team of talented employees,” Stitt said. “After learning of Allbaugh’s resignation, I immediately brought in Scott Crow to meet with me and to hear about his vision and passion for this important agency. Scott is the right person to step in as interim. Crow is committed to ensuring stability in leadership change and helping our administration map out a plan to build upon our recent success to increase correctional officers’ wages.”

While the search for Allbaugh’s replacement takes place, Crow will lead the agency’s more than 4,300 employees working in its 24 facilities stretched across Oklahoma, as well as Probation and Parole Services and Community Corrections.

“This agency remains in a position of strength due to its high-caliber of leaders and dedicated employees committed to public safety,” Crow said.

As of Thursday morning, the system was home to 26,145 inmates, with 32,383 under community supervision and 730 in county jails awaiting housing in prison.

Senate confirms Steven Buck as OJA director

Senate confirms Steven Buck as OJA director

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday unanimously confirmed Steven Buck of Oklahoma City as the executive director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs.

Buck is the first agency director confirmed by the Senate under the terms of new laws that give the governor the ability to hire and fire the heads of OJA and four other top state agencies.

“Oklahoma has come a long way in improving the care and treatment of children in state custody thanks to the work of leaders like Steven Buck. He’s proven himself an honest and dedicated public servant as director of OJA the past few years and I know he’ll continue to do an excellent job in that capacity moving forward. Steven Buck is a great partner for policymakers and I look forward to working with him to continuing to ensure the children in custody get the care and treatment they need to acclimate and become productive members of society,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Buck was nominated for reappointment as director of OJA by Governor Kevin Stitt earlier this month. He also was named cabinet secretary of human services and early childhood initiatives by the governor.

“Steven Buck has had a long and distinguished career advocating for the treatment and care of some of our state’s most vulnerable citizens. He’s done a great job already at OJA and I know he’ll keep moving that agency in the right direction,” said Senator Jason Smalley, R-Stroud and chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

On Wednesday, the Senate also confirmed Jerome Loughridge of Oklahoma City as the governor’s cabinet secretary of health and mental health.

Stitt appoints five to State Board of Corrections

GOVERNOR STITT ANNOUNCES FIVE APPOINTMENTS TO THE STATE BOARD OF CORRECTIONS

Oklahoma City, Okla. (April 30, 2019)— Governor Kevin Stitt announced today five appointments to the State Board of Corrections.

“I am pleased to welcome five new members to the State Board of Corrections,” said Stitt. “They will each bring a diverse perspective to the Department of Corrections in order to implement needed change and innovative ideas. I look forward to working with the board to move our criminal justice and correction system forward.”

The appointments are as follows:

Reginald Hines retired from the Department of Corrections after 37 years of service. During his career with the Department of Corrections, he held various positions from Correctional Officer to Deputy Director. Hines served on the Justice Roundtable Committee in Washington D.C. for the powder versus crack cocaine disparity and sentencing. He was elected to the American Correctional Association’s Board of Governors and was also presented the Oklahoma Correctional Association Achievement Award for his work in criminal justice. Hines is also a graduate of the Leadership Oklahoma, class of XXVIII.  Hines is the current President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and the Working Together Prison Ministry. He is also the ambassador for the Making of Men youth organization. Along with his many other accomplishments, Hines is always seeking solutions that impacts our youth of today through gang violence, teen pregnancy, drugs, and drinking and driving among other items that has infected the youth population. Hines resides in Oklahoma City.

Dr. Kathryn LaFortune is a licensed Oklahoma health service psychologist and attorney who currently works at the Tulsa County Juvenile Bureau to provide forensic psychological services in delinquency, deprived cases and juvenile competency. Prior to working at the Juvenile Bureau, she worked for Congressman Jim Bridenstine and the Mental Health and Veterans Courts after leaving a 13 year career as Chief of Forensic Services for the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System. She also worked at the Oklahoma Forensic Center as a staff forensic psychologist for her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral experience for three years before working as the mental health director of the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center in 1999. LaFortune attended Duke University in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and then worked for Bell Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill as a research associate. She then returned to Oklahoma to attend The University of Tulsa College of Law and worked as a Tulsa Municipal Public Defender before returning to The University of Tulsa to earn a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with the goal of understanding the interface of the legal system and mental health. She has published and co-authored research articles in a variety of peer reviewed journals and currently sits on the American Psychological Association Committee on Legal Issues. LaFortune has received many awards including, the Oklahoma Psychological Association Distinguished Service Citation, the New York Law School Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Award, and The University of Tulsa College of Law Distinguished Alumni. She has served as Chair of the Criminal Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association and served as a board member of the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System, the Tulsa Regional Child Death Review Board, and the Quality Assurance Panel for Juvenile Competency at the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth. LaFortune has also taught classes at a number of colleges, including the New York Law School, the University of Tulsa, TCC, OSU, Rogers State University and Langston University.

Steven Harpe is the Chief Information Officer of Gateway Mortgage Group, one of the nation’s largest, independent mortgage companies. Harpe is a Georgia native who made Broken Arrow his home in 1979, after his father’s service in the United States Air Force. He has more than 30 years of experience managing technology solutions globally for companies such as American Airlines, Sabre, HireRight, Capital One, and CGI.  He has also worked on initiatives for the United States Navy and Marines requiring high level security clearances by the United States Federal Government. He serves on the 501 Technet Advisory Board, an organization that provides eligible nonprofit organizations in Oklahoma with high quality, donor subsidized or partner discounted technology expertise, products and services. Additionally, he serves in several technology leadership groups, such as the Oklahoma CIO's and the Tulsa CIO Forum organizations. These groups bring senior level technologists in Oklahoma together to collaborate on technology transformation and cyber security initiatives. Steve has been married for 24 years to his wife Jody, and has three children Jillian, Ethan and Jenna. They have lived in the Broken Arrow area for 40 years, and are passionate about serving their local community.

Rodney Thornton currently serves as the Owner and President of Thornton Construction Company, Inc. He also owns and operates Eagle drilling, which specializes in oil and gas drilling rigs and equipment, and RT Properties, which is a real estate management company. He holds an MBA from Oklahoma City University and a Bachelors in Economics from the University of Oklahoma. He resides in Norman and is a member of the University of Oklahoma Seed Sower Society.

Betty Gesell lives in Bixby, Oklahoma and is a former small business owner (1998-2012) and Senior Account Representative at Mead Data Central/Lexis Nexis (1995-2000). Gesell holds both a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Nebraska.

The Board of Corrections is a nine person board with five members appointed by the Governor, two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and two members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The board is the governing body for the department. Members are responsible for establishing and reviewing policies and confirming the appointment of wardens or unit heads.

Senate Pro Tem appoints Daryl Woodard to DOC board

Senate Pro Tem appoints Daryl Woodard to DOC board

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat announced Monday his appointment of Daryl Woodard of Tulsa to the board of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

Woodard is the chief executive officer of SageNet, a Tulsa-based technology firm. He is Treat’s first appointment to the Department of Corrections (DOC) board.

“Across the board, state agencies have not kept up with the pace of technology and digital advancement. As we sort through important issues like criminal justice reform, it’s critically important that we have real, measurable data and analytics. The issue is not simply a matter of money, it’s a matter of strategic, innovative thinking. Daryl Woodard is a successful leader in the world of technology and Internet infrastructure, a background that will suit him to work with agency leaders and other board members to assist DOC in a digital transformation. I very much appreciate his willingness to serve our state, and know that Daryl Woodard will do a great job on the DOC board,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Woodard founded SageNet in 1998, focusing on designing, installing, managing, and servicing networks for multisite retail customers. He previously owned and operated other tech firms including Stonebridge Technologies, Inc., a custom application development company.

Woodard earned a business administration degree from the University of Illinois. He is involved in many local charitable and civic organizations.

“State government agencies can learn and leverage a lot through data and analytics, just like private businesses. As our state navigates through criminal justice reform, it’s important that lawmakers have access to data to understand as much as possible the impact of their policy decisions. I am honored that Pro Tem Treat selected me to serve, and I am very excited to get started. I look forward to working with DOC leadership and other board members,” said Woodard.

Government accountability measures signed into law earlier this year give the Senate pro tempore two appointments to the nine-member board of the Department of Corrections (DOC). The governor has five appointments to the DOC board while the House speaker has two appointments. The same bills give the governor the authority to hire, fire, and set the salary of the DOC director.

Senate President Treat appoints Bob Boyd to OHCA board

Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat appoints Bob Boyd to Health Care Authority board

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Tuesday announced his appointment of Robert “Bob” Boyd of Owasso to the board of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.

Under legislation signed into law in March, the Health Care Authority (OHCA) is among five of the largest state agencies who now have agency directors who are hired and fired by the governor. The reforms also created nine-member boards at each of the five agencies made up of five appointments by the governor and two each by the Senate pro tem and the House speaker.

Boyd is Treat’s first appointment to the OHCA board.

“The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is a huge agency that oversees a budget in excess of a billion dollars and administers the Medicaid program. It’s important we have people with experience with strategic management skills and an eye for identifying critical issues and implementing decisive solutions. Bob Boyd is successful and skilled financial executive with more than 30 years of management experience for a variety of diverse organizations. More than that, he’s a leader with integrity and a heart to serve Oklahoma. I know he will do well in helping lead the Health Care Authority,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Boyd is the founder and president of Boston Street Advisors, Inc., and Boston Street Capital, LLC. Prior to that, he served in a variety of financial management positions at companies like Lowrance Electronics, Inc., and Bank of Oklahoma. He also previously served as an adjunct professor at the University of Tulsa and at Langston University – Tulsa. He also previously served on the National Advisory Board of the Small Business Administration.

“I am honored that Pro Tem Treat would place his trust in me to serve in this important role at the Health Care Authority. I am eager to dig in and get to work ensuring the agency is using tax dollars as efficiently and effectively as possible so that we can serve those who truly need assistance. I look forward to working with the other board members and agency leadership to fulfill OHCA’s mission,” Boyd said.

Boyd earned a business administration degree from Phillips University and a masters of business administration from the University of Tulsa. He also completed the executive development and advanced management program at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Governor Stitt releases First 100 Days in Office Accomplishments report

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT RELEASES FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT 

Oklahoma City, Okla. (April 23, 2019) – Governor Kevin Stitt released today his First 100 Days in Office Accomplishments report. The report focuses on the Stitt administration's progress thus far and displays the work being done to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency in state government. Highlights of the report include:

Agency accountability: 
Governor Stitt signed into law legislation that forces five of the 12 largest agencies to answer to the executive branch. Past governors have produced blue ribbon studies showing that responsibility and power are spread so far and thin across state government that essentially no one is able to be held accountable by the voters. Within the first two months of the Stitt administration, the governor and the Legislature worked together to produce historic reform in five of the largest agencies.

This reform now allows the governor to fire poor performing agency directors and recruit the best talent to come serve in these critical leadership positions, answering directly to the executive branch for the first time in state history.

Audits:
Governor Stitt requested performance audits of nine agencies in order to complete performance audits of the 12 largest agencies that consume 90% of the state budget.

The Stitt administration also requested two financial audits that were immediately implemented by the State Auditor and Inspector’s office. The most notable audit underway, at the request of Governor Stitt, is an audit of the Medicaid rolls.

Reducing OMES emergency supplemental request from $23 million to $0:
Governor Stitt's administration reduced the previous administration’s emergency supplemental budget request for Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) from $23 million in October 2018 down to $0.

OMES is an interfacing state agency that provides IT, human resources and other services to state agencies. Prior to the Stitt administration taking office, OMES notified the Legislature that the agency needed an emergency injection of an additional $23 million before the end of the fiscal year. Within the first two months, Governor Stitt’s new Chief Operating Officer John Budd dug in to the finances of the agency and brought the emergency request to $16 million, and by April, COO Budd brought it down to $0 by changing processes within OMES, renegotiating vendor contracts, and leveraging the agency’s revolving funds.

First governor’s budget to highlight total dollars:
Governor Stitt introduced the first governor’s budget that outlines total dollars spent by state government.

Previous governor’s budgets focused solely on roughly 40% of the budget, the portion of tax dollars appropriated by the Legislature. Governor Stitt’s budget also outlines federal dollars being spent to support state government as well as apportionments and fees, directly collected by state agencies. The governor’s budget was provided online the first of February for all Oklahomans to see while the Legislature began budget negotiations.

Digital Transformation:
Governor Stitt appointed a Secretary of Digital Transformation, a brand new position, to help accomplish his vision to bring Oklahoma state government fully into the digital age. Already, Oklahoma has begun to implement digital transformation measures by:

• Modernizing state parks by making it possible for parks to accept credit cards in the field for the first time in state history. 
• Launching the beta test for digital driver’s license that would be Real ID Compliant. 
• Beginning the process to modernize the administrative rules website to make it more user friendly and transparent. 
• Securing a vendor to relaunch Oklahoma’s checkbook online 

A copy of the complete report is available by clicking here.

Senate Pro Tem appoints Timothy Tardibono to OJA board

Senate Pro Tem appoints Timothy Tardibono to OJA board

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Wednesday announced his appointment of Timothy Tardibono of Oklahoma City to serve on the board for the Office of Juvenile Affairs.

Tardibono is the second of two appointments the Senate pro tempore makes to the OJA board following the enactment of House Bill 2479, legislation that was part of a government accountability agreement between legislative leaders and the governor. The bill gave the governor the ability to hire the OJA director, and gave OJA board appointments to the governor, House speaker, and Senate pro tempore.

“I’ve known Timothy Tardibono for many years and know him to be a man of integrity and honor. He’s a strong advocate for children and families, and his background and experience will bring great insight to the OJA board. I know he’ll do a great job working with OJA leadership to help transform the lives of children and help them transition back into society,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

Tardibono serves as the executive director of the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council. He previously served as counsel to former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn. Prior to that, he served as assistant general counsel at the Oklahoma Department of Health, and was a policy analyst for former Governor Frank Keating. Tardibono earned a law degree from Regent University School of Law, a master’s in public policy from Regent University School of Government, and a bachelor’s degree in history from Oklahoma Christian University.

“I appreciate Senator Greg Treat’s leadership on criminal justice reform efforts and his work to reform and improve the state adoption and foster care system. I share his commitment to ensuring kids in state custody are kept safe and treated well and are given every opportunity to be a transformational generation in their families. OJA plays an important role in that effort. It's an honor to return to OJA after having started my career in public service there almost 20 years ago. Ensuring the flourishing of our youth is a critical component to our state's turnaround and I look forward to working with the OJA leadership and board to help our youth succeed,” Tardibono said.

Previously, Pro Tem Treat reappointed Warren A. “Tony” Caldwell to serve on the OJA board and last month the board elected Caldwell as chairman.

Stitt signs Agency Accountability bills, praises legislative leadership

GOVERNOR STITT SIGNS AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY BILLS, PRAISES HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERSHIP

Oklahoma City, Okla. (March 13, 2019) – Governor Kevin Stitt today signed five agency accountability bills that give the executive branch the authority to hire and fire agency leaders for the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority (SB 456), Oklahoma Department of Transportation (SB 457), Oklahoma Department of Corrections (HB 2480), Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (HB 2479), and Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (HB 2483).

“This marks a historic day for the State of Oklahoma,” said Stitt. “With this legislation we are ensuring Oklahoma’s government is truly accountable to the people of Oklahoma. These reforms empower elected officials to deliver stronger oversight, better services, and accountable leadership across the state’s five largest agencies, and by maintaining governing boards, we will continue to ensure transparency in all agency operations. I would like to thank Speaker McCall and President Pro Tem Treat for championing these pieces of legislation that will undoubtedly help move our state forward.”

“Under our current structure, agency directors and boards are not accountable to anyone – certainly not to the governor or the taxpayers of Oklahoma,” said House Speaker Charles McCall. “This historic agreement transforms our government in a way that delivers real accountability for Oklahoma’s citizens. This has been a shared goal between the governor and House and Senate Republicans, and I am very thankful for the cooperation and leadership of Gov. Stitt and President Pro Tempore Treat. These bills ensure that the governor will truly be the chief executive of the executive branch by allowing him to hire and fire those agency directors, and it ensures that the Legislature maintains more oversight over those agencies that spend taxpayer money.”

“Since I’ve been in the Oklahoma Senate, Republicans have done a lot of great things like workers’ comp reform, pension reform, DHS reform, enacting the largest teacher pay raise in state history, and advanced the cause of life,” said Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat. “But the government accountability measures, in my opinion, are the most substantial reforms Republicans will achieve in my tenure at the Capitol. For too long, agencies have been unaccountable to the people of Oklahoma. That’s wrong and that is changing for the better. Now, Oklahomans will know who to hold accountable for the successes or failures of these five agencies. This truly gives Governor Stitt the ability to put into place the leaders who can carry out his vision that will make Oklahoma a Top 10 state. I want to thank Governor Stitt and Speaker McCall for their hard work and cooperation. This is an amazing achievement that will transform Oklahoma for the next century. It’s the dawn of a new day across Oklahoma and it’s a day that will help us achieve an even better and brighter future.”

The agency accountability bills include the following provisions: 

• The Governor will have the authority to hire and fire the agency leader.
• Senate will have confirmation authority of the agency leader.
• State agencies will maintain governing boards, but board members will serve at will and the legislation will include a conflict of interest provision.
• The Governor will appoint a majority of the board members, and the House and Senate will gain appointment seats on the boards.
• The House and Senate will be able to remove agency leaders by achieving a two-third vote in both Chambers.

House sends agency reform bills to Governor's desk

House Passes Remaining Government Accountability Reform Bills

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House of Representatives passed the final two bills that are part of the historic government accountability reforms agreement announced last week between Gov. Kevin Stitt and House and Senate leadership.

Senate Bill 456 applies to the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority and passed by a vote of 74-23.

Senate Bill 457 applies to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and passed by a vote of 75-23.

The House passed the other three bills in the agreement last week. All five bills in the agreement were authored by House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat (R-Oklahoma City).

“Oklahomans expect more accountability from their government, and, right now, our agency directors and agency boards are not really accountable to anyone – including the governor,” said Speaker McCall, R-Atoka. “This plan creates a structure that can deliver accountability much more effectively for our citizens. I am very thankful for the leadership and cooperation of Gov. Stitt and President Pro Tempore Treat in working with House Republicans to craft this agreement. These bills ensure that the governor will be the chief executive of the executive branch by allowing him to hire and fire those agency directors, and it ensures that the Legislature maintains some oversight over those agencies that spend taxpayer money.”

The plan gives the governor the ability to hire and fire the directors of five state agencies, including the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and the Department of Transportation. The plan also retains the agency boards that provide oversight over those agencies and rebalances the appointment authority for those boards. It makes all board appointments “at will,” meaning they can be removed at any time by the appointing authority. Those boards would remain subject to the Open Records and Open Meetings Acts and would retain the ability to promulgate rules and perform other board activities.

The plan gives the governor five appointments on each board and gives the Legislature four appointments each, divided between Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tempore. The plan also gives the Senate advice and consent on the governor’s agency director appointments. In addition, the plan allows the Legislature to remove any of the five agency directors with a vote of two-thirds approval in both chambers.

Both bills now head to the governor’s desk to await his signature. 

OCPA column: Limited government should also be effective

Limited government should also be effective

by Curtis Shelton, policy research fellow at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

Who runs Oklahoma’s largest state agencies? This is a hard question to answer. Governors and legislators appoint members to agency boards. Those boards then choose agency directors. The directors nominally report to the board, but board members are volunteers who only meet occasionally and only know what agency staff tells them. Historically, these boards have a terrible track record when it comes to asking hard questions or holding anyone responsible.

Last week, Gov. Kevin Stitt and legislative leaders announced an agreement to increase accountability for five state agencies. The reforms will give the governor authority to hire and fire directors of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs, and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. These are some of the largest state agencies.

The largest is the state’s Medicaid agency, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA). According to the state Senate Appropriation Report for fiscal year 2019, OHCA had $1.1 billion in appropriations with a total budget of $5.8 billion. The smallest of these agencies is the Office of Juvenile Affairs with a total budget of $110 million. The Department of Transportation, Department of Corrections, and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services have total budgets of $1.8 billion, $588 million, and $471 million respectively.

In all, the five agencies account for $8.7 billion of the $27 billion total budget reported by the state Senate. That is nearly a third of the total state budget that has limited accountability to current elected officials.

As of today, these agencies are run by boards whose members may have been chosen by previous governors and former legislators. The board members, and the directors they choose, have no direct accountability to the people for their results. When things go awry, as in the case of the recent financial scandal at the Oklahoma State Department of Health or past crises at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, assessing who is responsible is difficult. Changing how agencies operate often seems impossible.

A limited government shouldn’t mean an ineffective one. Oklahoma’s current government structure pits its executive branch against itself and makes any real reform difficult. With the proposed changes, the people will know exactly who is responsible—the governor. With that responsibility comes the authority to hold these agencies accountable for how taxpayers’ dollars are being used.

Curtis Shelton serves as a policy research fellow focusing on fiscal and tax policy for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.