Treat Files Bill to Create State Agency Watchdog

The first bill filed for the 57th Legislature was done so by President Pro Tem-designate Greg Treat who wants a legislative watchdog office to keep an eye on state agency spending and performance. Senate Bill 1 creates the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT).

LOFT would have access to state agency spending data and conduct performance evaluations of agencies, programs or specific divisions.

“Real numbers and objective data will help the Oklahoma Legislature make better informed decisions when writing the state budget, setting policy, and tracking whether programs are meeting or exceeding our expectations,” said Treat.

Treat points to the Oklahoma State Health Department’s recent scandal of misplacing $30 million dollars forcing the Legislature to throw money at the agency when it was not needed.

“Last year, the Legislature was told the Health Department needed $30 million immediately or they agency couldn’t make payroll and there would be catastrophic public health implications. As we know now, the department didn’t need the money and the agency’s finances were in shambles. That is unacceptable and must not continue,” Treat said.

Legislatively controlled watchdogs have helped other states according to Treat.

“Well more than half of the states have a legislative oversight office like LOFT. It helps provide accountability and oversight among the branches of government. The legislative, executive, and judicial are co-equal branches of government. They serve as a check on one another’s power. We need an independent, nonpartisan office like LOFT to provide the Legislature with real numbers as we make decisions on how to get the best outcomes and returns on each and every tax dollar,” Treat said.

LOFT would have open access to all agency data and budgets. A bicameral, bipartisan committee would be set up to oversee LOFT’s work which will be made available to the public.

“The most important duty the Legislature has is to write the budget and provide oversight of agency spending and performance. In most cases, the Legislature depends on the agency itself or the executive branch to report data on spending and performance. Agencies present only the data they want us to see not necessarily what we need to see. Agencies tend to focus more on outputs and not outcomes. That’s not how we are going to turn Oklahoma around. The Legislature needs independent, objective data so that we can make better informed decisions,” Treat said.


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