Senator Ron Sharp wants to shine more light into how state agencies spend taxpayer money. He’s filed three bills which would increase state agency spending transparency and to increase the scrutiny on the Department of Health. Sharp filed the bills in response to the multi-county grand jury’s findings on the mismanagement of funds within the Health Department.
“Given that Oklahoma just recently recovered from a decade-long financial crisis and many vital state agencies experienced deep budget cuts, it’s disheartening that agency leaders would have done such a deplorable thing. They unnecessarily cut nearly 200 employees, cut vital health services around the state and took $30 million in emergency funds from the legislature that could have been used for other agencies like the Department of Education,” said Sharp. “These bills will put some of the grand jury’s recommendations into action to provide better financial transparency and prevent future deceit and mismanagement.”
Sharp filed Senate Bill 176 which would require the State Auditor and Inspector’s Office to perform an annual audit on the Health Department and require public disclosure of how it uses local, state and federal funds.
Senate Bill 177 requires all state agencies to post their balance sheets, revenue statements and fund balances on their websites starting in 2020.
Sharp also wants to expand criminal embezzlement statutes to make it a felony for a public official, Legislator or agency representative who receive compensation for not reporting public funds to the Legislature. He filed Senate Bill 173 as the vehicle to make that happen.
“Taxpayers deserve to know how every penny of their tax dollars is being spent by agencies. There must be total transparency for the legislature and the public to ensure tax dollars are used as efficiently as possible,” said Sharp. “These measures will improve agency auditing practices, deter other state agencies from hiding funds like the Health Department and ensure the legislature has a clear understanding of the actual fiscal needs of state agencies.”
