Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat on Monday outlined the Senate’s plan to handle the budget for the upcoming session. Treat is looking to have more “buy in” from Senators by opening up the process in this way.
The first step begins this week with Senate appropriations subcommittees meeting with agencies in public meetings to hear the agencies’ budget requests.
After the Board of Equalization approves its first certification for FY 24 revenues, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Roger Thompson will provide allocation figures to the subcommittees.
Those Subcommittees will work with the agencies through the public hearings in December and January. The Subcommittees will present their budgets to the full Senate Appropriations Committee in February through March.
Once the Appropriations Committee approves the budget created through the process, a Senate Resolution will be drafted that provides the levels for the Senate’s proposed budget. The full Senate will vote on the measure. If approved, it will become the Senate’s official stance in beginning budget negotiations with the House.
Treat says this process provides more transparency on the Senate side.
“For years, I have heard criticisms from my Senate counterparts, and Oklahomans alike, about the overall budget process. This will allow everyone to see how the budget is discussed and how it is done in the open. My goal with this is to provide more transparency and more accountability for agencies who are funded through taxpayer dollars. These meetings will be public, and Senate members will have input. I hope this brings clarity to the process on the Senate side. Giving our members more buy-in will allow them to be able to fully explain to their constituents our priorities, and how we came to certain decisions during the process,” said Treat.
Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd is open to Treat’s budget process plan.
“I am pleased that Senate leadership acknowledges the necessity of a transparent budget process. Oklahomans deserve a clear explanation of where their tax dollars are going and why. This process has been out of the public eye for far too long, and I hope this new approach will enable us to craft a budget that better meets the needs of Oklahomans,” said Floyd.
The Senate General Government and Transportation Subcommittee will get things started on Tuesday morning with other subcommittees setting their agendas for the coming weeks.
