| Oklahoma
State Senate
President Pro Tempore
Senator Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa
State Capitol Room 422
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
(405) 521-5565
For Immediate Release: May 14, 2013
Senate passes Fiscal Year 2014 Budget
The Oklahoma state Senate passed Tuesday the Fiscal
Year 2014 General Appropriations Budget to fund state government
operations. HB 2301 passed the Senate by a vote of 28-20.
HB 2301 is a fiscally conservative budget plan for Fiscal Year 2014,
including targeted increases in resources for teaching in the classroom,
child welfare, and the maintenance of state-owned assets. Most state
agencies will not see an increase in spending under HB 2301. In
total, the General Appropriations Budget includes approximately
$7.1 billion.
President Pro Tem Brian
Bingman called HB 2301 a balanced budget with a focus toward
basic priorities.
“This is a responsible and fiscally conservative budget, with
increases targeted to core government services—education,
infrastructure and human services,” said Bingman, R-Sapulpa.
“The budget includes more than $90 million of additional funding
for common education—money to keep the promises we’ve
made to support historic education reforms, to fund benefits that
our teachers depend on every month, and to put more dollars in the
classroom.”
Examples of targeted increases include:
• $91 million for common education, including: $74 million
in FY 2014 to support reform efforts and get more resources into
classrooms; a $17 million supplemental for common education to fund
teacher health benefits and other costs in FY 2013
• $33 million for Higher Education and $3 million for Career
Technology to support operations and the goal of awarding more degrees
and career certificates
• $40 million for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to support
operations, including Sooner Care
• $1.2 million for the Department of Health to support infant
mortality reduction initiatives and to implement new inspections
of long term care facilities for veterans
• $17.4 million for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health
and Substance Abuse to support initiatives including suicide prevention,
prescription drug abuse prevention and treatment, counseling for
children with mental illnesses, and “smart on crime”
initiatives like the Justice Reinvestment Act
• $44 million for the Department of Human Services to support
operations, including the implementation of the Pinnacle Plan and
the reduction of the waiting list for services offered to individuals
with developmental disabilities
• $30 million to the Maintenance of State Buildings Revolving
Fund and $60 million for repairs and renovation of the State Capitol
Senate Appropriations Chairman Clark
Jolley noted the importance of targeted funding increases for
core government services.
“This budget represents a conservative approach to limit the
growth of government while still investing in teaching in the classroom,
in child welfare, and our infrastructure management,” said
Jolley, R-Edmond. “We know we need to see increased dollars
go to kids in the classroom, and we must press forward with monumental
reforms to our child welfare services. These are fundamental core
services, and this budget fulfills our most important commitments
while delivering on a tax cut for the people of Oklahoma.”
HB 2301 will now advance to the governor for her signature.
For more information, contact:
Sen. Bingman: (405) 521-5605
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