Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget approves $13 million supplemental for DOC

In order to avoid a budget shortfall in the Department of Corrections (DOC), the Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget has approved a $13 million supplemental appropriation. Senate Bill 2126 was approved by the committee Monday afternoon.

Senate Appropriations Chair, Clark Jolley said DOC had actually needed $27 million, but had worked to identify ways of reprioritizing funds within the agency. Jolley praised DOC director Robert Patton for his fiscally conservative approach and leadership.

“Rather than simply ask for the full amount, Director Patton carefully scrutinized the entire budget, looking for savings and efficiencies so that funds could be shifted to address the most pressing needs in DOC,” said Jolley, R-Edmond. “Those efforts resulted in the identification of $14 million, which dramatically reduced the size of the supplemental needed to get them to the end of the current fiscal year.”

SB 2126 also allows DOC to spend money from the Prison Industries Revolving Fund. This has occurred previously, but under SB 2126, the change will allow DOC to utilize resources from the fund in future years, at the discretion of the director.

Sen. Rob Johnson chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Judiciary—the subcommittee that oversees DOC’s budget.

“The Department of Corrections has the responsibility of protecting law abiding citizens from the most dangerous criminals in our state,” said Johnson, R-Edmond. “This supplemental is necessary for DOC to continue to protect the public.”

SB 2126 could be voted on by the full Senate as early as this week.