Oklahoma State Senate

2007 LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY AND FY 2008 BUDGET REVIEW

                                                                                                                                                        

June 21, 2007

 

We are pleased to present the 2007 Legislative Summary and FY 2008 Budget Review.  Included within this document are summaries of all substantive bills and resolutions enacted in the 2007 Session and information on appropriation measures and the state budget adopted by the Legislature for FY 2008.

 

The summaries contained herein have been prepared by the following Senate Committee Staff personnel:

·         Lori Block, Staff Attorney, Senate Appropriations, Education and Health & Human Resources Committees

·         Kim Brown, Legislative Analyst, Senate Education Committee

·         Jennifer Christol-Mullens, Legislative Analyst, Senate Health & Human Resources Committee

·         Tom Clapper, Legislative Analyst, Senate Resolutions

·         Caroline Dennis, Director of Committee Staff, Senate Rules Committee

·         Matt Duehning, Staff Attorney, Senate General Government, Public Safety and Homeland Security and Transportation Committees

·         Alicia Emerson, Legislative Analyst, Senate Retirement & Insurance Committee

·         Scott Emerson, Attorney, Senate Agriculture & Rural Development and Tourism & Wildlife Committees

·         Selden Jones, Staff Attorney, Senate Business & Labor, Retirement & Insurance, and Veterans & Military Affairs Committees

·         Judy King, Staff Attorney, Senate Energy & Environment and Finance Committees

·         Tracy Kersey, Legislative Analyst/Attorney, Senate Judiciary Committee

·         Lewis LeNaire, Legislative Analyst, Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee

·         Mary Jo Mitts, Legislative Analyst, Senate Energy & Environment and Transportation Committees

·         Nancy Pellow, Legislative Analyst, Senate Criminal Jurisprudence Committee

·         Cheryl Purvis, Staff Attorney, Senate Criminal Jurisprudence, Judiciary and Rules Committees

·         Joanie Raff, Legislative Analyst, Senate Finance Committee

·         Lexa Shafer, Legislative Analyst, Senate Business & Labor Committee

·         Jeri Trope, Legislative Analyst, Senate Agriculture & Rural Development, General Government, Tourism & Wildlife and Veterans & Military Affairs Committees

 

Information on appropriation measures and the state budget has been prepared by the following Senate Fiscal Staff personnel:

·         Jason Deal, Fiscal Analyst, Subcommittee on General Government and Transportation

·         Randy Dowell, Director of Fiscal Staff, Appropriations Committee

·         Amy Dunaway, Fiscal Analyst, Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Regulatory Services

·         Jeremy Geren, Fiscal Analyst, Subcommittee on Education

·         Martin Hanifin, Fiscal Analyst, Subcommittee on Human Services

·         Anthony Sammons, Fiscal Analyst, Subcommittee on Health and Social Services

·         Sean Wallace, Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary

 

We also appreciate the assistance of Liz Park-Capron, Mary Savuto, and Laurie Houser, Administrative Assistants, and Malia Bennett, Director of Communications in preparing this document. 

 

 

Caroline Dennis                                                                       Randy Dowell

Director of Senate Committee Staff                                         Director of Senate Fiscal Staff

 


Table of Contents

 

Session Overview

Appropriation Overview

Rainy Day Spillover Funds

FY’07 Supplemental Appropriations

Agriculture & Rural Development Measures

Agriculture Funding

Banking, Finance & Securities Measures

Business & Labor Measures

Criminal Law & Procedures Measures

Corrections Funding

Office of Juvenile Affairs Funding

Law Enforcement Funding

Economic Development & Commerce Measures

Commerce Funding

Historical Society Funding

Career & Technology Education Measures

Career & Technology Education Funding

Common Education Measures

Common Education (K-12) Funding

Higher Education Measures

Postsecondary Education Funding

Arts Council Funding

Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology Funding

Educational Television Authority Funding

Department of Libraries Funding

Physician Manpower Training Commission Funding

School of Science & Mathematics Funding

Energy, Environment & Utilities Measures

Corporation Commission Funding

Conservation Commission Funding

Gaming, Sports & Amusements Measures

Government Measures (County, Municipal & Local)

Government Measures (State)

Department of Central Services Funding

Health Measures

Health Care Authority Funding

Public Health Funding

Mental Health & Substance Abuse Funding

Human Services Measures

Human Services Funding

Department of Rehabilitation Services Funding

J. D. McCarty Center Funding

Commission on Children & Youth Funding

Office of Handicapped Concerns Funding

Insurance Measures

Intoxicating Liquor, Smoking & Tobacco Laws Measures

Judiciary/Courts Measures

Courts Funding

Motor Vehicles, Water Vessels & Licensing Measures

Professions & Occupations Measures

Public Finance Measures

Public Safety & Homeland Security Measures

Public Employees-Retirement/Insurance/Pay/Benefits Measures

State Employee Pay Raise Funding

Revenue & Taxation Measures

Telecommunications & Technology Measures

Tourism & Wildlife Measures

Tourism Funding

J. M. Davis Commission Funding

Will Rogers Commission Funding

Transportation Measures

Veterans & Military Affairs Measures

Veterans Funding

Military Department Funding

Senate and House Concurrent Resolutions

Senate and House Resolutions

Vetoed Bills

Appropriations Comparison

Summary of Expenditures (Senate Bill 334 & House Bill 1105)

 

 

 

 


Session Overview

 

The first session of the 51st Legislature convened in January 2007, the year marking Oklahoma’s 100th anniversary of entering the union as the 46th state.  In addition to planned Centennial celebrations in communities throughout the state, the Legislature also agreed to meet in November of 2007 for a ceremonial session to be held in Guthrie, the original state capital of Oklahoma.

 

The 2007 session was also remarkable because it was the first in the history of the state in which both parties held an equal number of seats in the upper chamber.  The tie resulted in a power-sharing agreement allowing both parties to share in leadership responsibilities at all levels, from committees to daily activities on the floor. Under the agreement, Senator Mike Morgan served as Senate President Pro Tempore and Glenn Coffee served as Co-President Pro Tempore, with each appointing co-floor leaders and committee co-chairs.  Morgan and Coffee will retain those titles throughout the 51st Legislature, with the exception of the month of July 2007, when they will alternate titles.

 

During the 2007 session, the Senate introduced 1130 bills, 32 joint resolutions, 41 concurrent resolutions and 51 resolutions.  Of those measures, 185 bills and 2 joint resolutions were signed into law, 5 were vetoed and 1 bill became law without the signature of the Governor.  Twenty-two concurrent resolutions and 45 simple resolutions were adopted or enacted.

 

The Senate remained on the technological forefront in state government, adding podcasts to the other services available to the public and the press, including wireless Internet access and live streaming video and audio from two committee rooms as well as the chamber.

 

The Senate welcomed eight new members:  Senators Joe Sweeden, Brian Bingman, Roger Ballenger, Bill Brown, Sean Burrage, Tom Ivester, Andrew Rice and Anthony Sykes.

 

The following overview details the legislation approved during the 2007 legislative session.

 


Appropriation Overview

 

SB 334 is the General Appropriation (GA) Bill for the 2007 legislative session.  Additional operating and capital funds for several agencies were also included in HB 1105, the Rainy Day Fund Spillover Bill.  FY’07 supplemental appropriations totaling $116,063,211 were provided in HB 1234, HB 1184 and HB 1162.  Details concerning each of these bills are included in this document.  The total amount of spending authorized for FY’07 and FY’08 is summarized in the chart below and in more detailed spreadsheets on pages 10 through 15 of this document.  Expenditures for FY’07 totaled $7,132,192,363 including adjustments for one-time capital projects and supplemental appropriations.  Authorized expenditures for FY’08 including capital projects total $7,071,712,966.  Authorized expenditures for FY’08 are $60,479,397 or approximately one percent less than for FY’07.

 

Comparison of Funding, FY’07-FY’08

(in millions)

 

                             Revised  Proposed

                              FY'07      FY'08         Change

                            Approp.   Approp.      $        %

 

Education             3,556.3    3,752.3    196.0      5.5

Gen. Gov/Trans.      452.8       390.8     (62.0)  (13.7)

Health/Soc. Serv.  1,053.3    1,139.6      86.3      8.2

Human Services       677.0       700.3      23.3      3.5

Natural Res.             156.5       158.9       2.4      1.5

Public Safety            763.5       774.3      10.8      1.4

REAP                         15.5         15.5       0.0      0.0

Rainy Day Spillover  457.3       139.8   (317.5)     (69.4)

Total                   7,132.2   7,071.7    (60.5)    (0.8)

 

The “Revised FY’07” totals above include supplemental appropriations and one-time expenditures.  The Education subcommittee received $68.5 million in FY’07 supplemental appropriations, all of which were annualized in FY’08.  This means the Legislature actually appropriated a total of $264.5 million more for this subcommittee for FY’08 than was originally appropriated for FY’07.  The subcommittee will also receive an additional $86.5 million of the $139.8 million in Rainy Day Spillover Funds allocated in HB 1105.


The General Government and Transportation Subcommittee shows a $62 million decrease.  This is due to the fact that $70 million of the ODOT budget will be apportioned directly to the ROADS Fund in FY’08.  The overall ODOT budget is not decreasing. 

 

Rainy Day Spillover Funds

 

The Constitutional Reserve Fund (Rainy Day Fund) will reach its constitutional cap of $571.6 million when deposits are made in July.  Constitutionally, any money that remains once the Rainy Day fund is full reverts to the fund from which it came unless the Legislature earmarks it for a specific purpose.  It is estimated that $175.9 million will “spillover” from the Rainy Day Fund in July.  The Legislature and Governor have agreed to allocate $139.8 million of these funds in HB 1105 for the following:

 

Teachers’ Retirement System           $10,000,000

Teacher Pay Raise                             $22,000,000

Higher Education Operations           $20,000,000

Langston University                            $1,800,000

OU/OSU/Regional & 2-Yr Capital    $16,500,000

UCO Forensics Building                     $4,000,000

Centennial Commission                   $15,000,000

State Emergency Fund                     $10,000,000

Interoperable Communications          $5,500,000

OCAST Seed Capital                              $500,000

Bio-Diesel Fuel Center*                      $6,000,000

Fire Department Equipment               $2,500,000

Conservation Commission                  $6,500,000

Private Prison/Halfway Houses          $5,000,000

Educare                                               $5,000,000

Youth Expo                                          $1,000,000

Spaceport Authority                            $2,000,000

Ag Lab Equipment                                 $250,000

DPS Vehicle Replacement                   $1,000,000

Metro Tech                                          $1,200,000

Schools for Deaf and Blind                 $2,000,000

Smart on Crime Initiative                   $2,000,000

Gang Violence                                          $50,000