Pieces of the landmark education package announced earlier this week continued forward without a hitch through the Oklahoma Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday as leadership turned its attention to finalizing a budget deal by next Friday.
Also moved along on Wednesday were appropriations bills allocating close to $110 million in American Relief Plan Act funds, including $14.5 million for a downtown Tulsa mental health hospital.
The Senate and House each approved bills carrying their own chamber’s title designation — nine Senate and 10 House. The bills will now switch sides, with the House getting the Senate bills and the Senate getting the House bills.
The measures passed with little opposition, although some House Democrats questioned why the education package includes $150 million over three years to hire school resource officers — basically, police officers — but nothing for counselors and school psychologists.
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They were also unhappy that each district receives the same allocation from that fund, regardless of enrollment or the number of school campuses, and that the legislation seems to leave open the possibility that virtual schools would qualify for the security funds.
Ultimately nine Democrats voted against authorizing the program, but all but one then voted to fund it.
The ARPA bills picked up a handful of “no” votes from Republicans but passed without much comment.
Besides the education and ARPA legislation, the House also passed and sent to the governor three unrelated measures on Wednesday.
Both chambers went through the formality of opening and then recessing a concurrent special session, which will be used for the bulk of the appropriations bills. The special session allows the Legislature to return to the Capitol after the May 26 deadline for final adjournment in case it wishes to override late gubernatorial vetoes.
Gov. Kevin Stitt and state leaders gathered to announce the plan, negotiated over the course of the 2023 legislative session.
