$9.8 Billion Budget Passes from Committee, Headed For Floor Vote

OKLAHOMA CITY – 

A $9.8 billion state budget was passed by the House and Senate Joint Committees for Appropriation and Budget Tuesday.

This year’s budget is a bump up from last year’s $9.1 Billion dollar budget.

The plan includes $14 million to give State Troopers pay raises in an effort to attract more troopers.

The department of Health Services will receive over $30 million dollars to fund Medicaid waivers and services for people with developmental disabilities.

This comes over a years long effort to eliminate Oklahoma’s waiting list for services for thousands of families.

The budget also includes nearly $700 million set aside as a one-time effort to attract corporate development to Oklahoma.

Tax relief efforts this session resulted in a plan to send $181 million in checks directly to taxpayers – $75 for singles, and $150 for couples.

Efforts to eliminate the state grocery tax — failed.

“For me personally, within my district, it’s a rural district, without POS (point-of-sale) systems, it’s very problematic to be able to run through. I think you’ll see more discussion on the grocery tax in the years to come,” said Senator Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, chair of the Senate JCAB.

Both the house and senate chambers must pass the budget with a floor vote before it heads to the governor’s desk.