Governor signs bill imposing cuts to Oklahoma agencies

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has signed a bill that imposes across-the-board budget cuts to all state agencies, including public schools, for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Fallin late Tuesday signed the general appropriations bill, which funds state agencies through June 30.

The bill reduces monthly allocations to all state agencies by about 2 percent for the final four months of the fiscal year, or about 0.66 percent when annualized. The cuts will generate about $44.6 million to fund three state agencies that would otherwise run out of money: the Department of Human Services, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and the Health Care Authority.

Republican legislative leaders decided to cut agency budgets after a sweeping package of tax increases failed to pass the House amid bipartisan opposition.