Legislature-Governor Dispute Referred to State Supreme Court

LEGISLATURE-GOVERNOR-DISPUTE

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Legislature asked the state Supreme Court on Tuesday to weigh in on a dispute with the governor over the state budget. Governor Kevin Stitt said “it’s just disappointing” that members of the Oklahoma Legislature, including House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat have asked the state Supreme Court to order the Board of Equalization to meet and declare a revenue failure for the current fiscal year.

The Legislature last week approved three bills to fill a projected $416 million budget hole for the fiscal year ending June 30. But one bill does not protect one of Stitt’s priorities, the state’s new digital transformation office, from cuts and the governor abruptly canceled a meeting of the board.

The bill passed without Stitt’s signature, but it requires the declaration of a revenue failure by the board to access the reserve funds.

Stitt said Wednesday he met earlier in the day with McCall and Treat, but is focused on responding to the coronavirus.

“We’ve got plenty of time, we fully funded April,” though a shortfall still looms for May and June, Stitt said. “We’ve got all the way until May to call a Board of Equalization meeting and work out an agreement with the House and the Senate.”