Legislators to hear budget proposals

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma lawmakers are preparing for budget requests from two of the largest agencies in state government.

State Superintendent of Schools Joy Hofmeister and Nico Gomez, head of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, will make separate budget proposals Wednesday to members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

The Department of Education is requesting an appropriation of almost $2.1 billion for the fiscal year that begins July 1, a $205 million increase from the current year’s funding.

The Health Care Authority, Oklahoma’s Medicaid provider, is seeking a budget of more than $900 million.

Lawmakers are working to overcome a $611 million budget shortfall for the upcoming year. Legislation to boost teacher salaries and pump hundreds of millions of dollars into classrooms over the next decade has already died in the state Legislature.