Oklahoma governor prepares for final State of the State

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Gov. Mary Fallin is preparing to deliver her eighth and final State of the State address to state lawmakers who are convening for the start of the 2018 session.

The Legislature will convene at noon on Monday, and Fallin is expected to deliver her remarks shortly thereafter.

Fallin, who is term limited, is expected to push again for a pay raise for Oklahoma teachers, along with a series of tax increases to help pay for the hike and to stabilize the state budget. She also is expected to urge lawmakers to consider ways to curb the state’s growing prison population.

The governor and Republican-controlled Legislature still haven’t fully funded the current year’s budget, and must resolve that issue before working on funding levels for next year.