OKLAHOMA CITY – The House will begin holding performance and budget request hearings for state agencies this week in preparation for the upcoming legislative session, House Appropriations and Budget Committee Chair Scott Martin announced.
The hearings will be held over a two-week period at the state Capitol beginning on Tuesday, January 22.
Rep. Martin said the hearings are an important process for members to review how the agencies performed during the most recent fiscal year. The meetings give the agencies an opportunity to explain to the committee how the prior year’s appropriation was spent, whether new programs were added or old ones discarded and to present their budget request for the next fiscal year.
“I’m glad we were able to reinstitute these critical hearings for the upcoming session,” said Martin, R-Norman. “It’s our duty to provide oversight and evaluate agency budgets, and these hearings will give my House colleagues the chance to really dig deep into agency spending and thoughtfully consider any new request before session begins.
“It’s important to the taxpayers that every penny spent is justified and used wisely. These are taxpayer dollars we will be appropriating, and it’s incumbent on us to be good stewards of them. I’m confident these meetings will be beneficial for the legislature, just as it will be for our state agencies. While the budget is considered and passed during a short four-month timeframe, our vigilance over it never ends. I hope my fellow citizens feel free to attend these public meetings and listen to the proceedings.”
The Performance and Budget hearing schedule is as follows:
- A&B Joint (with Senate) Human Services Subcommittee, Tuesday, January 22 at 8:30 a.m.
- A&B Joint (with Senate) Judiciary Subcommittee, Thursday, January 24 at 9:00 a.m.
- A&B Joint (with Senate) Natural Resources Subcommittee, Thursday, January 24 at 10:30 a.m.
- A&B Public Health Subcommittee, Monday, January 28 at 8:30 a.m.
- A&B Joint (with Senate) Career Technology Subcommittee, Monday, January 28 at 9:30 a.m.
- A&B Joint (with Senate) Higher Education Subcommittee, Monday, January 28 at 2:00 p.m.
- A&B Non-Appropriated Subcommittee, Tuesday, January 29 at 9:00 a.m.
- A&B Joint (with Senate) Common Education Subcommittee, Tuesday, January 29 at 9:30 a.m.
- A&B Transportation Subcommittee, Tuesday, January 29 at 10:30 a.m.
- A&B Public Safety Subcommittee, Wednesday, January 30 at 8:30 a.m.
- A&B General Government Subcommittee, Thursday, January 31 at 9:00 a.m.
All meeting notices with locations and agendas have been posted to the House website.
The 54th Legislature will convene on Monday, February 4.
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