Lobbyists seeking to influence elected officials in Oklahoma continue to spend some of the highest amounts ever in spite of rules intended to curb their practices.
State Budget Plan Is Largest in History, But Falls Short of Restoring Years of Cuts
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Lawmakers are on their way to passing the largest state budget in Oklahoma history. But that doesn’t mean state agencies have recovered from years of cost-cutting.
Donors to Pruitt’s Oklahoma Groups Now Lobby EPA, and Reap Benefits
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As an Oklahoma politician, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt received $181,000 in political contributions from donors who lobbied the EPA last year, according to a review of data by the nonprofit organization MapLight.
Step Up Campaign Highlights Gap in State Disclosure Laws
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Although the Step Up Oklahoma plan failed to pass, it highlighted a gap in state campaign finance laws that can keep much of the funding and spending on both sides of the issue a secret.
Q&A: ‘Corporate Prairie Fire’ Led to Plan for Fixing State Budget
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A coalition of Oklahoma business and civic leaders last week unveiled a sweeping plan to fix the state budget impasse. But will it fly in the Legislature? Two leaders – banking executive David Rainbolt and attorney and former Senate President Glenn Coffee – answer questions about the effort.
In Non-Election Year, Legislators Spend Campaign Donations on Perks
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An Oklahoma Watch review of campaign records sheds light on a little-known perk: After being elected, legislators can tap campaign donations to pay for meals, trips, memberships and other expenses.
Legislators’ ‘Officeholder’ Spending of Campaign Funds
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From January to September legislators spent $462,315 in campaign donations on “officeholder expenses”. Some were questionable. This data shows a sampling of lawmaker spending on trips, meals and event tickets.
Where Were the Watchdogs in the Health Department Crisis?
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The cash crisis at the Oklahoma State Department of Health, which was years in the making, raises questions about which agencies and state officials could have caught the agency’s reported financial mismanagement.
Challenges Persist After Fallin’s Budget Veto
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Lawmakers will likely return to the State Capitol sooner than expected after Gov. Mary Fallin’s shocking veto of most of a budget bill approved by the Legislature only hours earlier. GOP leaders condemned the veto; Fallin’s office hasn’t fired back.
House Approves Plan to Use Broad Cuts, One-Time Savings to Fill Budget Hole
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A new budget plan approved by the House of Representatives on Wednesday would cut millions of dollars from dozens of state agencies and use one-time savings to bridge the state’s $215 million budget gap. It is expected to be heard in the Senate later this week. Read this agency-by-agency breakdown to see who’s cut how much.
A Handful of Lawmakers Accept Few or No Lobbyist Gifts
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Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, is a rarity in the Legislature: He refuses to accept any gifts or meals from a lobbyist. Two other legislators received less than $100 each from January to June.