The House and Senate shook hands on a $13 billion budget yesterday, as Paul Monies reported.
Gov. Kevin Stitt got $20 million for the Quick Action Closing Fund, money used at the governor’s discretion to incentivize businesses to open their doors in Oklahoma. In exchange, he agreed he would not veto the budget.
Senate President Pro Temp Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, got his no-more-tax-cuts wish despite session-long pressure from House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, and Stitt.
McCall got $177 million added to the Legacy Capital Fund, which had many House boosters.
Democrats got left out.
Lawmakers will consider budget bills in the next few days, as staff work late hours to finalize the language and numbers.
More worth reading:
DOJ Sues Oklahoma
The US Department of Justice sued Oklahoma on Tuesday over a state law that seeks to impose criminal penalties on those living in the state illegally. [The Guardian]
Federal Appellate Court Sends Woman Back to Prison
A federal appellate court on Friday overturned a lower court ruling that freed a Broken Arrow woman from state prison, where she had been serving a 107-year term related to a 2007 crash that left five people dead. [Tulsa World]
17,500 Marijuana Plants Seized
Agents of the Office of the Attorney General led a raid Tuesday on an illegal marijuana grow west of Watonga that resulted in the confiscation of more than 17,500 untagged marijuana plants and 600 pounds of untraceable, processed marijuana. [OAG]
Oklahoma Voice Sues for Records
Oklahoma Voice filed suit against the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission seeking the release of the severance agreement associated with the departure of its former director. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tramel Lands at the World
Sports columnist Berry Tramel, who spent 10 years at the Norman Transcript, 32 years at The Oklahoman and eight months at the now-defunct Sellout Crowd, signed on with the Tulsa World. [Tulsa World]
The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, native to southeastern Oklahoma, can weigh as much as 15 pounds.
Ciao for now,
Ted Streuli
Executive Director, Oklahoma Watch
tstreuli@oklahomawatch.org
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