Bills filed giving governor more appointment power of agency heads

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat on Wednesday filed bills granting the Oklahoma governor more appointment power of five top agency directors. Treat said the bills will provide more accountability and give the governor the ability to truly lead the state.

“Our current system of government disperses power too widely so that most agencies aren’t accountable to the governor and in turn aren’t accountable to the voter. The system hasn’t worked. The system has bred dysfunction and allowed the ‘status quo’ to hold sway for far too long. It’s time we change this broken system,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

“Regardless of the governor’s political party affiliation, they are elected to serve as the chief executive of the state and to lead the state. The governor should be able to select the men and women he or she wants to run these top state agencies to help fully enact the governor’s vision and agenda,” Treat said.

“We heard in Governor Kevin Stitt’s inaugural address that he seeks to provide more accountability. I am encouraged by his commitment to that principle and excited to work with him to bring it about. These bills are a great step toward providing more accountability and returning more power to the people of Oklahoma,” Treat said.

The five bills address five of the top 10 agencies according to state appropriated dollars. The bills filed Wednesday include:

• Senate Bill 456 would grant the governor authority to appoint the administrator of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. The bill calls for the administrator to be confirmed by the Senate and to serve at the pleasure of the governor.
• Senate Bill 457 would grant the governor authority to appoint the director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The bill calls for the director to be confirmed by the Senate and to serve at the pleasure of the governor.
• Senate Bill 458 would grant the governor authority to appoint the director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. The bill calls for the director to serve at the pleasure of the governor. The DOC director already is confirmed by the Senate.
• Senate Bill 459 would grant the governor authority to appoint the commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The bill calls for the commissioner to be confirmed by the Senate and to serve at the pleasure of the governor.
• Senate Bill 460 would grant the governor authority to appoint the executive director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs. The bill calls for the executive director to be confirmed by the Senate and to serve at the pleasure of the governor.