DHS announces foster care recruitment goal reached
OKLAHOMA CITY — Governor Mary Fallin today announced that her Oklahoma Fosters initiative with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS), private and faith-based partners…
State Government
DHS announces Child Care subsidy freeze to end July 31
Oklahoma City—The Oklahoma Department of Human Services has announced that the enrollment freeze for the Child Care Subsidy program will end July 31, 2016. This…
Gov. Fallin directs OHP to delay card reading devices
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today directed her Cabinet secretary of safety and security to delay the use of devices that read the magnetic…
Governor disapproves of high salary offer for TSET position
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today said the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust’s (TSET) failure to file necessary hiring paperwork for a new, highly-paid chief…
May GRF receipts miss estimate by 13.3 percent
OKLAHOMA CITY — Tax incentives for wind producers again contributed to corporate income tax refunds exceeding monthly collections in May, further depleting General Revenue Fund (GRF)…
Common Ed Tech funding comes in below projections
OKLAHOMA CITY – The State Department of Education announced on Tuesday a revenue shortfall of $16.3 million to the Common Education Technology Revolving Fund. This is one of…
House Speaker, Senate Budget Chair surprised by Superintendent’s textbook statement
Oklahoma Speaker of the House Jeff Hickman and Senate Appropriations & Budget Committee Chairman Clark Jolley said they were surprised by comments from Oklahoma Superintendent…
State Board of Education approves nearly $39 million in cuts to Public School Activities Fund
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 10, 2016) – The State Board of Education today approved $38.2 million in mandated cuts to a line item called Support of…
Governor closes out 2016 legislative session
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin signed the 2017 fiscal year budget bill (Senate Bill 1616) into law. She also signed another bill and vetoed…
Elimination of textbook funds has districts scrambling, delays textbook adoption
OKLAHOMA CITY — The state Legislature’s elimination of all funds designated for school textbooks has forced the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) to recommend…
Rankings put Oklahoma among best states for property tax rates, state and local taxes
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma ranked No. 2 in property taxes and No. 10 in state and local taxes in recent rankings from CQ Press.
DHS statement on passing of state fiscal year 2017 budget
The Department of Human Services released a statement following the passage of the upcoming State budget.
Hofmeister applauds Governor’s approval of bills addressing teacher shortage
OKLAHOMA CITY (May 31, 2016) – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister today praised legislators for passing and Gov. Mary Fallin for signing a…
Lawmakers issue statements after bill closing loophole in sodomy law wins final passage; measure now goes to governor for signature
Sen. AJ Griffin, R-Guthrie, and Rep. Scott Biggs, R-Chickasha, principal authors of House Bill 2398, issued the following statement on Monday after the full Senate…
Breakdown of Oklahoma’s 2017 fiscal year budget agreement
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin, Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman and House Speaker Jeffrey W. Hickman today reached a 2017 fiscal year budget…
Governor signs compact with Osage Nation to help protect vulnerable adults
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today signed the first compact between the state and a tribal nation to help protect vulnerable adults. The compact…
Governor applauds House Committee for passing cigarette tax measure
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today congratulated members of the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget for passing House Bill 3210,…
Oklahoma remains a national leader in pre-k education
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released its annual State of Preschool 2015 report, which ranked Oklahoma fourth in…
Hofmeister calls federal directive on school bathroom use “outrageous overreach”
OKLAHOMA CITY — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister made commented last week after the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Education issued a joint…
Supt. Hofmeister applauds House, Senate for reducing teacher evaluation mandates
OKLAHOMA CITY – House leaders today unanimously passed a bill that eliminates the requirement to use student academic growth in Oklahoma’s teacher evaluation system. House…