Sen. Hall: “Honored to be named chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee”

I was honored this past week to be named chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Being tasked by Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat to lead this important committee and head up state budget negotiations for the Senate is an honor and a huge responsibility I don’t take lightly. I’m well-positioned to take on this new role due to my decades of experience managing money and making investments as a community banker. I also previously served as the vice chairman of this committee for more than three years.

I’m grateful to former Appropriations Chairman Roger Thompson for teaching me so much about the budget process over the past few years. I truly consider him to be a friend and mentor. The Senate Appropriations Committee and its subcommittees conduct annual budget hearings with state agency leaders and review policy proposals with a fiscal impact. As head of the Appropriations Committee, I will also lead the Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget. This is where the dozens of bills that collectively form the basis for the state budget are introduced and voted on for the first time.

With less than a month remaining in this legislative session, utilizing an open and transparent process to finalize a fiscally conservative state budget for the upcoming fiscal year is my top priority. The Senate has implemented a more transparent process this year because we want the public to be able to follow our decision-making at every turn as the spending plan comes together. Crafting a balanced budget is the most important thing my legislative colleagues and I do every year, and I want to ensure that all Oklahomans can be engaged and involved in this process. After all, our state budget impacts each and every one of our citizens. The Senate will spend the next few weeks trying to reach a budget agreement with the House and the governor, although it’s unlikely that all parties will completely agree with every item in the spending plan.

The Senate’s push for a transparent budget process this year has spurred others in the Capitol to shine a light on their budget efforts. The House launched a public website to detail its proposed budget. This week, I will participate in a public meeting with other Senate leaders, House leadership and the governor to hash out our budget disagreements. This is another major step forward in the name of transparency. I can’t recall a time in state history when key leaders from both legislative chambers and the governor held public budget negotiations. I hope this meeting is productive.

As always, it’s an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Senate District 20.

The Oklahoma Legislature provides a livestream of legislative activity. Senate proceedings can be viewed online at oksenate.gov and House proceedings can be viewed at okhouse.gov.

Please feel free to contact my Capitol office with any questions or concerns you may have about legislation or other issues impacting our state at 405.521.5628 or at [email protected].