Senate Review by Senator Randy Brogdon

This past week, the full Senate gave approval to the General Appropriations Bill, which had already been approved by the House of Representatives. This GA bill totaling just over $7 billion dollars represents a stand-still budget, and lays the groundwork for an orderly adjournment well before the Constitutional end date of 5 p.m. on the last Friday in May.

While it is not a perfect budget, it is one that doesn’t cut agencies in a tight budget year. While revenues collections have come in below projections, it is important that many other states are facing tremendous shortfalls, and as a result, their Legislatures are being forced to literally slash budgets. In Oklahoma, we are living within our means while continuing to ensure vital services, likes roads and bridges, corrections and our schools, are funded

Although the last day the Legislature could meet as mandated by the Constitution would be May 30, we approved a target date of May 23 this year. The legislative session normally runs 16 weeks, but because of the way the calendar fell this year, we could have been in session 17 weeks. Adjourning a week sooner will keep us within that 16 week norm.

This basically gives us just four more weeks to complete the 2008 session. However, with the GA bill already agreed to and approved by both chambers, we are confident we will conclude work on several important bills still awaiting final action this year. Some of these bills have already received an initial vote on each chamber and are now being sent to joint conference committees to work out the details of the final versions of these measures.

We have already approved a comprehensive ethics bill, which is among those that have final revisions made in a conference committee. There are also bills that originated in the Senate but were amended by the House. If the authors reject the amendments, those bills will also go to conference committee. If the amendments are accepted and the bills win final approval, they go straight to the Governor’s desk. Among the bills still working their way through the process are an anti-voter fraud measure as well as my bill expanding term limits to state-wide offices that currently have no time limits.

When all is said and done, I anticipate we will have had a productive legislation session.

It is an honor to serve you in the in the State Senate. I can be reached by writing to Senator Randy Brogdon, Room 416, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or by calling (405) 521-5566, or email at brogdon@oksenate.gov.

Respectfully,

Randy Brogdon

Senate District #34