By Barbara Hoberock, Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday narrowly passed a $12.8 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 with most of the Democratic minority joining far right Republicans to cast votes against it.
Senate Bill 1177, called the general appropriations bill, passed by a vote of 28-17, slightly above the 25 votes needed to secure passage in the upper chamber.
The measure, which is a slight increase from the existing fiscal year’s nearly $12.6 billion budget, heads to the House for consideration.
It sets up a scenario where lawmakers could end the legislative session well before the 5 p.m. May 29 deadline and hit the campaign trail.
Democrats said the measure didn’t contain enough to help working Oklahomans, such as providing more funding for child care and health services. They also said it catered to special interests and was largely crafted behind closed doors without input from them.
Sen. Shane Jett (R-Shawnee) who chairs the Freedom Caucus, said the measure is an embarrassment and spends too much money.
“When we say yes to special interests and lobbyists and state agencies, we are saying no to the people back home who are struggling to pay for fuel at the gas pump, struggling to pay mortgages,” Jett said.
State government will continue to grow unless lawmakers put their foot down, he said.
“This budget is a shame to any conservative who puts conservative on their campaign flyers back home,” Jett said. “This is not a conservative vote. This is not a conservative bill.”
Sen. Nikki Nice (D-Oklahoma City) said it is difficult to explain to those making the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, who are trying to make ends meet that the budget has $12.8 billion in taxpayer expenses.
Sen. Dusty Deevers (R-Elgin) said some of the criticism of the budget could have been avoided had the process been more transparent and included all lawmakers.
Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, said she was voting against the budget because it lacked strategic and targeted investments that strengthen Oklahoma families.
But Senate Appropriations Chairman Chuck Hall, R-Perry, said the budget invests $450 million in health care and $280 million in education.
It contains $50 million “in some form or fashion” to fix the state’s water infrastructure system, Hall said.
“Eighty-two percent of the new spending in this budget lies in those three areas, education, health care and water,” Hall said.
The budget makes investments in reading and math sufficiency along with school security, Hall said.
He said agencies made $1.6 billion in new requests and budget crafters had to prioritize.
