The Oklahoma House of Representatives released today an update to its online budget transparency portal, detailing state agency budgets that have been submitted to the Legislature for the FY27 budget. The portal, known as Budget HQ , was created in 2024 in an effort to bring transparency to the state budgeting process both for the full House membership and the public. "Our budget transparency portal has brought light to what used to be a mostly behind the scenes process in crafting our state budget. We will be posting updated budget requests ahead of budget hearings our committees will hold in December and January so our members and the public know the requests being made," said House Appropriations and Budget Chairman Trey Caldwell, R-Faxon. "We are already working on the FY27 budget and will continue to keep the public informed as the process progresses." Agencies are required to submit proposed budgets for the next fiscal year by Oct. 1, but because of various board schedules, agencies submit budgets throughout the month of October. The House will be frequently updating the portal as new agency budgets are received. "Our one constitutional obligation as a Legislature is to pass a balanced budget, and receiving agency budget requests is the very first step in that process," said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "The budget is our most important job as a Legislature and being transparent from Day 1 is important to us."
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statement after the federal government was shut down because of congressional disagreements on funding. “Oklahomans are paying the cost of Congress refusing to work together,” said Leader Munson. “Many agencies are preparing for mass firings, employees must continue their work without pay, and many are being furloughed. We must remember that these disagreements directly affect people–our family members and neighbors. This shutdown will not only cost taxpayers but cost the livelihoods of thousands of federal employees as well as those who rely on federal services. The truth is this: Republicans control the White House, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House–it is their job to govern, which includes reaching across the aisle to create a budget that works for everyone. In a time of immense dysfunction in Washington, I am disappointed in our federal delegation for not finding a way to collaborate with their colleagues across the aisle to ensure Oklahomans do not lose their jobs or services. While this shutdown gets addressed in an indefinite amount of time, I encourage Oklahomans to continue to be there for one another and take the proper steps they need to prevent their lives from being further derailed by an administration that does not appear to put people’s lives above political disagreements.” According to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC), federal employees in Oklahoma can apply for unemployment benefits. OESC noted that when back pay is issued, Oklahomans will be required to return those benefits in full. OESC also noted that if you are a federal employee or member of the military and continue to work 32 or more hours per week during the shutdown, even if you’re not being paid, you do not qualify for benefits due to federal law. Only those who are furloughed may qualify. You can reach the OESC call center at 405-525-1500 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also visit any of OESC’s 27 Oklahoma Works American Job Centers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A list of all OESC locations can be found here . -END-
House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and members of the Oklahoma House Republican Caucus continued their statewide Capitol to Community series this week with a two-day stop in Woodward. The event highlighted the region’s strengths in education, youth services, energy and natural resources while giving lawmakers the chance to engage directly with local leaders and residents. The tour began Sunday evening with a community reception at the Woodward County Event Center. On Monday, members spent a full day immersed in the area. Highlights included a visit to the Woodward TAP (Technical Applications Program) at Woodward Middle School, a stop at Western Plains Youth & Family Services to learn more about local efforts to support children and families and a tour of the High Plains Technology Center. The afternoon included a guided bus tour through Alabaster Caverns State Park, Boiling Springs State Park, and the Terry Peach Watershed Restoration Expansion Project, which gave legislators a firsthand look at the region’s natural resources and conservation efforts. “From career training in our schools to the stewardship of our natural resources, this community shows how local initiative and state partnership can come together to create real opportunities," said Speaker Hilbert. "Our Capitol to Community tour is about learning from local voices, and Woodward reminded us just how much Oklahoma’s strength begins at the community level." Representatives Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene, and Carl Newton, R-Cherokee, who both represent the Woodward area, praised the event as an important opportunity to showcase northwest Oklahoma’s contributions to the state: “Northwest Oklahoma is proud of its people, its land, and its industries. This tour gave us the chance to highlight that on a larger stage. From education to energy to natural resources, Woodward plays a vital role in Oklahoma’s success. Having Speaker Hilbert and our colleagues here to see it firsthand is invaluable, and we are grateful for their commitment to listening and engaging directly with our communities.” The Capitol to Community series will continue with additional stops across Oklahoma throughout the interim including Ardmore, Lawton and Guthrie.