With the end of the 2023 session of the Oklahoma Legislature at hand, there is still much work remaining, but a big hurdle was cleared on Monday. The House of Representatives, Senate, and the governor’s office reaching a deal on the state’s K-12 school funding levels.
In the agreement lawmakers will vote to allocate and additional $625 million into public education above last year’s levels, with $385 million going to support teacher pay raises, ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 based on the educator’s years of experience. Another $115 million will run through the School Funding Formula for distribution. There is also $125 million to be distributed through the “Redbud Fund” for schools.
This law directs a portion of medical marijuana tax revenue for distribution to eligible charter schools and public school districts for school buildings. For Fiscal Year 2022, $38.5 million was apportioned to be used for these grants. These funds were distributed to 330 school districts.
School districts and eligible charter schools below state average in local property taxes and countywide millage per student are eligible to receive funds. It was important for legislative leadership to pass a proposal by midnight this Thursday, giving lawmakers five legislative days to override a veto by the governor, either the entire bill or with line-item provisions, prior to the state mandated close of the regular session at 5 p.m. May 26.
There has been talk lawmakers might be called into a special session to override vetoes by the governor, but that is an option under the established process in Oklahoma. Because a special session is not one of the two regular sessions in the two year Legislature in which bills are normally filed, there is no constitutional deadline to adjourn other than the election of new lawmakers. If