(The Center Square) – A bill that would use federal funds to create a state broadband office has passed the Oklahoma House and is under consideration in the Senate.

If passed and signed into law, House Bill 3363 could lead to the expansion of internet access to 95% of Oklahomans, said Rep. Logan Phillips, R-Mounds, one of the authors of the bill.

There is no anticipated state fiscal impact as the bill uses federal funds, according to John Estus, who manages communications for House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, who co-sponsored the bill.

“Like most states, Oklahoma expects hundreds of millions of federal dollars to be available for broadband,” Estus told The Center Square. “The administrative allowance provided with those federal dollars will be sufficient to fund the broadband office.”

The office would oversee the creation and implementation of the statewide broadband plan, including creating a broadband services map and overseeing grant applications and awards for connectivity and affordability projects, among other responsibilities, according to the bill.

HB 3363 also would authorize the new Oklahoma Broadband Office to study existing grants, incentives and programs that may improve access to broadband. The grants, incentives and programs may include federal funds, state funds or resources, state or local tax incentives, among other things, according to the bill.

Federal money that will be used includes funds from the American Rescue Plan Act’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, according to the bill. Oklahoma received $350 billion in COVID-19 relief funds. Part of the money was designated for broadband expansion.

The state is receiving an additional $65 million for broadband expansion through the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act. A factsheet about the bill issued last year by the Biden Administration said 24% of Oklahomans live where there is "no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds." About 16% of the state's residents do not have an internet subscription, according to the factsheet.

The bill has been assigned to the Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee. If it receives a do pass recommendation there, it will go before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

(The Center Square) – Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill Wednesday that bans transgender girls and women from competing in women's sports.

Senate Bill 2 will allow students to file for injunctive relief if they feel they were affected by a violation of the rule.

"The measure also prohibits the State Board of Education, the State Regents, and any athletic association from entering a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against a school for maintaining athletic teams for students of the female sex," according to the bill.

Stitt said in a news conference the bill is "common sense."

"Guys, we're not being intellectually honest with ourselves if we think it's OK for biological males to compete in women's sports," Stitt said. "People can pursue their life how they see fit, but that doesn't give you the right to compete in women's sports."

Oklahoma is the fourth state to pass a law this year prohibiting transgender women from competing in women's sports. Gov. Eric Holcomb of Indiana vetoed a similar bill earlier this month. Indiana lawmakers have indicated they will override the veto when they meet again May 24.

Utah lawmakers overrode a veto by Gov. Spencer Cox of a similar bill. Cox said he was concerned about legal and financial implications. After the veto was tossed, lawmakers passed a bill that created a $500,000 indemnity fund for school boards and athletics association that face lawsuits.

The Center Square asked Stitt's office whether there were concerns about how schools boards and athletic associations would pay for potential lawsuits. The office's reply was, "No."

Sen. Michael Bergstrom, R-Adair, agreed with Stitt on the bill.

"For me, it was just a simple matter of looking and saying, 'The Save Women's Sport Act is common sense,' and it's in some ways, showing respect to our young women and our daughters and our granddaughters,'" Bergstrom said at a news conference.

Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City, disagreed. Turner was one of several speakers who shared their stories at a news conference Tuesday arranged by the Human Rights Campaign.

The bill could have an effect on Oklahoma's ability to attract new industry, Turner said.

"More than 180 major U.S. corporations have stood up and spoken out against anti-transgender legislation, Turner said.

Others asked Stitt not to sign the bill.

"This fight is not about sports," said Cindy Nguyen, policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union. "It is about erasing and excluding trans people and children in every aspect of life."

The bill takes effect immediately.

The U.S. has one of the largest and most advanced technology sectors in the world. California's Silicon Valley has been a hub of technological innovation for over half a century and is now home to some of the most recognizable and influential technology companies, including Apple, Google's parent company, Alphabet, and Meta, formerly Facebook.

Technology is a crucial driver of economic growth. It raises the productivity of existing industries and creates new ones. Areas with booming high tech sectors often have thriving economies and other strong socioeconomic indicators.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines high-tech industries as those with a high concentration of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) occupations. These industries extend beyond semiconductors and computers and include chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace products, and other industries.

The Tulsa metro area, located in Oklahoma, has one of the fastest growing high-tech sectors in the country. Between 2015 and 2020, employment in high-tech industries climbed by 23.9%, or 4,347 jobs, compared to 8.9% nationwide. The growth was led by surging employment in the basic chemical manufacturing industry, which reported 159.3% job growth over the same period.

Jobs in high-tech sectors are often well paying. The average annual salary across high-tech industries in the Tulsa metro area stands at $104,003, about 2.0 times higher than the average salary across all jobs in the metro area.

It is important to note that the cities with the fastest growing tech sectors are not necessarily major tech hubs. In Tulsa, for example, high-tech industries account for 8.2% of overall employment, compared to 9.5% nationwide.

All data used in this story is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Only metropolitan areas in which high-tech industries constitute at least 5% of the total workforce and where the high-tech industries added at least 1,000 jobs from 2015 to 2020 were included for consideration.

RankMetro areaChange in high-tech industry employment, 2015 to 2020 (%)Average annual high-tech industry pay, 2020 ($)Share of all jobs in high-tech sectors (%)1Bend-Redmond, OR64.8133,7447.12Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL41.6106,13916.43Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL39.4185,0118.14Austin-Round Rock, TX32.2156,33513.25Greeley, CO30.8139,3675.76Huntsville, AL30.6190,48417.67Salt Lake City, UT30.0127,3096.08Durham-Chapel Hill, NC28.3206,3188.99Ogden-Clearfield, UT28.0142,5615.310San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA27.1416,83022.811Portland-South Portland, ME27.0275,9077.312Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL26.8111,0607.713Colorado Springs, CO24.8218,8919.114Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ24.8140,2595.215Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN24.5111,8547.916Tulsa, OK23.9104,0038.217Charleston-North Charleston, SC23.8139,0756.518California-Lexington Park, MD20.7233,72022.519Madison, WI20.4512,0477.020Boulder, CO19.9146,15825.021Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH19.0177,99714.822Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO18.9141,71314.123Trenton, NJ18.7196,74011.924Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA18.0123,03511.625San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA17.7229,89619.7

(The Center Square) – Twenty-one states have filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's continued mask mandate on public transportation, including on airplanes.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody are leading the effort. Moody filed the suit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida along with 20 other attorneys general. DeSantis said the mask mandate was misguided and heavy-handed.

“Florida has led the nation in standing up to misguided federal government policies and fighting back against heavy-handed mandates that have no scientific backing,” DeSantis said in a statement. “If politicians and celebrities can attend the Super Bowl unmasked, every U.S. citizen should have the right to fly unmasked. It is well past time to get rid of this unnecessary mandate and get back to normal life.”

The complaint seeks to end the mask mandate on public transportation. It also seeks to establish a permanent injunction against enforcement of the mandate.

The existing CDC order, which has been in place for over a year, was set to expire on March 18. The CDC extended the order until April 18, according to the complaint.

In the complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief, the attorneys general argue the CDC’s mask mandate exceeds the agency’s authority.

In addition to Florida, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia have joined the legal challenge.

“People need to get from place to place without having their liberty infringed upon,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a statement. “The chief executives of the major airlines are calling on President Biden to allow the mask mandate at airports and on planes to expire next month and they know what’s best for their passengers and employees. Even the president himself said in his State of the Union address a few weeks ago that, ‘COVID-19 need no longer control our lives.’ ”

Decades of neglect and lack of investment have left over 46,000 bridges in the United States in a state of disrepair. To address this, President Joe Biden signed into law in November 2021 the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which allocates $550 billion to rebuilding key infrastructure. Still, necessary repairs may take years, and each day, Americans make 178 million trips across bridges deemed to be structurally deficient.

A structurally deficient bridge is defined by the Federal Highway Administration as one in which any component - the deck, superstructure, substructure, or culverts - is in poor or worse condition.

According to advocacy group American Road & Transportation Builders Association, there are 2,296 bridges considered to be structurally deficient in Oklahoma - equal to 9.9% of all bridges in the state. For context, 7.0% of bridges nationwide are considered structurally deficient.

Of the bridges in poor or worse condition in the state, the bridge on I-44 South over the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma County - built in 1975 - carries the largest number of commuters and travelers, with an estimated 62,800 daily crossings on average.

It is important to note that structurally deficient bridges do not necessarily pose imminent risk to those crossing. They do, however, require significant investment to avoid becoming hazardous or to avoid restrictions on the weight or speed of vehicles crossing.

StateMost traveled bridge in poor conditionLocationYear builtAvg. daily crossingsAlabamaI-459 over the Cahaba RiverJefferson County198199,312AlaskaSouth Tongass Highway over Hoadley CreekKetchikan Gateway Borough195717,165ArizonaShea Boulevard over Indian Bend WashMaricopa County197648,700ArkansasI-30, Sec 23 over the Arkansas RiverPulaski County1958119,000CaliforniaU.S. Highway 101 over Kester AveLos Angeles County1959293,000ColoradoI-70 over U.S. Route 6Denver County1964157,000ConnecticutI-95 over Metro NorthNew Haven County1956136,400DelawareRed Mill Rd. over stream Mill PondNew Castle County197122,887FloridaSouthbound I-95 over Sistrunk Blvd.Broward County1975156,000GeorgiaI-75 over Swamp CreekWhitfield County196166,210HawaiiKalaniana'ole Highway over Niu StreamHonolulu County193458,500IdahoState Highway 33 over the Teton RiverMadison County197122,000IllinoisI-90 Express over Stewart Ave.Cook County1962203,100IndianaI-65 over Ohio St.Marion County1974186,289IowaCentennial BridgeScott County194030,600KansasCollege Blvd. over Indian CreekJohnson County197621,800KentuckyI-65 over Grade Ln.Jefferson County1988166,770LouisianaCalcasieu River BridgeCalcasieu Parish195286,600MaineI-295 Northbound over Route 88Cumberland County195927,320MarylandI-695 over U.S. Route 40Baltimore County1958188,860MassachusettsI-93 Northbound over Route 24 NorthboundNorfolk County1958193,356MichiganI-696 over I-75Oakland County1971209,200MinnesotaI-35W over Cliff Rd.Dakota County195992,000MississippiI-20 over Lynch St.Hinds County196926,000MissouriI-270E over Conway Rd.St. Louis County1964196,655MontanaS Higgins Ave. over Clark Fork River Pedestrian PathsMissoula County196215,552NebraskaU.S. Route 75 over J St.Douglas County197085,640NevadaI-515 over Desert Inn Rd.Clark County1981127,000New HampshireI-89 over South St.Merrimack County195951,032New JerseyNJ Route 495 over Paterson Plank Rd.Hudson County1939159,000New MexicoI-25 over Gibson Blvd.Bernalillo County1961117,053New YorkI-278 over 15th St.Kings County1962190,572North CarolinaI-40 over Walnut CreekWake County1982118,000North DakotaDemers Ave over BNSF Rail RoadGrand Forks County197218,500OhioI-270 Ramp over Ramp I-270 West Bound to state Route 315 SouthboundFranklin County1969143,208OklahomaI-44 Southbound over Oklahoma RiverOklahoma County197562,800OregonMorrison St. over Willamette RiverMultnomah County195855,335PennsylvaniaI-95 over Fraley St.Philadelphia County1967202,857Rhode IslandI-95 over U.S. Route 6 and Woonasquatucket RiverProvidence County1964171,707South CarolinaI-85 over Laurel CreekGreenville County1960119,700South DakotaU.S. Route 12 over Moccasin CreekBrown County195419,426TennesseeI-24 over Mill CreekDavidson County1958167,340TexasI-610 over Houston Ship ChannelHarris County1973171,423UtahI-15 Southbound over state Route 193Davis County1966130,000VermontI-89 Northbound over Connecticut RiverWindsor County196620,734VirginiaI-95 over state Route 608Chesterfield County1958111,000WashingtonSW Spokane St. Bridge over Duwamish WaterwayKing County1983108,179West VirginiaI-64 Ramp B over state Route 25Kanawha County196568,700WisconsinI-43 Freeway over Glendale Ave.Milwaukee County1960132,000WyomingU.S. Route 26 over Flat CreekTeton County196926,260

Gas prices are hovering near all-time highs in the United States. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline stood at $4.24 as of March 23 - up 70 cents from a month ago.

What Americans pay at the pump is subject to a number of factors - the most important of which is the price of crude oil, which is determined by global supply and demand. As major markets around the world have banned Russian oil imports amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the global energy market has tightened considerably, sending gas prices to record highs.

While shocks to the global energy market are largely out of the control of U.S. policymakers, other factors affecting gas prices are not, namely taxes. The federal government levies a tax of 18.4 cents on every gallon of gas sold to American motorists.

On top of the federal gas tax, as of January 2022, Oklahoma levied an additional tax of 20.0 cents per gallon - the sixth lowest gas tax among states. Currently, the average price of a gallon of gas in Oklahoma stands at $3.79. Including the federal tax, taxes account for 10.1% of the average price of a gallon of gas in the state.

Gas taxes are typically used to fund road and highway repair projects to fix damage caused by usage and wear. In Oklahoma, vehicle miles traveled per year total about 16,628 per driver, the fourth most among states.

Not only are taxes adding to the pain Americans are feeling at the pump, but the revenue they generate has failed to keep up with infrastructure maintenance costs and inflation. While many states are adjusting tax rates to address the shortfall, the federal gas tax has not changed since 1993.

All data on gas taxes are current as of Jan. 1, 2022 and are from the American Petroleum Institute. Data on the average price of a gallon of regular gas are for March 23, 2022 and are from AAA. Annual vehicle miles traveled per driver was calculated using data from the Federal Highway Administration.

RankStateState gas taxes and fees (cents per gal.)Avg. gas price on May 23 ($ per gal. of regular)State and fed. taxes as share of gas price (%)1California68.25.8814.72Illinois59.64.5017.33Pennsylvania58.74.3117.94Hawaii51.75.0913.85New Jersey50.74.1916.56Nevada50.55.1613.47Indiana49.84.1516.48Washington49.44.7314.39New York48.24.3615.310Michigan45.24.1415.311Florida43.64.1315.012Oregon38.84.7112.113North Carolina38.84.0714.114Ohio38.54.0014.215Georgia37.64.0313.916Maryland36.13.7814.417Connecticut35.84.3312.518West Virginia35.74.0913.219Rhode Island35.04.2212.620Virginia34.44.0912.921Montana33.34.0212.822Idaho33.04.3711.823Wisconsin32.93.9313.124Vermont32.14.2012.025Utah31.94.4111.426Alabama31.34.0312.327Minnesota30.63.9212.528Maine30.04.1911.629South Dakota30.03.9412.330Iowa30.03.8712.531Tennessee27.44.0311.432South Carolina26.83.9511.433Massachusetts26.54.2610.634Kentucky26.03.9711.235Nebraska25.73.8711.436Arkansas24.83.8211.337Kansas24.03.7711.338Wyoming24.04.0510.539New Hampshire23.84.1910.140North Dakota23.03.9010.641Delaware23.04.0110.342Colorado22.03.9710.243Louisiana20.04.049.544Oklahoma20.03.7910.145Texas20.03.909.946Missouri19.93.7710.247Arizona19.04.638.148New Mexico18.94.149.049Mississippi18.83.939.550Alaska15.14.717.1

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is taking applications for a $71 million grant program it said will help American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians with employment readiness.

Authorization from the grants came through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Section 166 Indian and Native American Program, according to a DOL fact sheet. The funding will cover 167 grants from $20,000 up to $6 million. Competition for the grant program is open every four years, according to Monica Vereen, public affairs specialist for the DOL.

Fifty-seven percent of the money is allocated for job training and support for adults, according to a news release. The remaining 14% is for a programs serving low-income "Native American youth on or near reservations and in Alaska, Hawaii and Oklahoma."

“Once awarded, the grants funded by the Department of Labor’s Indian and Native American programs will deliver resources straight to the organizations – tribal organizations and the tribes themselves – who can best serve their communities,” U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh said in a news release. “These grants will empower American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians as they enter or return to the workforce by ensuring these communities have access to the education, job search assistance and skills training they need get on their way to providing a secure future for their families."

The DOL began adding monthly labor statistics from American Indians and native Alaskans in February, according to a blog post from the agency. Statistics show American Indians have higher jobless rates than other ethnicities.

The overall jobless rate was 14.7% for the total population in April 2020 but was 28.6% for American Indians and Alaska natives, according to the post.

Native Americans still are struggling in the labor market when compared with others, two years after the pandemic began, according to a report from the Brookings Institution.

"For comparison, the January 2022 unemployment rate for Native American workers was higher than the unemployment rate for white workers in June 2020, just two months after the unemployment peak – a period widely considered a national crisis," the report's authors said.

The employment readiness grants are available to federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations, as well as organizations controlled by Alaska natives, native Hawaiians, Indians and organizations that serve Indians, according to information from the news release. State-controlled entities also can apply.

The deadline for applying for the grants is May 6.

Senate bill would reduce vehicle sales tax

A bill that would change how sales tax is calculated on vehicle sales is under consideration by the Oklahoma House.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, in the Senate and Rep. Carl Newton, R-Cherokee, in the House, would calculate sales tax based on the difference of the price of the new vehicle and the value of the trade in and not on the vehicle's cost without the trade-in allowance.

Residents also would have 60 days instead of 30 days to register new vehicles if a separate bill sponsored by Jech passes and is signed into law.

“Modifying the way we tax vehicle purchases will provide some tax relief to families while making this investment,” Jech said.

Proposal would eliminate income requirements for homestead exemption

The House passed a resolution that could eliminate the income eligibility requirements for the senior homestead exemption with a constitutional amendment.

According to the House Joint Resolution 1047's fiscal note, the bill would not affect state revenue and would have an unknown effect on local government revenue.

Oklahoma residents over age 65 are eligible for the homestead exemption.

Rep. Robert Manger, R-Midwest City, sponsored the resolution, which now moves to the Senate.

House passes caregiver tax credit bill

The Oklahoma Senate is considering a bill that would give a tax credit to caregivers.

The bill would cap the tax credit at $2,000, or $3,000 if the person cared for is a veteran or has Alzheimer's or related dementia, according to the bill's sponsor, Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City. The bill allots $1.5 million for the credits.

Some of the uses of the credit include changes to the person's residence to improve mobility and safety, medical equipment, including technology, salaries for home care and personal aides and respite care, including adult day care, West said.

"Family caregivers often serve their loved ones at great personal expense," West said. "This measure recognizes their selfless dedication and hard work as they often juggle other jobs, their own lives and the needs of their loved ones."

House Bill 3371 passed the House earlier this week and was heard by the Senate on Tuesday.

House bill bans local governments from restricting gardens

Local governments would be prohibited from banning gardens on residential properties if a bill sponsored by Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, passes and is signed into law.

No Oklahoma municipality currently bans residents from growing food on their property, but West said in a news release he is concerned it could happen in the future.

"The right to grow food for yourself or your family regardless of where you live is a primal right that goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden, and it should not be prohibited by esthetics, discrimination or governments," West said. "This has never been more important as people are experiencing very real food shortages with major supply chain issues, and the price of fuel and inflation are driving up prices at the grocery store."

The bill passed the House and is under consideration in the Senate.

The economic fallout that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic put millions of Americans out of work. Without a steady source of income, many were unable to pay for basic necessities, like shelter. To address the issue, the U.S. Department of the Treasury enacted the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which allocated up to $46.5 billion to help Americans struggling to afford housing and utilities.

Due in part to bureaucratic delays at state and local levels, however, less than 40% of that money had been spent as of the end of January 2022 - and in much of the country, a large share of the population is behind on rent and facing possible eviction.

According to data collected between Jan. 26, 2022 to Feb. 7, 2022 by the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey, about 4.4 million Americans agreed that they were either "somewhat likely" or "very likely" to have to leave their home within the next two months due to eviction. That amounts to 43.4% of the 10.1 million renters nationwide who are behind on rent payments.

Oklahoma is home to some 169,000 renters who owe their landlords rent, and an estimated 47.9% of them reported being either somewhat likely or very likely to face eviction in the coming months - the 15th largest share among states.

Many of those at risk of losing their home are not confident that they can afford to make future rent payments. Some are also burdened with multiple months of debt from back rent. A reported 35,765 renters in the state - or 21.2% of all renters with some rental debt - are three months behind or more on their rent. For context, 26.2% of renters nationwide who owe back rent are three months behind or more.

RankStateSomewhat or very likely to leave home due to eviction (% of all renters who owe back rent)Renters who owe back rent and are 3 or more months behind on rental payment (%)Renters who owe any back rent in state1Utah67.124.530,3702Alabama65.822.9133,1603Louisiana63.422.7110,6404Pennsylvania63.131.3299,7305Wisconsin61.537.4172,7406Maine60.316.330,8107Idaho59.419.422,8408Texas57.424.7634,4809Georgia55.225.5259,92010Wyoming55.042.618,75011Ohio54.716.9233,87012Illinois52.126.7495,44013Arkansas49.733.596,44014New Jersey48.629.7393,10015Oklahoma47.921.2169,00016California46.927.11,592,05017New Mexico46.531.857,04018Michigan46.034.7283,27019Nebraska45.09.339,07020Maryland44.443.1200,85021South Carolina44.443.6179,13022Mississippi42.959.1139,00023West Virginia42.231.147,68024Florida40.915.0608,57025North Carolina40.226.9211,82026Tennessee39.620.2142,98027Arizona38.315.0168,17028Oregon38.034.6111,53029New York37.725.81,303,39030New Hampshire36.232.224,70031Montana35.718.324,23032Massachusetts34.513.4229,09033Kentucky33.036.978,23034Kansas31.79.765,47035Washington31.621.3190,74036North Dakota31.316.825,46037South Dakota30.953.422,75038Minnesota29.524.699,11039Indiana28.211.6184,73040Virginia24.18.2211,29041Nevada24.151.3156,53042Vermont22.541.07,42043Rhode Island22.419.034,84044Missouri20.431.0203,72045Colorado19.216.377,92046Connecticut19.233.2120,37047Hawaii19.112.970,41048Delaware14.228.225,18049Iowa11.729.944,47050Alaska10.531.312,640

(The Center Square) – Oklahoma lawmakers said they have a record $10.4 billion to budget for fiscal year 2023, but they plan to take a conservative approach.

About $1.3 billion come from one-time funds or cash reserves from the previous fiscal year, said Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, who serves as the Senate Appropriations Committee chair. He said that money would be used best for one-time investments or put into savings and not ongoing expenses.

“When that happens, you just create a hole down the line when those funds are not available,” Thompson said in a statement.

Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, the chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, agreed it would be unwise to commit any one-time funds to recurring expenses.

The priorities for lawmakers are core services such as education, health, mental health and public safety. Meanwhile, world events are sure to play a role in budget appropriations. Wallace said lawmakers are keeping an eye on what happens with Russia and Ukraine, as well as the mounting threat of China potentially invading Taiwan.

With energy prices soaring in the U.S., Oklahomans are bound to feel the effect of these international events, which Wallace said will have “ripple effects” on economies worldwide.

“Oklahomans are also well-versed on the volatility of the energy market,” Wallace said. “Our economy is strongly tied to this market, so we must be prudent when planning for our next fiscal year.”

While the $10.4 billion is a record high number for lawmakers to work with, Thompson said he would like to see the Legislature spend only 90% to 91% of the money and keep some for the future, citing economic uncertainties.

“We’ve had all kinds of federal money flow into Oklahoma, including the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans, which brought over $8 billion into the state – plus we don’t even have the figures on the child tax credits," Thompson said. "We also need to look at the 7.5 or 7.9% inflation that drives our sales tax collections up."

As taxpayers experience inflation driving up rates on everything from vehicles, homes, appliances and groceries, they also are paying more taxes on all those things. Thompson said those higher tax collections are temporary. Once inflation begins to go back down, it also will signal a decrease in the amount of taxes collected and, therefore, a decrease in the state budget.

Wallace noted this too, saying the positive side is Oklahoma’s economy is performing well but acknowledged part of it is because of federal relief money and higher tax receipts tied to inflation.

“We'll continue to be fiscally conservative as we draft the state budget, always projecting for stability in the future,” Wallace said.