As of this writing, we were still tying up legislative business ahead of the completion of the 2022 regular session. Under Oklahoma’s Constitution, we must reach final adjournment by 5 p.m. on the last Friday in May. I’ll be discussing those issues in future articles, but this week, I wanted to talk about the process we’ve begun for key investments throughout Oklahoma utilizing one-time federal pandemic funds.
In the previous week, the Legislature called itself into a concurrent special session. Special sessions are not limited to the calendar deadlines mandated for regular sessions in Oklahoma’s Constitution, but they are limited to the subjects outlined in the call. This special session will be devoted to special federal funds to help Oklahoma recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
You may recall last summer legislative leaders created the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding to evaluate proposals for the use of $1.9 billion allocated to Oklahoma under the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The bipartisan joint committee established working groups to vet projects in the areas of Economic Development and Workforce; Health and Human Services; Government Transformation and Collaboration; and Transportation, Infrastructure, and Rural Development.
There are guidelines for the use of these funds, but the idea is to invest them in specific areas to help our state address needs that were highlighted by the pandemic, and in some cases, needs that became even greater as a result of the challenges we faced. For example, when schools, colleges, government bodies, businesses and even churches began meeting remotely to help limit spread of the virus, it was particularly difficult in rural areas due to lack of access to broadband. The fact is, we were ranked as one of the lowest states in the country for rural connectivity even before the pandemic. We’ve been working hard in the Legislature to find ways to expand broadband access, and that’s exactly the type of project these federal dollars can be used to fund.
By transitioning our work on the distribution of ARPA funding into the Legislature’s appropriations process, we can streamline this task, and via the special session, continue that work beyond the regular session.
Our first two ARPA projects we ran through the legislative process and sent to the governor included funding for a rural broadband initiative and to expand the available pediatric behavioral beds at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. Just as the pandemic heightened the need to address rural broadband in our state, it also caused an even greater need for mental health services for children and teens. These are both excellent examples of how these federal dollars can be used to transform our state in ways that will benefit us for literally decades to come.
Here in the district, I want to offer my congratulations to East Central University’s (ECU) next president, Wendell L. Godwin. I think this is exciting news for several reasons. ECU is actually Wendell’s alma mater, and since 2010, he’s been dean of the university’s Stonecipher School of Business. He’s developed incredible opportunities for students and business professionals and has done a magnificent job fundraising for the school and its programs, as well as being a leader in economic development efforts in the district. ECU will continue to benefit and thrive thanks to his leadership skills, talents and abilities. His presidency will officially begin this July.
In closing, as we partake in family gatherings, cookouts and other celebrations marking the start of summer, I hope each of us will pause to remember why Memorial Day is a national holiday. While we remember all who are serving and have served in our armed forces during November for Veterans Day, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who gave their lives defending our country. Freedom is not free, and these are the men and women who paid that price with the ultimate sacrifice so that their generations and beyond will continue to live in liberty. I hope we can all take the time to remember those brave Americans, giving prayers of thanks for their service and their sacrifices.
I am honored to serve you in the Oklahoma State Senate. If you have a question about a legislative matter, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (405) 521-5541 or by email at Greg. McCortney@oksenate.gov.
