After months of study and collaboration, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Rep. Judd Strom, R-Copan, advanced a package of government accountability bills aimed at protecting taxpayers and strengthening ethical standards in state and local government.
The lawmakers, focused on spending accountability, partnered with State Auditor Cindy Byrd in a taxpayer watchdog role to review state purchasing practices, contract oversight and public accountability laws. After the state auditor released a report finding $93.4 million in questionable spending last year, Strom said he knew action was needed to make sure taxpayer funds were properly tracked and spent as intended.
“When that report came out, I was upset,” Strom said. “As chair of the General Government Committee, I felt a responsibility to act. We met with the State Auditor to identify weaknesses in contracts and purchasing and focused on reforms that protect taxpayers, save money and close gaps that allow funds to be misused. Oklahomans should never have to question where their tax dollars are going.”
Strom brought members from both sides of the aisle to the table to ensure the legislation was carefully vetted and crafted to serve all Oklahomans.
“Transparency and accountability for taxpayer dollars are responsibilities we all share, regardless of party,” said Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City. “Our State Auditor did more than uncover serious failures in state purchasing processes. She provided a clear roadmap for how to fix them. Chairman Strom, our colleagues and I worked closely with her to turn those recommendations into meaningful reforms that strengthen oversight and restore public confidence. Oklahoma has many dedicated public servants, but good government requires more than good intentions. It requires strong structures. This bipartisan package ensures we learn from these failures and prevent them from happening again.” State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd praised the lawmakers working on the bills.
“The lawmakers who are working on these bills are doing a great service for the taxpayers of Oklahoma. If the bills are signed into law, it would be a great step forward in accountability,” Byrd said.
“I have spent the last seven years blowing the whistle on government mismanagement but our current laws are not designed to hold bad actors accountable.
“I highly commend each of these lawmakers for demanding the financial guardrails Oklahoma desperately needs. Even our greatest problems can be solved when our leaders unite behind a singular purpose,” Byrd said.
Representatives who met regularly after the report was released included Strom and Fugate along with Rep. Denise Crosswhite-Hader, R-Piedmont; Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene; and Rep. Preston Stinson, R-Edmond.
“The people of Oklahoma expect their government to operate in the open and within clear guardrails,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement. “As a group, we took a hard look at how public dollars move through the system and where transparency could be strengthened. These bills are about closing gaps and making sure accountability is built into every step of the process. They also establish clear guardrails so that once lawmakers appropriate funds, agencies are not simply free to spend that money however they choose. Taxpayers deserve nothing less.”
Senators sponsoring the House bills include Sen. Jerry Alvord, R-Wilson; Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City; Sen. Julie Daniels R-Bartlesville; Sen. Carri Hicks D-Oklahoma City; Sen. Jack Stewart R-Yukon; and Sen. Tom Woods R-Westville.
Below is a summary of the measures included in the package.
