OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Latest on the legislative forum previewing Oklahoma’s upcoming session (all times local):
12:45 p.m.
Gov. Mary Fallin says online retail giant Amazon will begin collecting sales tax on purchases made by Oklahoma customers, a move she says is estimated to bring “tens of millions of dollars” into state and local coffers.
Fallin announced on Thursday that Amazon will begin collecting sales taxes next month, and that the money will begin flowing into the state in May. She says the revenue will not affect this year’s current $870 million budget hole, because the Tax Commission already projected some increased collections as a result of their negotiations with Amazon.
But the governor says she expects cities and towns will see an increase this fiscal year in the amount they receive from Amazon.
Fallin says it’s unclear exactly how much the state will collect.
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8 a.m.
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and legislative leaders are outlining some of their top priorities for the legislative session at a forum hosted by The Associated Press.
Fallin and leaders from the House and Senate are expected to speak Thursday at the AP’s annual forum at the state Capitol.
The Republican governor is expected to preview some of the priorities from her State of the State address that she will deliver to lawmakers on Monday, the first day of the 2017 session.
Fallin has discussed the need to bring in more revenue to close a budget gap currently estimated to be about $870 million.
Also scheduled to speak Thursday are House Democratic Leader Scott Inman, House Speaker Charles McCall, Senate Democratic leader John Sparks and Senate President Pro Tem Mike Schulz.
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