OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Latest on Oklahoma’s new Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt unveiling his budget proposal and delivering his State of the State address to begin the 2019 legislative session (all times local):
12:45 p.m.
Oklahoma’s new Republican governor wants to use a projected budget surplus to give a $1,200 pay raise for public school teachers that would bring the state to tops in the region for pay and benefits for educators.
Gov. Kevin Stitt outlined his spending proposal Monday during his first State of the State address to Oklahoma lawmakers to begin the 2019 session.
The teacher pay raise would cost about $70 million annually and would be in addition to the average annual pay boost of $6,100 that teachers received last year .
Stitt also unveiled his executive budget that calls for most state agencies to receive no boost in funding from current year’s levels. Some health and public safety agencies would see modest increases in spending.
Stitt is also asking lawmakers to increase the size of the state’s savings account.
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6:10 a.m.
New Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt is unveiling his plan for spending about $8.2 billion on next year’s budget and how he intends to follow through on his campaign promise to make Oklahoma a “top 10 state.”
Stitt will deliver his executive budget and State of the State address to lawmakers on Monday to open the 2019 legislative session. A businessman with no political experience, Stitt campaigned on bringing a fresh approach to state government.
He’s said his priorities will be more teacher raises, reducing the state’s prison population and expanding the governor’s power to hire and fire directors of the largest state agencies.
Republican leaders in the House and Senate have embraced many of Stitt’s proposals and touted a new spirit of cooperation between the House, Senate and governor’s office.
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