As we head into fall, the number of important meetings at the Capitol, including interim studies and other work in preparation for the coming session, are increasing weekly. While I’ll be chairing the Agriculture and Wildlife Committee hearings for various interim studies this month and attending others, I’ve also been appointed to serve on the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is making nearly $1.9 billion in funding available to the state of Oklahoma, with an additional $1.32 billion more going to Oklahoma counties, cities and local communities.

Under federal law, ARPA funds for state governments may only be used to respond to the public health emergency and negative economic effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. That can include allocations to state agencies, nonprofits, industry, households and investments in public infrastructure.

The joint committee I’m serving on was created to make sure the state funds are allocated in a responsible and transparent way and follow those federal requirements. The key thing to remember is that these are one-time dollars. It’s a tremendous opportunity to make important investments in our state, but we must approach it in the most fiscally conservatively manner possible. To put it more plainly, we have to make sure we don’t use these one-time funds in a way that could leave us with a budget hole down the road.

The primary goals outlined by this joint committee will be to build a stronger, more innovative and more diverse economy in our state; enhance capabilities of state services for the well-being of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable; and invest in physical and digital infrastructure to expand economic growth. These are all goals that are extremely important to Senate District 27, so I’m extremely pleased to have a seat on this panel.

We’re going to be receiving and evaluating proposals, working with stakeholders, including members of the executive branch, state agencies, community organizations and the public. We have subcommittees in the areas of economic development and workforce; health and human services; government transformation and collaboration; and transportation, infrastructure and rural development, that will consider the various proposals and ensure they meet federal qualifications. After that, a steering committee will formally score and send the top-rated priorities to Governor Stitt for his review and approval.

The good thing is we have time for a thorough, thoughtful process as we determine the best way to use these funds. We have until December of 2024 to decide how to allocate the funds, and then we’ll have until December of 2026 to use them.

The Health and Human Services Working Group will hold a meeting at the Capitol at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 8 in room 535, and the full Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding will meet that afternoon at 1 p.m. Both meetings will be live-streamed on the Senate’s official website at http://www.oksenate.gov.

Reports and the forms for submitting proposals will soon be available online at http://www.oklegislature.gov.

It is my honor to serve you in the Oklahoma State Senate. You can reach me by calling 405-521-5626 or emailing [email protected].