Passage of five reorganizational bills will give Gov. Kevin Stitt and future governors more authority to hire and fire agency leaders for the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority (SB 456), Oklahoma Department of Transportation (SB 457), Oklahoma Department of Corrections (HB 2480), Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (HB 2479), and Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (HB 2483).

“This marks a historic day for the State of Oklahoma,” said Stitt. “With this legislation we are ensuring Oklahoma’s government is truly accountable to the people of Oklahoma.”

 “Since I’ve been in the Oklahoma Senate, Republicans have done a lot of great things like workers’ comp reform, pension reform, DHS reform, enacting the largest teacher pay raise in state history…,” said Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat. “But the government accountability measures, in my opinion, are the most substantial reforms Republicans will achieve in my tenure at the Capitol.”

The agency bills include these provisions: 

• The governor will have the authority to hire and fire the agency leader.
• Senate will have confirmation authority of the agency leader.
• State agencies will have governing boards, but members will serve at-will and the legislation will include a conflict of interest provision.
• The governor will appoint a majority of the board members, and the House and Senate will gain appointment seats on the boards.
• The House and Senate will be able to remove agency leaders by achieving a two-third vote in both chambers.