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Oklahoma
Posted: Feb 28, 2026 3:14 AMUpdated: Feb 28, 2026 3:14 AM
Education Funding and Fiscal Oversight on CAPITOL CALL Powered by Phillips 66
Tom Davis
State Representatives Judd Strom and John B. Kane appeared on Friday’s edition of CAPITOL CALL on KWON powered by Phillips 66 (Senator Daniels was unable to attend Friday's program due to a prior engagement in Claremore). The two State Reps gave us updates on the legislative session, including a major Senate education plan and ongoing efforts toward fiscal transparency.
The big topic of discussion was a new education proposal moving through the Senate. Representative Kane noted that the bill seeks to reallocate funds to provide teacher raises and expand reading and remedial programs.
Representative Strom addressed concerns regarding the funding source, specifically the teachers' retirement system. He clarified that while the state currently contributes over $450 million annually to the system, the proposal suggests capping that contribution at $200 million and directing the remainder toward teacher pay and literacy.
"There'll be no money pulled out of the retirement system, and it will continue to go up," Strom emphasized, dismissing claims that the plan "raids" the pension fund.
Representative Kane highlighted the Oklahoma Health Care Authority as a big factor in current budget negotiations. The agency is requesting an additional $494 million compared to last year. Kane questioned the immediacy of the full request, suggesting a phased-in approach might be necessary. He also warned of a potential shift in federal Medicaid matching funds from a 90-10 split to 80-20, which could create a future budgetary strain.
The representatives also discussed state-owned real estate. An investigation by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) revealed that the state is leasing expensive outside office space while its own buildings remain underutilized. Representative Strom said that despite a reduction in the state workforce from 54,000 to 32,000 employees over eight years, leasing costs have remained high—an area where they believe tens of millions of dollars could be saved.
As the House moves into "deadline week," the number of active bills has shrunk from over 4,000 to fewer than 1,000. Both Strom and Kane are now shifting their focus toward floor work as bills clear the committee process.
The Representatives spoke highly of the House Page Program. Strom and Kane hosted twins Carson and Kaylin Lee as pages this week, praising their engagement and encouraging other local juniors and seniors to apply for the "eye-opening" experience.
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