- Report finds billions in spending with little oversight (Enid News & Eagle, 4/7/2023)
- The Oklahoma Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) issued a scathing report, revealing that the state’s purchasing division failed to scrutinize billions in agency spending, posing a “financial and legal risk” to the state. The central purchasing division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services reportedly did not review at least $3 billion in purchases claimed by state agencies as exempt from oversight during the 2022 fiscal year. The lack of scrutiny has led to an increasing number of government contracts being signed without competitive bidding, and the report calls for the elimination of all exemptions to state procurement rules.
- ‘Oklahoma dropped the ball on compliance and oversight’: State Auditor finds over $29 million in questionable spending of federal grants (KFOR, 6/28/2023)
- Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector Cindy Byrd has released the findings of a federally-mandated audit, revealing that the State of Oklahoma misused federal grant money and failed to comply with federal regulations. The audit covered $14 billion of expenditures, with significant questioned costs reported in relation to the CARES Act, Emergency Rental Assistance, GEER – Bridge the Gap, and GEER – Stay in School programs. The audit exposed issues such as insufficient documentation, unallowable costs, preferential treatment, lack of oversight, and breaches of privacy laws. The state faces potential repayment demands from the federal government due to the misappropriation of funds, which could result in taxpayers bearing the financial burden.
- State audit reveals preferential treatment in federal education grant distribution, leaving many low-income families without aid (Fox25, 7/3/2023)
- A recent state audit report has raised concerns about the distribution of funds from a federal education grant program in Oklahoma. The audit alleges that five private schools received preferential treatment, while hundreds of financially needy families were left without any financial assistance. The Stay in School (SIS) Program, which aimed to help low-income families cover private school tuition during the pandemic, had questionable spending of $6.5 million, rewarded students from families reporting no economic hardship, and failed to provide assistance to 650 students from low-income families. The audit reveals that the distribution of funds favored certain private schools, leading to criticism that families should have been the recipients of the financial support. However, Positive Tomorrows, a school serving families experiencing homelessness, stated that they acted in good faith and used the funds to cover the educational expenses of their students.
- Sprawling superagency tasked with technology and services needs overhaul, report finds (Oklahoma Watch, 11/16/2023)
- The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency has reported that Oklahoma’s Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), responsible for IT, budgeting, and employee management, lacks budget transparency and needs improvement in responding to the agencies it serves. The report reveals a tripling of OMES’ annual appropriations to $164 million in fiscal year 2024, accompanied by a 285% increase in fee revenue from other state agencies, reaching $52.4 million. The agency’s increased spending, partially attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, was also linked to inadequate long-term planning, heightened reliance on contractors, and issues such as late payments to vendors and rent increases for state agencies.
- LOFT to investigate State Department of Education funding (KGOU, 9/13/2024)
- The Oklahoma Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) will investigate the State Department of Education’s use of specific funds. The investigation, prompted by House Appropriations Chair Kevin Wallace, will focus on areas like federal Title funds, school security funding, teacher pay raises, and maternity leave reimbursements. This follows concerns about the department’s handling of these funds, with findings expected later this year.
- Oklahoma lawmakers continue to push for investigation into DHS (Fox23 News, 10/7/2024)
- State lawmakers in Oklahoma are frustrated over a lack of action on their calls for a criminal investigation into the Department of Human Services (DHS) and multiple juvenile justice centers, including one in Tulsa County. The main issue is a disagreement over whether the House committee has the authority to order an investigation, with state agents arguing they do not, while committee leaders maintain they do. Lawmakers are now calling on Governor Kevin Stitt to intervene, as families and advocates continue to push for DHS accountability.
