OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — On Monday, Governor Kevin Stitt will deliver his second State of the State address in Oklahoma City.
He will outline his vision for the new year and release the executive budget.
The governor plans to prioritize public education funding once again. Last year, he opened his address with his vision to make Oklahoma a "Top Ten" state in several areas, including education.
Based on the governor's end-of-the-year report in 2019, the state spent $3 billion on public education and signed into law a second teacher pay raise.
Despite this historic high in public education spending, several school districts continue to struggle with a teacher shortage and budget deficits. This includes Tulsa Public Schools, the second largest school district in Oklahoma. It recently voted on shutting down four elementary schools next school year to save money.
Another priority for Governor Stitt will be to extend his executive powers and consolidate several state agencies.
Meanwhile, the governor's dispute with Native American tribes over the state's tribal gaming compacts continues. The Chickasaw, Cherokee and Choctaw Nations filed a lawsuit in federal court asking a judge to decide whether or not the gaming compact renews. Governor Stitt claimed the agreement expired at the beginning of the year.
The governor has proposed to renegotiate the compacts in order to give a bigger share of casino revenue to the state.
Governor Stitt will deliver the State of the State address at 12:30 p.m. in the House chamber.
Stay tuned on our KJRH Facebook page to watch live Gov. Stitt's State of the State Address.
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