Gov. Mary Fallin is preparing to deliver her sixth State of the State address to Oklahoma legislators, outlining her priorities for a state that is reeling from a downturn in the oil and gas industry.
The second-term Republican is expected to deliver her remarks about 12:45 p.m. Monday to a joint meeting of the House and Senate as the Legislature convenes its 2016 session. Fallin also will release her proposed balanced budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, including how she will fill a $900 million hole. That is about a 13 percent reduction from last year's spending.
Fallin already has said she plans to propose a teacher pay raise in part by targeting state tax incentives and "off-the-top" revenue earmarked for various projects.
The address signals the start of the legislative session. In addition to the revenue shortfall, lawmakers are expected to discuss:
- the sharp rise in the number of earthquakes and its link to the injection of wastewater underground from oil and gas production
- ways to raise teacher pay and possibly consider consolidation of some state schools
- criminal justice and possibly reducing the penalties for some crimes to ease prison crowding
- a move to amend the state Constitution so a Ten Commandments monument could be erected at the state Capitol
