Henry Vetoes GOP Reform Measure

Governor Henry today vetoed Senate Bill 1865, by Senate Co-President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, that would have created an Office of Accountability and Innovation at the Legislative Service Bureau. The veto prompted criticism from Coffee.

The office was to conduct regular performance audits of agencies, recommend best practices to improve efficiency in government, review tax policy, and suggest new innovations to make government more accountable and effective for taxpayers.

“Gov. Henry’s veto is a big victory for the good ol' boys don't want us to succeed in making state government more open, more accountable, more efficient, and more innovative,” stated Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

“There are a lot of people who would prefer that the Legislature didn't try to weed out political corruption or ask questions about why taxpayer dollars are spent on projects such as McAlester dog food plants. These people are very happy that Gov. Henry vetoed this bill,” Coffee said.

“Our proposal for a new Office of Accountability and Innovation is similar in concept to the U.S. Congress's Government Accountability Office. This bill represented an effort to make government better, so I am shocked and disappointed the governor said no to SB 1865.

“Gov. Henry’s veto is not the end of this story, though, because Senate Republicans will be back again next year fighting to change state government for the better by making it more efficient and more accountable to the people of Oklahoma,” he said.

In his veto message, Henry said, "While it is critical for the state to conduct regular performance reviews of state agencies and programs, state law already assigns those responsibilities to the Oklahoma Legislature, the Office of State Finance and the State Auditor and Inspector. Creating a new layer of bureaucracy to perform the same duties is duplicative and unnecessarily increases the size and cost of government. In 2003, the Legislature established a joint zero-based budgeting committee, also known as the Legislative Oversight Committee on State Budget and Performance, to conduct state performance reviews. State law specifically charged it with reviewing a specified number of agencies and programs each year. Rather than establish a new state entity, the Legislature should use the existing zero-based budgeting committee to conduct performance reviews and accountability assessments not already duplicated by other state entities."

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