A new tool for governor
The Republicancontrolled Legislature wasted little time approving one of the top items on Gov. Kevin Stitt's wish list — providing the governor with more authority over state agency directors. The question now is whether Stitt will feel he needs to use this clout any time soon.
Stitt on Wednesday signed the five bills that allow the governor to choose who leads the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuses Services, the Department of Corrections and the Office of Juvenile Affairs.
Each of the directors was approved by their respective boards. These new bills leave the hiring and firing of the directors not to the boards but to the governor (with Senate confirmation). The legislation keeps the boards in place, but allows members to be removed at will.
The governor also will be able to appoint a majority of the various boards' members, and the House and Senate will be able to make board appointments as well.
The agencies impacted by this change are among the largest in state government. And, in our view, they're all being led capably. Becky Pasternik-Ikard oversees the Health Care Authority, which administers Medicaid in Oklahoma. Mike Patterson is head of transportation, Terri White directs mental health, Joe Allbaugh is director of the DOC and Steven Buck runs the Office of Juvenile Affairs.
Buck was also Stitt's choice to become secretary for human services and early childhood initiatives — clearly, the governor is a fan. All five are passionate advocates for their agencies and the people served by them. From the outside, there have been no obvious problems with the current heads, but no one is guaranteed a top job now without making the head man happy.
One impetus for these bills was the 2017-18 debacle at the Department of Health, where agency leaders claimed they faced a $30 million budget shortfall. The Legislature provided an emergency infusion — only to learn the agency had the necessary funds all along. The state's multi-county grand jury criticized the Legislature for not digging deeply enough into budget requests, but also said the Health Department's board “failed to provide proper financial oversight.”
Stitt subsequently campaigned on the need to give the governor more say in how government is run. These bills will do that. “With this legislation we are ensuring Oklahoma's government is truly accountable to the people of Oklahoma,” Stitt said.
Senate President
Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, added that now, “Oklahomans will know clearly where the buck stops: with the governor.”
That goes for Republican and Democratic governors alike, although in arguing against the proposals, Democratic leaders said they constituted a power grab that would hinder transparency and foster cronyism. It falls to Stitt to show that won't be the case, by making wise and deliberate use of this new executive authority.