OKLAHOMA CITY – A joint legislative committee charged with allocating Oklahoma’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act funds signed off on more than $320 million worth of funding proposals at its last meeting.
The committee approved the requests last Tuesday.
House Republican leader Kyle Hilbert said the federally funded projects will benefit the entire state.
“The goal of the joint committee when assessing and recommending ARPA projects for legislative consideration is to determine how these projects will benefit our state,” Hilbert (R-Bristow) said. “All of the projects recommended by the joint committee in this phase will not only provide a benefit to Oklahomans in the short term but will also create a strong foundation for the future.”
The proposals include:
• About $87 million for a state-of-the-art mental health facility that will add 100 beds to the state’s mental health system. Legislative leaders said the new facility would ensure timely access for those seeking treatment for mental health issues and help grow the behavioral health workforce.
• Spending $38 million for additional capacity and expanded behavioral health services at a new hospital – which is already in progress – in Tulsa. That facility would replace the Tulsa Center for Behavioral Health.
• Earmarking $22,150,000 for a holistic health and fitness center to provide both mental and physical health services for soldiers, airmen and first responders.
• Providing $44 million for the University Hospitals Authority, the University of Oklahoma’s OU Health and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center to implement a new electronic record system and modernize the technology infrastructure of the system in order to provide Oklahomans with cutting-edge therapies.
• Spending $6,226,250 to provide e-filing, video conferencing, language access and case tracking capabilities to the Administrative Office of the Courts.
Jari Askins, the administrator of the state courts system said the funds would improve the judiciary’s information technology structure.
“The projects submitted by the state Supreme Court are all related to technology and courtrooms across the state,” Askins said. “If we receive this funding, we will have an opportunity to complete projects such as electronic filing and video conferencing, which will be transformative for those who work in Oklahoma’s court system.”
• Providing $26 million to modernize the IT capabilities at the Oklahoma State Department of Health to provide electronic health records that would improve communication with clients, staff and external providers.
• Earmarking almost $100 million for rural water, water and sewer and water grant program projects, including:
Twelve million dollars in funds would match tribal contributions to create new water infrastructure in rural Oklahoma communities in need of system upgrades to provide safe and reliable drinking water and wastewater systems.
Another $35 million would be used for partnerships with municipalities, cities and tribes to coordinate on water and wastewater projects in Oklahoma City, including relocation of a water transmission main that supplies drinking water near Tinker Air Force Base.
The committee also approved the creation of a $50 million grant program for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for the support and enhancement of water infrastructure throughout the state. That figure includes:
• $25 million to assist small communities and rural water districts with infrastructure needs.
• $20 million for mid-large system construction. Rules submitted to Gov. Kevin Stitt for approval define mid-large systems as communities with a population greater than 7,000 or rural water districts with more than 2,300 non-pasture taps.
• $5 million to support dam rehabilitation efforts in communities whose dams are rated poor or unsatisfactory. Priority for funding will be accorded to communities of less than 7,000 population.
State Rep. Judd Strom (R-Copan) has a dam project in his rural district that could potentially qualify for the assistance being proposed. Storm said the Waxhoma Lake Spillway Project at Barnsdall is just one of many projects that could benefit from these funds.
After flood waters flowing over the Lake Waxhoma dam cut into the spillway, subsequent floods threatened to destroy the levee. The city of Barnsdall and the surrounding area rely on Lake Waxhoma as their water supply, Strom said.
“ARPA dollars have eased the concerns of hundreds of citizens in the city that, without these funds providing for repairs to the dam, would have very few viable options for clean drinking water,” he said. Repairs to the dam “also will mitigate flood damage to hundreds of homes and businesses downstream that rely on the dam” to slow flood waters into Dog Thresher and Bird Creeks, he said.
“This funding will not only benefit the people in my House district,” Strom said, “but people throughout the state who live in rural areas that are struggling with aging infrastructure made worse by our current drought. Offering relief to those who need access to clean drinking water and waste disposal is essential to the quality of life of our rural residents.”
The OWRB allocates millions of dollars annually for loans and grants to finance water and wastewater improvements in municipalities and rural districts.
Last year, for example, the OWRB approved $574,500 in Rural Economic Action Plan grants and $227,800 in emergency grants. The agency also approved $219.3 million in loans from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, $233.9 million in loans from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and $103.7 million in bond loans.
The projects will be considered when state lawmakers reconvene the Second Extraordinary Session of the 58th Oklahoma Legislature, which was called for the purpose of evaluating ARPA projects advanced by the joint committee.
Last year Oklahoma opened its process of allocating ARPA funds up to the public through a web-based portal that allowed any resident to submit requests for a state of the $1.8 billion allocated to the state in ARPA funding. Lawmakers received more than 1,400 submissions.
So far, 18 projects have been endorsed by the joint committee. In the spring, the committee signed off on more than $200 million in health care and broadband access projects.
“We have been working diligently to decide how to spend these federal funds as efficiently as possible on projects that will not only meet critical needs today but help support generations to come,” said state Sen. Chuck Hall (R-Perry), a member of the committee. “These projects will address crucial mental health and healthcare needs of our citizens and heroes, modernize the IT capabilities of various state agencies, and upgrade our state’s water infrastructure to ensure all Oklahomans have access to safe, reliable drinking water.”