Under a series of bills filed this week by Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, the governor of Oklahoma would have more appointment power of five top agency directors including the Department of Transportation.
Treat’s Senate Bill 457 would grant authority to the governor to appoint the director of the DOT. It would have the director be confirmed by the senate and to serve at the pleasure of the governor.
Similar powers would cover gubernatorial appointments at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the State Department of Corrections, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and the Office of Juvenile affairs.
“Our current system of government disperses power too widely so that most agencies aren’t accountable to the governor and in turn aren’t accountable to the voter. The system hasn’t worked. The system has bred dysfunction and allowed the ‘status quo’ to hold sway for far too long. It’s time we change this broken system,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.
“Regardless of the governor’s political party affiliation, they are elected to serve as the chief executive of the state and to lead the state. The governor should be able to select the men and women he or she wants to run these top state agencies to help fully enact the governor’s vision and agenda,” Treat said.
“We heard in Governor Kevin Stitt’s inaugural address that he seeks to provide more accountability. I am encouraged by his commitment to that principle and excited to work with him to bring it about. These bills are a great step toward providing more accountability and returning more power to the people of Oklahoma,” Treat said.