SB1270: Taxpayers worry: Failed Bill Leaves State Building Repairs Uncertain

Lawmakers reject long-term State property strategy

This article was written with the assistance of ai software*

Photo byOlichel

What did SB1270 want to accomplish?

SB1270 wanted the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) to create a plan every year for the next eight years.

The plan intended to focus on taking care of state buildings, making sure they are run well, and checking what repairs or updates are needed. OMES would have been required to send this plan to the Governor and important lawmakers by December 1st each year.

The plan would have looked at what the state needed in the future, suggested changes to the list of state properties, and provided a detailed list of building projects, including how they might affect costs in the future. The bill would have given OMES the power to let some state agencies skip certain rules if they meet specific standards and provide proper reports.

Who would have benefited from this law?

✔️State Government: It helps the state better manage its buildings and properties, ensuring they are maintained and repaired properly over time. This can prevent bigger problems and save money in the long run.

✔️Taxpayers: By improving the management of state properties, taxpayers might save money because the state can avoid expensive emergency repairs and keep operating costs lower.

✔️State Agencies: Agencies that meet certain standards can get exemptions from some rules, which could help them work more efficiently and save time.

✔️Public Users: People who use public buildings, like schools and government offices, benefit from safer, well-maintained facilities that can operate smoothly.

What are some concerns people might have about this law?

Some of these may be reasons the bill failed to pass:

⚠️Costs: Creating and maintaining an eight-year plan and keeping up with all the projects could be expensive, especially if the state needs to fix or update a lot of buildings.

⚠️Bureaucracy: The process of getting exemptions from certain rules might add extra steps for state agencies, and not all agencies might qualify for exemptions. This could slow things down for some.

⚠️Missed Projects: If the plan doesn’t cover every need or problem with state buildings, some important repairs or updates might be delayed, leading to bigger issues later.

⚠️Focus on Short-Term Savings: There might be pressure to focus on projects that save money now rather than long-term investments that could benefit future generations more.

This bill was introduced on 3/6/24 by Senator Jessica Garvin [R] and Representative Lonnie Sims [R]. Due to a lack of support, missed deadlines, committee action, leadership decisions or veto, this bill failed to pass and will not be signed into law.

➡️Is this something that you think Oklahomans need? How would it have benefited the county you live in?

*********************************************
Hi, I'm Judy! I love talking about the area I live in and what affects us. Follow me if you'd like more stories like this.