The Oklahoma Senate's budget chairman had a terse message for state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters on Thursday: Show him the money.
Sen. Chuck Hall, a Republican from Perry, made the point in a brief letter to Walters just one day after Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a "letter of counsel " to Walters regarding the Oklahoma State Department of Education's yearlong delay in purchasing emergency asthma inhalers for public schools.
In his letter, Drummond told Walters and Education Department officials to act quickly to make sure public school students have access to the inhalers. "Waiting more than a year to ask for guidance, changing procurement methods multiple times and now requiring school districts to individually procure emergency inhalers is neither speedy or responsible," Drummond wrote.
Hall cited Drummond's message, as well as the numerous attempts by lawmakers to get the agency to buy the inhalers. Hall wrote that Walters had "a clear opportunity and pathway to do the right thing that will benefit everyone." He added that "there is now no excuse to not execute the delivery of these funds as expeditiously as possible."
The Legislature funded the inhalers for every Oklahoma school district through a law passed in 2023, but Education Department officials have not spent the money.
'I continue to be disappointed in the lack of action'
Hall also took issue with agency spokesman Dan Isett's statement to The Oklahoman on Wednesday which said the "OSDE has been distributing funds for inhalers for the past two years."
"My concern is the timeline of this statement," Hall wrote. "The law to provide the $250,000 for the program only took effect last year. If this statement is accurate, I would also appreciate information on the vendor you used to distribute the inhalers."
Hall said he believed a single supplier, the Brendon McLarty Memorial Foundation, was the lone entity in the state that could distribute inhalers to schools and train administrators and teachers on proper inhaler use.
More: Oklahoma attorney general criticizes Ryan Walters, OSDE over delayed inhaler purchase
"I have been in communication with the foundation after reading your spokesman’s statement, and they said they are unaware of OSDE distributing any funding for school inhalers," Hall said.
For several years now, lawmakers have been trying to ensure emergency asthma inhalers are in schools.
In 2019, lawmakers passed legislation that allowed the state to partner with the McLarty Foundation to buy emergency asthma inhalers. That measure, Senate Bill 381, authorized schools to stock emergency albuterol inhalers in the event that a child goes into respiratory distress and required at least two staff members at the school be trained on how to use the inhalers.
In 2023, lawmakers, again partnered with the McLarty Foundation to develop and pass legislation that earmarked $250,000 to buy albuterol inhalers and spacers for all Oklahoma school districts.
While Hall told Walters he respected his diligence in asking for guidance, he said he was disappointed by the yearlong delay in processing the funds.
"I continue to be disappointed in the lack of action as this money has been available for over a year," he wrote. "Please end the delays and distribute this funding immediately."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Influential Oklahoma lawmaker presses Ryan Walters to buy inhalers for schools after delay
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