The Oklahoma House has now and on a largely urban-rural split passed a bill to give the governor power over the Department of Health in Tulsa and Oklahoma.
House Bill 2504 joins the health commissioner, appointed by the governor, in the process of electing new directors for the two independent departments of the state. The measure also requires local directors to align priorities with the health commissioner, the health commissioner can ask for the removal of a local director and prohibits local health departments from enforcing stricter regulations than those of the state.
Domestic leader Jon Echols (R-Oklahoma City) told the bill’s author, Rep. Chris Kannady (R-Oklahoma City), said voters told him they did not want the amendments that the bill would make.
“We are giving the governor a veto-proof authorization. It looks like a massive coup by the governor – and I know it’s not your intention, I’m not saying you do – what am I saying to them? I mean, why are they paying their extra property tax money when the state is going to take control of it? Echols said.
Kannady said in a 2018 report by the government’s Joint Commission on Public Health, Mary Fallin, ‘joint government’ is being called for. Although the phrase appears in the report, no proposals are recommended in Kannady’s bill, and even said at one point: “Efforts to improve health outcomes should focus on increasing efficiency, and promoting autonomous decision-making at the local level. encourages community development. specific partnerships and management structures that best meet the needs. ‘
During intense questioning by Tulsa Democrats on the development of the legislation, Kannady claimed he was in touch with Mayors GT Bynum and David Holt, as well as a Tulsa health department point person. Kannady said Bynum and Holt spoke to local media about the bill.
“You will see that the two mayors were neutral.” We did not necessarily ask for this, but we are OK with the language. “So it has to be proven that there was some communication in Tulsa,” Kannady said. “But I can not talk to every person who wants input on this bill.”
A Bynum spokesman said he had never discussed the legislation with Kannady and was opposed to the proposal, an unnecessary intervention in the work of the Tulsa Department of Health.
A spokesperson for THD said they were unaware of the bill until it was tabled and directed KWGS to an editorial by the health department’s health chair, Drs. Ann Paul, in which she described it as a “blatant attempt to transcend and centralize power, and place control in the hands of political appointments with fidelity that could potentially undermine the health and safety of Tulsa County residents.”
Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday indicated that local departments’ actions during the pandemic were a problem, and said things had changed after his order to designate the state health department as the leader in the response expired.
“They certainly did the best they could, but … there was no coordinated approach when two health departments did their own thing,” Stitt said after a news conference on COVID-19 in Oklahoma. reaction.
State Health Commissioner dr. Lance Frye said something similar.
“Having different commando chains actually only makes the situation more difficult,” Frye said.
During the debate on the bill, Tulsa lawmakers defended THD, saying their actions kept the death of COVID-19’s country to a minimum.
“Tulsa County Department of Health officials, I know, have worked heroically for a life-saving fact. Heroic. And this bill looks like retaliation. It looks like a vote of no confidence. Why can we not cooperate that? does not involve “changing the way directors are nominated?” says Rep. John Waldron (D-Tulsa).
HB2504 passed 54–41. Few representatives from the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas voted in favor of the measure.