Michael Cross

Oklahoma lawmakers are heading into a special session Monday. The House and Senate are taking up Governor Kevin Stitt’s emergency declaration that would give him broad authority to waive normal statutory requirements.

House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols says this allows state government to speak with one voice to coordinate first responders, additional hospital resources and other emergency needs. The Oklahoma City Republican says the governor has assured lawmakers this is not an attempt to take over state or local government.

The state of Oklahoma is expected to declare a revenue failure for the remainder of this fiscal year. The Board of Equalization is meeting soon to make the declaration, allowing lawmakers to tap into the Rainy Day Fund which has about $806 million in it.

State officials blame falling oil prices, delaying tax payments until July and closed businesses from the coronavirus pandemic which cuts into sales taxes and raises unemployment.

Senate Appropriations Chair Roger Thompson says he doesn’t expect agency cuts or furloughs as a result of the revenue failure declaration.

An infectious disease expert says 5,000 Oklahomans might have COVID-19.

While officials have the number of positive cases at 481, Dr. Douglas Drevets with OU Medicine says the numbers could be far higher. He says the numbers from the State Health Department don’t reflect actual infections because of a lack of sufficient testing and many with the virus have mild or no symptoms.

Dr. Drevets estimates under current conditions the state is only identifying one out of every ten Oklahomans with the disease.

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Researchers believe the peak of the coronavirus outbreak in Oklahoma will hit around April 17th.

Based on current death rates, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation expects the daily death toll in the state to peak at about 31 with about 900 Oklahomans losing their lives.

Oklahoma isn't expected to record zero COVID-19 deaths for the day until June 25.

The IHME predicts Oklahoma will need 234 ventilators, 434 ICU beds, and 2,873 total beds when the pandemics hits its peak.

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Lawmakers are staying away from the Oklahoma Capitol for another week. House and Senate leaders are working from home to craft a budget for the next fiscal year starting July 1st, as well as any legislative priorities.

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat says the budget will almost certainly include a revenue shortfall with the drop in oil prices and the COVID-19 economic impact.

The legislature is constitutionally required to end its work by the last Friday on May at 5 p.m.

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