Oklahoma State Cabinet

Oklahoma

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Oklahoma

Constitution United States Constitution Oklahoma Constitution Executive Government Governor: Brad Henry Lieutentant Governor: Jari Askins Secretary of State: M. Susan Savage State Auditor: Steve Burrage Attorney General: Drew Edmondson State Treasurer: Scott Meacham State School Superintendent: Sandy Garrett Labor Commissioner: Lloyd Fields Insurance Commissioner: Kim Holland Corporation Commission: Bob Anthony - Chair Jeff Cloud - Vice Chair Dana Murphy - Secretary State Cabinet and State Agencies Legislature Legislature: 52nd Senate President of the Senate: Jari Askins President pro tempore: Glenn Coffee House of Representatives Speaker of the House: Chris Benge Judiciary Court System Supreme Court Court of Criminal Appeals Court of Civil Appeals Court on the Judiciary Court of Impeachment Nominating Commission Elections Elections State Election Board Last election Political parties Democratic Party Republican Party Political party strength Divisions Counties Cities and Towns Federal Relations Federal representation Senate Jim Inhofe (R) Tom Coburn (R) House of Representatives 1: John Sullivan (R) 2: Dan Boren (D) 3: Frank Lucas (R) 4: Tom Cole (R) 5: Mary Fallin (R) Politics of the United States

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The Oklahoma State Cabinet is part of the executive branch of the Government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, consisting of the appointed heads of the Oklahoma state executive departments. Originally an informal meeting between the Governor of Oklahoma and various government officials, the State Cabinet has evolved into a major part of the State government.

History

When Governor of Oklahoma David Boren first took office, Oklahoma possessed no form of Cabinet system. Taking the example of other states, Governor Boren began holding semi-official and semi-regular meetings with various heads of state agencies whenever necessary. Under Boren’s successor, George Nigh, Oklahoma adopted an official Cabinet system: with the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986, the first formal Cabinet was assembled with structured meetings and reports.

The Executive Branch Reform Act first called for the creating of a Cabinet with no more than fifteen "cabinet areas" with were to consist of the various state agencies, committees, and boards with similar administrative objectives. These cabinet areas would not be agencies of the State and thus could not exercise the executive power of the State. They would only exist to better serve the Governor in crafting policy and information gathering. The original law mandated only one cabinet area: one containing the Department of Veteran Affairs. After that, the law allowed the Governor to create the other fourteen cabinet areas at his discretion until the Oklahoma Legislature formally created the cabinet areas. The heads of these executive cabinet area would be given the title of "Secretary" followed by the name of their cabinet area (or a shortened title there of).

The Governor, within 45 days of taking office, is allowed to create his own cabinet, with anywhere from no less than 10 but no more than 15 "cabinet areas". The Governor is allowed to create any cabinet area he desires and to place whichever agencies, bureaus, and commissions he wants under those cabinet areas. An example would be that under Governor Frank Keating Tourism and Commerce Departments each belong to separate cabinet areas, while under Governor Brad Henry the Secretary of Commerce and Tourism was the cabinet secretary for both departments. Regardless of the number of cabinet areas and their functions, at least one must be the Secrtary of Veteran Affairs and must be charged with providing for Oklahoma's veterans and one must be the Secretary of Information Technology and must be charged with overseeing state use of information technology and telecommunications.

All cabinet Secretaries are appointed by the Governor and serve at the pleasure of the Governor. Potential appointees for Secretary positions may be appointed to serve as members of the Office of the Governor or may be selected from among the agency heads within the Secretary's cabinet area. Regardless of cabinet area, all Secretaries are responsible for advising the Governor of any policy changes or problems within their area, advising the entities they represent of any policy changes or problems as directed by the Governor, and for coordinating information gathering as request by the Legislature. Secretaries do not possess the power to direct or control any agency they represent outside of their ability to gather information. Only if a Secretary concurrently serve as head of an agency may the Secretary exercise the executive power of the State.

Following the Oklahoma Supreme Court case of Keating v. Edmondson in 2001, it was deemed illegal for a Governor to change the cabinet areas and their functions past the 45-day deadline unilaterally. In order to change a cabinet area after the first 45 days in office, the Governor must seek approval from the Oklahoma Legislature via legislation.

The current State Cabinet consists of sixteen Cabinet Secretaries, all of whom are appointed by the Governor and serve completely at his discretion, except for the Secretary of State. Though all of the Secretaries are confirmed by the Oklahoma Senate they may be removed from office at any time by the Governor, except the Secretary of State who serve as four year term.

Because the Secretary positions are semi-formal an are not legally classified as "officers of the State", Secretaries are allowed to hold another office within the State government. Examples include Scott Meacham, who is both the Secretary of Finances and Revenues and the State Treasurer of Oklahoma, and Sandy Garrett, who serves as both Secretary of Education and the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction.

In 2009, the Oklahoma Legislature amended the Executive Branch Reform Act to mandate the establishment of the Secretary of Information Technolgy.

Current cabinet departments

The Oklahoma State Cabinet, under current Governor Brad Henry, consists of soxteen departments each headed by a Secretary. Each Governor is allowed to establish his own Cabinet, include his own Cabinet Departments. One three members of the Cabinet are required by law. The Oklahoma Secretary of State is permanent as it is the only member of the Cabinet that is established by the Oklahoma Constitution, years before the institution of the Cabinet System. The other two permanent members of the Cabinet are the Secretary of Information Technology and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture - mainly a regulatory agency, oversees departments that protect and educate consumers about Oklahoma’s agricultural and livestock productions, responsible for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry and the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism - charged with the creation and retention of jobs, the growth of investment, the development of communities, the increase of per capita income within the State, and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce is also designated as the State Energy Office for Oklahoma, managing funds from the United States Department of Energy.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Education - advises the governor on issues related to the Oklahoma Public School system, the state's libraries, and vocational education, and informs citizens on careers in education, responsible for the Oklahoma State Department of Education, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Energy – oversees the production and regulation of Oklahoma’s energy producers and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. The Oklahoma Department of Energy was abolished in 1981.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment - charged with the protection and enhancement of Oklahoma's environment and natural resources through preservation, conservation, restoration, education and enforcement in order to maintain and improve the environmental quality and natural beauty of the state and better the standard of living for all Oklahomans, responsible for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Finance and Revenue - oversees the collection of taxes and administers the state treasury as well as regularing financial services industry of the state, responsible for the Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit, the Oklahoma Department of Securities, the Oklahoma Office of State Finance, the Oklahoma Tax Commission and the Oklahoma State Banking Department.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Health - charged with the protection and promotion of health of the citizens of Oklahoma, to prevent disease and injury and to assure conditions for good health, oversees both physical and mental health as well as substance abuse and health care, responsible for the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services - the largest state department, oversees child care, disability services, foster care, adoption agencies, and other human services agencies, boards, and commissions, responsible for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Human Resources and Administration - responsible for providing comprehensive human resource services to all state agencies and employees, such as overseeing employee benefits and employment securities, responsible for the Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management, the Oklahoma Department of Central Services, and the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Information Technology - the chief information officer of the State government, responsible for overseeing state government-wide information technology use. Permanent Cabinet Department.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of the Military – serves as the Adjutant General, runs the day to day administration of the Oklahoma Military Department, which includes the Oklahoma National Guard, and the organization, training, and preparation of the Guard.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Safety and Security - provides safety and security for Oklahoma’s citizens through law enforcement and protection agencies, runs the State correction penitentiaries, responsible for the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, and the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Science and Technology - oversees all efforts to use science and technology to improve government to better serve the citizens of Oklahoma, responsible for the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of State - central record-keeping and filling office of the state government, responsible for overseeing the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, the Oklahoma State Election Board and the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission. Permanent Cabinet Department.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation - charged with providing a safe, economical, and effective transportation network for the people, commerce and communities of Oklahoma, responsible for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.

• The Oklahoma Secretary of Veteran Affairs - charged with ensuring all Oklahoma veterans and their families receive all possible benefits and providing health services and long-term skilled care in a residential environment to all qualified veterans residing in the state, responsible for the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. Permanent Cabinet Department.

Current cabinet members

As of October 2009, one of the sixteen Secretary positions are vacant. The current Oklahoma State Cabinet, serving under Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry, is as follows:

See also

• Government of Oklahoma
• United States Cabinet
• List of Oklahoma state agencies

v • d • e Current members of the Cabinet of Governor Brad Henry Alexander • White • Wegener • Hendrick • Jackson • Lamb • Meacham • Peach • Savage • Strong • Tomlinson • Ward • Wyatt

v • d • e Executive offices of Oklahoma Governor of Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • State Auditor and Inspector • Attorney General • State Treasurer Superintendent of Public Instruction • Labor Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Corporation Commission • State Cabinet

v • d • e   State agriculture agencies of Oklahoma Governor of Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Boll Weevil Eradication Organization • Conservation Commission • Department of Agriculture • Peanut Commission • Pecan Marketing Board • Sheep and Wool Commission • Sorghum Commission • State Board of Registration for Foresters • Wheat Commission

v • d • e   State education agencies of Oklahoma Governor of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Secretary of Education Anatomical Board • Arts Council • Board of Private Vocational Schools • Commission for Teacher Preparation • Department of Career and Technology Education • Department of Education • Department of Libraries • OETA • Medical Technology and Research Authority • Student Loan Authority • OSSM • State System for Higher Education

v • d • e   State finance agencies of Oklahoma Governor of Oklahoma State Treasurer • State Auditor and Inspector • Insurance Commissioner Secretary of Finance and Revenue Board of Equalization • Capitol Improvement Authority • Department of Consumer Credit • Department of Securities • Office of State Finance • Tax Commission • State Banking Department • State Bond Advisor

v • d • e   State public health agencies of Oklahoma Governor of Oklahoma Secretary of Health • Secretary of Human Services Cerebral Palsy Commission • Commission on Cildren and Youth • Community Hospitals Authority • Construction Industry Board • Department of Health • Department of Human Services • Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services • Department of Rehabilitation Services • Health Care Authority • Indian Affairs Commission • Office of Disability Concerns • Physician Manpower Training Commission • State Board of Examiners for Long-Term Care Administrators • Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust • University Hospitals Authority and Trust

v • d • e   State law enforcement agencies of Oklahoma Governor of Oklahoma Attorney General Secretary of Safety and Security ABLE Commission • Bureau of Narcotics • Chief Medical Examiner • Council on Firefighter Training • Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training • Department of Corrections • Department of Emergency Management • Department of Public Safety • District Attorneys Council • Highway Patrol • Indigent Defense System Board • Office of Homeland Security • State Board of Pharmacy • State Bureau of Investigation • Pardon and Parole Board • State Fire Mashal

v • d • e   State military agencies of Oklahoma Governor of Oklahoma Secretary of the Military • Secretary of Veterans Affairs Department of the Military • Department of Veterans Affairs National Guard • Army National Guard • Air National Guard • State Guard • Unorganized Militia