Oklahoma State Cabinet
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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.
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[edit] 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 when ever the situation deemed necessary. It was not until Boren’s successor, George Nigh, did Oklahoma adopt an official Cabinet system. Beginning 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 departments with were to consist of the various state agencies, committees, and boards with similar administrative objectives. The original law called for the establishment of only one department: the Department of Veteran Affairs. After that, the law allowed the Governor to create the other fourteen departments at his discretion until the Oklahoma Legislature formally created the departments. The heads of these executive departments would be given the title of "Secretary" followed by the name of their department (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 Departments. The Governor is allowed to create any Department he desires and to place which ever agencies, bureaus, and commissions he wants under those Departments. An example would be that under Governor Frank Keating Tourism and Commerce were two Departments, while under Governor Brad Henry they have been combind into one. Regardless of the number of Departments and their functions, at least one must be the Department of Veteran Affairs and must be charged with providing for Oklahoma's veterans.
All of the Secretaries are the appointed head of their department and are thus the Governor’s direct administrative arm over the various departments and their respective containing agencies. The Secretaries answer directly to the Governor and advise the Governor on policies or problems concerning their department. Also, should the Governor issue an executive order to one of Oklahoma’s agencies, the Secretary over the supervising department is responsible for discharging the order.
Following the Oklahoma Supreme Court case of Keating v. Edmondson in 2001, it was deemed illegal for a Governor to change the Departments and their functions past the 45 days dead line unilaterally. In order to change a Department pass the first 45 days in office, the Governor must seek approval from the Oklahoma Legislature via legislation.
The current State Cabinet consists of fifteen Cabinet Secretaries, all of whom are appointed by the Governor and serve completely at his discretion. Though all of the Secretaries are confirmed by the Oklahoma Senate they may be removed from office at any time by the Governor.
Because the Secretary positions are semi-formal, Secretaries are allowed to hold another office within the State government. One such example is Scott Meacham who is both the Secretary of Finances and Revenues and the State Treasurer of Oklahoma.
[edit] Current Cabinet Departments
The Oklahoma State Cabinet, under current Governor Brad Henry, consists of fourteen departments each headed by a Secretary. Only the Secretary of State of Oklahoma doses not head a department. Instead, the Secretary of State is charged with the operations of the Office of Secretary of State as it is the only member of the Cabinet that was established by the Oklahoma Constitution, years before the institution of the Cabinet System.
- The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture – Head by the Secretary of Agriculture, mainly a regulatory agency, the department protects and educates consumers about Oklahoma’s agricultural and livestock productions, includes the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry.
- The Oklahoma Department of Commerce and Tourism – Head by the Secretary of Commerce, 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.
- The Oklahoma Department of Education - Headed by the Secretary of Education, oversees Oklahoma Public School system and the state's libraries, regulated and informs citizens on careers in education, includes the office of the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- The Oklahoma Department of Energy – Head by the Secretary of Energy, oversees the production and regulation of all of Oklahoma’s energy producers, includes the Oklahoma Corporation Commission
- The Oklahoma Department of the Environment – Head by the 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 our state and better the standard of living for all Oklahomans.
- The Oklahoma Department of Health – Head by the 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
- The Oklahoma Department of Human Services – Headed by the 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
- The Oklahoma Department of Human Resources and Administration – Headed by the Secretary of Human Resources, responsible for providing comprehensive human resource services to all state agencies and employees, such as overseeing employee benefits and employment securities, contains the Office of Personal Management
- The Oklahoma Department of Military Affairs – Headed by the Adjutant General of Oklahoma who is the Secretary of the Military, runs the day to day administration of the Oklahoma National Guard, including the organization, training, and preparation of the Guard
- The Oklahoma Department of Safety and Security – Headed by the Secretary of Public Safety, provides safety and security for Oklahoma’s citizens through law enforcement and protection agencies, runs the State correction penitentiaries, includes the office of the Attorney General of Oklahoma, District Attorneys Council, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
- The Oklahoma Department of Science and Technology – Headed by the Secretary of Science and Technology, oversees all efforts to use science and technology to improve government to better serve the citizens of Oklahoma
- The Oklahoma Department of Transportation – Headed by the Secretary of Transportation, charged with providing a safe, economical, and effective transportation network for the people, commerce and communities of Oklahoma, oversees the Oklahoma Transportation Authority and all Ports Authorities within the state
- The Oklahoma Department of the Treasury – Head by the Secretary of Finance and Revenues, oversees the collection of taxes and administers the state treasury, includes the State Treasurer of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Auditor and Inspector
- The Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs – Headed by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, charged with ensuring all Oklahoma veterans and their families receive all possible benefits and provide health services and long-term skilled care in a residential environment to all qualified veterans residing in the state. This is the only permenate Cabinet Department.
[edit] Current Cabinet
As of July of 2006, two of the fifteen secretary positions are vacant. The current Oklahoma State Cabinet, serving under Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry, is as follows:
| Office | Incumbent | Other Government Position (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State | M. Susan Savage | |
| Secretary of Agriculture | Terry Peach | Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture |
| Secretary of Commerce and Tourism | vacant | |
| Secretary of Education | vacant | |
| Secretary of Energy | David Fleischaker | |
| Secretary of the Environment | Miles Tolbert | |
| Secretary of Health | Terry Cline, Ph.D. | Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services |
| Secretary of Human Resources | Oscar B. Jackson Jr. | Office of Personnel Management Administrator |
| Secretary of Human Services | Howard Hendrick | Director of the Department of Human Services |
| Secretary of the Military | Maj. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III | Adjutant General of Oklahoma |
| Secretary of Safety and Security | Kevin Ward | Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety |
| Secretary of Science and Technology | Dr. Joseph W. Alexander | |
| Secretary of Transportation | Phil Tomlinson | Director of the Transportation Authority |
| Secretary of the Treasury | Scott Meacham | State Treasurer of Oklahoma |
| Secretary of Veteran Affairs | Norman Lamb |
[edit] See also
| Current members of the Cabinet of Governor Brad Henry |  |
|---|---|
| Alexander • Cline • Fleischaker • Hendrick • Jackson • Lamb • Meacham • Peach • Savage • Tolbert • Tomlinson • Ward • Wyatt |
| 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 |
