Report: Oklahoma has used almost 95% of its COVID relief funds

Since Oklahoma received almost $1.9 billion from the $198 billion in Fiscal Recovery Funds (FRF) created by the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, a new study shows the Sooner State has appropriated just under 95% of that budget.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with corrected information from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Since Oklahoma received almost $1.9 billion from the $198 billion in Fiscal Recovery Funds (FRF) created by the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, a new study shows the Sooner State has appropriated just under 95% of that budget.

According to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have appropriated almost $172 billion, or 87%, of the $198 billion as of December 1, 2022.

According to that analysis, Oklahoma has spent 94.9% of its $1,870,417,575.

A special session was called last year to decide on appropriations spending.

Gov. Stitt signed and vetoed several bills in Oct. 2022 to approve some spending, including a $125 million investment for two new psychiatric hospitals and over $325,000 sent to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to expand child abuse prevention efforts.

States have until the end of 2024 to decide how their FRF will be used, and until 2026 to complete their spending.