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Lieutenant governor lamb, statewide elected officials, speaker mccaul, president pro tem shultz, members of the court, honorable senators, representatives, cabinet members, our tribal leaders, guests, and citizens of the state of oklahoma. I would like to take a brief moment to thank my fellow oklahomans for the great honor and opportunity of a lifetime, to serve as governor of the great state of oklahoma. Family and i have really loved traveling across the state, meeting all kinds of outstanding oklahomans. Words cannot express how much i appreciate the sacrifices of my entire family, their love and support over the many years i have served the state. That includes my loving husband. He deserves a round of applause for that. [applause] and our combined six children. Two of our children have joined us here today. My daughter, christina, who was three years old when i sat in the back of that chamber, second to the last row, as a freshman legislator. And my son, who was four months old. He is out of state right now on a business trip. Also have with me my stepson. Dam, and his wife elizabeth thank you guys for coming. [applause] i also want to express my deep gratitude to my extended family. And that includes three different groups. First, my faithful prayer partners. Thank you so much for your love, support, and prayers. Staff,members and my both past and present who have joined us here today. Thank you for your devotion and service to the state of oklahoma. Thank you so much. And my formal advisory board. Of hundredsmposed me. Eople who intercept downmake sure that i slow and listen to their wisdom and concerns and common sense they like to share with me. I also want to thank our legislators and other elected officials that have joined us here today. Thank you for all of your hard work and sacrifice to the state. We are glad to have you back here. I do appreciate your service, time, and effort this past year. I appreciate that. I feel we are making great progress. I do understand it has been very challenging and difficult this past year for all of you. Thank you for your service. Glad to have you back here. Today is not for yielding for tradition. Today is not to look over our shoulder and think about the past. Today is a day that we press forward for a Better Future for the state of oklahoma. Friends, is the last youre going to hear me talk about today of the previous seven years of my service as governor. Instead, lets focus on the future. Lets recognize the opportunity we have in front of us. The constitution of the state of oklahoma takes it my duty today to provide a budget and report on the health of our state. Duty, however, will be fulfilled by what i say here. Thebudget and the health of state are not mine to determine. Decided both will be what this legislature does in the next couple of weeks. It,s make no mistake about this is an historic, defining moment for us. What we do as a unified group of people elected by the citizens of our great state, could be considered the moment in time that changed oklahoma. We are in a very unique. Begins with aon concurrent special session. We are also at a special time in oklahomas journey because of the prospect of a brighter path forward is so very near. Only in oklahoma were a group of private Business Leaders care enough to work so tirelessly in a bipartisan manner to sculpt a series of budget reform compromises. To put us on a better course. Can together in this house of the people to demonstrate, yet again, what we know is that the heart of oklahoma. The basic truth is this. When the hardest challenges come, when a crisis threatens, that is when oklahomans as one rise up to show our state, our world, but wee have always loved and called the oklahoma standard. [applause] it is our solemn duty to raise up a torch and show, again, that the oklahoma standard lives. When the people say we cannot do it, we cannot solve our budget problems, we cannot get our teachers a pay raise, we cannot bring better accountability, that show the people of oklahoma that we can. [applause] edition also tends me again to talk to all of the elements of the budget package you will be discovering. The details have been provided to each of you. Now, we have the choices before us. Us, parts of what is proposed, we may want to embrace. There are parts we may want to reject. Should be toion fix the chronic budget crisis, address the important policy goals, that are in front of our state. There are no Perfect Solutions or plans. We know there is no perfect legislation. We also know that compromise is at the very core of the budget on which you will vote. I believe compromise can fortify the foundation of oklahoma. [applause] as we consider recurring revenue , lets be clear. It is not revenue alone that gets us to a place of the budget stabilization. We have to include reforms as well. Money forincludes Agency Performance and accountability efforts, which will assure the public and help us bring forth the resources they need to be spent appropriately. The confidence we have lost a little bit of in our state government. That accountability and transparency will go a long way. We also have to remember that our state is at a crossroads. The actions that we take will be a game changer. Time to decide what future we want our families and children to have. If we are to effect change, we cannot keep doing the same old thing and expect a different result. [applause] that path i just mentioned will lead to more chaos. Ourselves, what kind of future do we want to have . Fore find it acceptable texas to steal our teachers and leave our classroom short teachers . Oklahomans expect us to be texans on and off the football field, so do we just as a budget fix that we just have to cut things Like Essential Health and Human Services . Is that good enough . Believe the only solution to helping our mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and friends who need Substance Abuse treatment is to warehouse them in prison . Or will our state be more successful if we help them put their families back together, get jobs, and become taxpayers. Do we just think this is how it is, it is the best oklahoma can do . No. Absolutely not. [applause] we can do better and we must do better. We need to dig down deep in our the oklahomaall standard of neighbor helping neighbor, as we did during the federal bombing tragedy. Attitudeo restore the that we are oklahoma strong. E can fix it in the face of crisis, oklahomans come together and solve the problem. The people of oklahoma expect excellence in demand we solve our states problems. Frankly, that is why we are elected. To lead, to roll up our sleeves, get to work, solve the problems, find solutions. And this is a defining moment for our state. We have two clear choices. Roadn continue down the along the path of fighting backwards. Or we can choose a second path, just to say enough is enough. We can do better, our children deserve better, too. [applause] this is a great opportunity to address our ongoing challenges, to strengthen our states image, and our states brand. As we all know, close to 100 oklahomans from across the state have developed a plan called the step up plan. Statedesigned to put our on a fiscally stable path to bring muchneeded reform, to give our teachers a 5,000 raise , and to break the gridlock that has existed in this building. We do not want to be Like Washington dc. Because of the urgency of this group and a very short. Of time has endorsed both reforms and revenues. They have come together to help this legislative body unite behind a plan to move oklahoma forward. Because they love oklahoma. We love oklahoma. So, now, it is our time to step up. To be courageous. To do our job and to pass this plan. [applause] without passage of this plan, there are important policy issues that cannot be advance. Initiatives that each of you care about, such as education, criminal justice reform, health, Human Services, transportation infrastructure. Cannot do that unless we stabilize and fix our budget. Former oklahoma governors, were all still with us, republican and democrat, have endorsed the step up plan. They have shown us what it is like to put aside partisan differences and join together for the good of our state. So, now, is our time to act. No more delay, no more putting things off, no more kicking cans , nomura dressing addressing longterm problems with shortterm fixes. We can do this and we must do it now. The step up plan would help our the boomak free from and bust cycle that harmed all oklahomans. The very nature of compromise means oklahomans on both sides of the aisle might not like everything in the plan, but we must come together and move past partisan politics that stands in the way of progress. Notrnor frank said it is public policy. It damaged the credibility of the state. Business leaders have thrown us a lifeline. I will conclude with some final thoughts. This is a time that we have to get to work and have action. We talked a lot and a long time about solutions for our budget crisis. We debated a lot of things. In fact, members of this legislature will cast votes on the budget and days short head of us. Be to remember my oklahomans and the james for a prosperous state. Vote, focusast your on things like a teacher that. Ill see a 5,000 pay raise not just a way to pay that teachers bills, but a way to validate their vocation. Remember the Business Community that sees how committed we are to a strong, educated workforce. , perhaps, as you reach for that vote button on your desk, whoure in mind a caregiver helps an elderly mother or father who cannot live on their own have security and dignity in their life. [applause] or maybe before you vote, think about some Young College students that are here on scholarships. Glad to have you here. How much their future, and that of an entire generation of oklahomans, rest in the decision you make if we appropriately fund education. Remember the important policy initiatives we have implemented already. Treatment for those who have Substance Abuse or Mental Health issues. How that affects our state success. Oklahomans too few are getting the treatment they need and are instead winding up in our criminal justice system. We need to stop a warehousing moms, dads, sons, and daughters in prison and many just need Substance Abuse treatment. [applause] see, we can unite together. Focus, to continue to and we can do all that without jeopardizing our public safety. Bills have been proposed by the oklahoma tax force that are smart and can safely and prudently fix the criminal justice system. Send those bills to me and i will simon. [applause] as you are beginning to vote, remember all the construction you see across the state, and the good image oklahoma has when we invest in our infrastructure. Remember our desire for safe homes and communities. That mayecisions effect or may not affect our prison population which is at 112 capacity. Remember the great policy strides we made to enact our Human Services that go plan, to meet the needs of abused or abandoned children. Loving fosterafe, care homes now because of the work we have done. [applause] Ronald Reagan once said, and he reminded us, that america is too great for small dreams. Moreds, oklahomans deserve than small dreams. [applause] they need solutions. That willsolutions allow their big dreams to come true. So, before us is a rare opportunity to bring forth and enduring reality to a promising future. Nothing less. Erve now is the time to some encourage, how is the time to invest, now is the time to do the peoples work. Lets make oklahoma a special place where our children and their children choose to live. May god guide you as you vote. May god bless you and may god bless oklahoma. Lets get to work [applause]. [applause] clear the gallery please. [indiscernible] ladies and gentlemen that includes the governors remarks. [applause] today, president s day, on the cspan networks. Cspan, theern on launch of landmark cases live from the Constitution Center in philadelphia, with a review of the 12 historic cases to be featured in the series. At 7 30 p. M. The portrait unveiling ceremony for barack obama and michelle obama. P. M. Slate magazines panel on comparing watergate to today. On cspan two at noon, the 2018 savanna book festival. 9 00, indepth fiction edition, with National Book award winner colson whitehead. 2 30, the story of world war i and the legacy of president woodrow wilson. Scholars explore the relationships between Ronald Reagan, george bush, and russian leader gorbachev. Watch today on the cspan networks. Testifying on capitol hill about the

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