WHEREAS, Congress passed three tranches of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Funds for schools in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) as well as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) totaling Two Billion Three Hundred Nineteen Million Five Hundred Seventy-one Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety-nine Dollars ($2,319,571,799.00); and

WHEREAS, Oklahoma passed and signed into law Enrolled House Bill No. 2932 stating unless expressly authorized by the Legislature, no agency, board, commission, department, council, instrumentality, or other entity organized within the executive branch of state government shall utilize the federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) in a manner that will or likely will lead to increased demand for state-appropriated funds or any other state funds; and

WHEREAS, Oklahoma schools received each of their ESSER allocations outside of the recurring state and federal appropriations process.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 2ND EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF THE 58TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives strongly encourages local school districts to exercise extreme caution before expending one-time ESSER funds on any recurring expense.

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives affirms its commitment to Enrolled House Bill No. 2932 in not approving projects that will incur recurring expenses on future legislatures with funding received from ARPA as well as the CARES Act.

THAT school districts, agencies, boards, commissions, departments, councils, instrumentalities, or other entities organized within the executive branch of state government should look to Enrolled House Bill No. 2932 as a guiding principle for one-time funds received from ARPA as well as the CARES Act.