Oklahoma State Auditor asks for $683,000 one‑time appropriation, higher revolving‑fund cap to bolster forensic audits and staffing

The State Auditor told the House Appropriations and Budget — General Government subcommittee that the auditor’s office is requesting a one‑time appropriation of $683,000 for fiscal year 2026 to recover excise‑tax revenue that was incorrectly routed to counties and to support investigative audit work.

The request, presented during a budget hearing, also asked lawmakers to raise a statutory cap on the office’s revolving fund — a limit the auditor said has not been adjusted since about 2008 — and to provide resources to hire and retain forensic auditors and other staff amid a surge in audit work tied to pandemic relief funds.

Why it matters: The State Auditor’s office oversees financial audits of state and county entities and conducts forensic investigations that prosecutors use in criminal cases. The auditor told the committee that an increase in federal grant dollars and problems in state procurement and reporting have multiplied the office’s workload, produced millions in questioned costs, and created thousands of unbilled forensic hours that strain the office’s capacity.

State Auditor’s presentation and request The auditor said the office’s appropriated revenue was about $4.5 million in fiscal year 2024 and about $4.7 million in fiscal year 2025. For fiscal year 2026, the office requests a one‑time correction of $683,000 tied to gasoline…