Oklahoma is better for people with a disability, according to the state’s governor.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Scott Pruitt said the state is better off when people with disabilities are able to enjoy their full potential.
The AP asked Oklahoma’s governor about the state budget for fiscal year 2019, which begins Sept. 1.
Pressed by the AP to say whether he supports the state cutting funding for people living with disabilities, Pruitt replied, “No, I don’t.
I don the budget.”
The governor’s comments are the latest in a series of policy statements from Republicans to make the case that Oklahoma is a better place for people who have disabilities.
They include repealing the state-mandated mental health law that requires mental health care providers to be licensed and qualified, and requiring that mental health providers who treat people with mental illness provide evidence-based services.
The AP also asked Pruitt about his support for a bill that would create a statewide registry of the state government’s more than 4,500 disability-related organizations.
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pruitt has also called for a nationwide expansion of Medicaid, a government-run health insurance program for low-income adults and families.
The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed the bill in March.
The measure has not yet been sent to the Senate.
The state has more than 9,000,000 Medicaid beneficiaries, according the state Department of Health.
The bill would provide for an expansion of the program that would cost about $400 million a year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
