• State Deploys Public Search Utility for Financial Data
• New State Jobs Online Application Center Launches
• Web site Provides Tools and Resources to "Grow in Oklahoma"
• "Tobacco Stops With Me" Campaign Targets Online Community
• State Plants "Seeds" for Oklahoma Kids

State Deploys Public Search Utility for Financial Data
The Office of State Finance is pleased to announce the release of its Open Books Web site. It is now available at www.openbooks.ok.gov. The Web site was part of Governor Brad Henry's program for fiscal year 2008 and was modeled after the Federal Government Transparency Act. The Web site is the result of Senate Bill 1 authored by Senator Randy Brogdon and State Representative Paul Wesselhoft.

Open Books allows the citizens of Oklahoma, as well as anyone in the world with Internet access, to view the finances of the State of Oklahoma. The Web site was designed to be user-friendly with intuitive controls.

For example, citizens can find payments made to vendors where the total fiscal year expenditures exceeded $25,000 and are processed through the Office of State Finance. Every state employee's monthly salary is available for review and can be located by employee name, agency or function of government. One can also find out what taxes and revenue go to support a certain agency. One can also do the reverse and determine what agencies or programs a certain tax goes to support.

In addition to these functions there is useful information about the State’s budget, the appropriation process, a glossary of terms, pie charts showing the State's revenue sources and the principal agencies that receive the largest part of the State's revenue.

Everyone is invited to review the Web site and provide feedback. We would like to know what you liked; what you didn't like, and what you would like to see. Answers to your questions about Oklahoma's finances are just a few mouse clicks away.

Search the state's financial data at OpenBooks.ok.gov

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is pleased to announce that OKCareers, the new electronic on-line employment application, applicant tracking and certification program, is now available for use by state agencies and applicants for state employment. Some of the features of OKCareers include:

• An online employment application that may be completed using any internet browser at any time.

• Electronic submission of resumes, transcripts, certificates, veteran’s preference materials and other applicant-related materials. These materials may be viewed by authorized agency staff when they receive an online certified list of applicants from OPM.

• Listings of specific vacancies in state agencies for classified job titles. No longer will new job postings appear only on Wednesdays. OPM can list these vacancies as soon as the requisition has been reviewed and approved.

• Once the application has been completed, interested applicants may copy it into other listed vacancies for which they wish to apply.

In the near future, OPM will also begin Merit System employment testing through OKCareers. Because OPM will have the ability to deliver tests online (and without sacrificing any security), OPM hopes to expand statewide test sites. Until then, however, OPM will continue to provide electronic testing in the Oklahoma City office and “paper and pencil” testing at the CareerTechs, universities and the local office of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission in Tulsa that provided testing services previously.

Search Oklahoma state jobs  

Web site Provides Tools and Resources to "Grow in Oklahoma"
Sponsored by the Governor's Council for Workforce and Economic Development, GrowOklahoma.com is an online resource for students, employers, and employees. Business, education, and government convene to offer information, tips, and tools to encourage successful participation in the state's workforce and economy. Visitors to the Web site can find information about furthering their education, exploring career options, and starting a business in Oklahoma. Users may also create their own Grow Oklahoma account and save assessment results, build and store resumes, save favorite content, and more. 

Visit GrowOklahoma.com

"Tobacco Stops With Me" Campaign Targets Online Community
Oklahoma has taken the next big step in its tobacco control movement by launching its first statewide media campaign, “Tobacco Stops With Me.” The campaign, which launched in January 2008, is designed specifically for Oklahoma and was created with input from research and focus groups around the state. Consisting of television, radio, print and outdoor ads, and an interactive Web site www.stopswithme.com, the “Tobacco Stops With Me” campaign highlights how tobacco use impacts us as individuals, how it influences our relationships, and how each Oklahoman has a role to play in the movement to reduce the burden of tobacco use in our state.

“Tobacco Stops With Me” campaign ads, fact sheets and press release can be viewed on the new Web site. The Web site will continue to develop over the next few months including increased content and the opportunity for Oklahomans to share their personal experiences related to tobacco through e-mail and video testimonials. Also, more interactive visitor engagement features such as polls, calendar items, event information, photos and zip code searches for community organizations creating a tobacco free Oklahoma will be added.

Funding for the campaign is provided by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust with technical assistance from the Oklahoma State Department of Health Tobacco Use Prevention Service. The “Tobacco Stops With Me” campaign will be independently evaluated by the University of Oklahoma College of Public Health.

Visit the "Tobacco Stops With Me" Web site

State Plants "Seeds" for Oklahoma Kids
SEED for Oklahoma Kids provides randomly selected Oklahoma families with a special opportunity to save for their children's future and provide valuable information on the effect of matching funds on college savings. In 2007, families with newborns from across the state were invited to participate in a scientific research study. The newborns in these families received a special SEED OK account in their Oklahoma College Savings Plan. Through SEED OK, these families can manage their children’s accounts online and have the chance to receive matching funds for their savings.

State Treasurer Scott Meacham and the state of Oklahoma are pleased to be part of this program, and help plant a "seed" for the future of Oklahoma kids. Funding for SEED OK accounts is generously provided by the Ford Foundation. Research partners for the study include the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis and RTI International.

Visit the State Treasurer's Web site to learn more about SEED OK

Learn more about saving for your child's future with an online College Savings Account

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Public Employees Relations Board
"The Public Employees Relations Board resolves labor disputes involving firefighters, police officers and other municipal employees to minimize disruptions of public services and ensure various rights of employees, unions and municipalities across Oklahoma."

- Debbie Tiehen,
Administrator

Oklahoma State Senate
"The Oklahoma State Senate has made tremendous strides in utilizing technology, giving the public and media greater access to the information and events which are part of the legislative process...."  more 

- Malia Bennett,
Communications Director

How do I find tax resources for the upcoming tax season? 

  Visit OK.gov's Tax Resource Center 

How do I find information about the upcoming legislative session? 

 Visit the House of Representative's Web site  

 Visit the State Senate's Web site 

Monday, February 18
(President’s Day) 

Monday, May 26
(Memorial Day) 

View all 2008 State Holidays

Colonial Day at the Capitol
Department of Education
January 31 - February 1, 2008 
9:45 am - 1:30 pm
Brenda Wheelock
405-236-0006

Consumer Protection Day at the Capitol
Attorney General's Office
February 7, 2008
9 am - 2 pm
Peggy Paaddyaker
405-521-3921

Entrepreneur Day at the Capitol
Department of Commerce
February 26, 2008
1 pm - 5 pm
Rana Steeds
405-815-5143

View All Capitol Events

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