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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. Subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
New from OK Policy
Policy Matters: Expertise should not be just another opinion: These past few years have been tough for the people we once counted on as the ultimate experts. Scientists, doctors, engineers are finding their knowledge questioned, their contributions undervalued, and their voices drowned out by a rising tide of misinformation and skepticism. This troubling shift is especially disheartening in a country that once celebrated science as a beacon of progress. [Shiloh Kantz / Journal Record]
Oklahoma News
Guns confiscated from students at Sapulpa, Union high schools: Guns were confiscated from students at two suburban high schools Wednesday. [Tulsa World]
- Shooter kills 4 at a Georgia high school and a suspect is in custody, officials say [AP/Tulsa World]
18-year-old pleads guilty in 2022 fatal shooting at McLain homecoming: A young man who was 16 when he shot and killed a student outside McLain High School’s 2022 football homecoming game has waived his right to a jury trial and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. [Tulsa World]
Union wide receiver Jarek Watie released from hospital after being shot over weekend: Union Redhawks senior wide receiver Jarek Watie, who was shot in the face and neck over Labor Day weekend, has been released from the hospital, his head coach said Tuesday evening. [Tulsa World]
State Government News
Oklahoma Police Departments, Hispanic Community Leaders Working Together Amid New Immigration Law Fears, Public Records Reveal: House Bill 4156, which reflected ambitions from state leaders to stand up to federal immigration policy, has led to a wave of backlash. The Hispanic community and Oklahoma law enforcement have been two of the most vocal opponents. [NEWS9]
- From OK Policy: Anti-immigrant laws punish families and children. Oklahoma lawmakers pass them anyway. (2024 Legislative Wrap-up)
‘Liberal bullcrap’: OK state lawmakers react to work permit task force recommendations: Oklahoma state lawmakers continue to share their reactions after Gov. Kevin Stitt’s Task Force on Work Permits and Visas released its recommendations on Friday. [FOX25]
The average Oklahoma City, Tulsa commuter loses dozens of hours to traffic delays each year: That year, the average Oklahoma City commuter lost 52 hours to traffic congestion. That doesn’t mean they spent 52 hours in their car — it means they spent 52 extra hours in their car compared to the time they would have spent if they didn’t get stuck in unexpected traffic. [KOSU]
New Oklahoma law gives drivers only 10 days to get license plates: A new law aimed at reducing the length of time Oklahoma drivers can use temporary paper tags took effect Sunday. Senate Bill 2035 requires all vehicles purchased through dealerships or private sellers to be pre-registered with the state within two business days. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Reconcile divides to transform public health and human services systems: Our unique experiences serving in states with very different political landscapes have cemented our belief in a crucial principle: Revitalizing public safety-net programs can empower our communities’ most vulnerable members. It fosters self-reliance, builds hope and uplifts everyone. [Marko Mijic and Justin Brown / Tulsa World]
Federal Government News
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Oklahoma’s Attempt to Restore Federal Family Planning Funds: Oklahoma will have to use state money for family planning services at county health clinics after it lost an emergency bid to restore $4.5 million in federal grants because of the state’s refusal to publicize an abortion referral hotline upon request. [Oklahoma Watch]
- Oklahoma suffers high court loss over policy that prohibits educating women about abortion services [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Chuck Hoskin delivers impassioned State of the Nation address: In his speech, Hoskin said his administration would also introduce a $65 million Sequoyah Schools capital improvement project, an additional $86 million in loan support to help Cherokee-owned small businesses, and a proposal that the Cherokee Nation take over the Claremore Indian Hospital, which is currently operated within the federal Indian Health Service, by the end of 2025. [ICT]
The U.S. Is Standing in the Way of Repatriating the Bodies of Native Kids Who Died at the Carlisle School: At “residential schools,” Native children were plucked from their homes and forced to abandon their culture, their customs, and their very identities in a process that was almost always brutal. [ICT]
Opinion: Native American Issues Need to Be Part of Presidential Election Discussions: Last week, three tribal leaders penned an open letter to presidential candidates, debate moderators, consultants, political commentators, and the media to push for Native American rights to be part of the upcoming presidential debate on Sept. 10 in Philadelphia and the vice presidential debate on Oct. 1 in New York City. [Levi Rickert / Native News Online]
Voting and Election News
Top issues for Latino Oklahomans reflected in national poll: Latino voters nationwide will be a decisive voting group in the upcoming presidential election, according to a poll by the largest Latino-focused advocacy group in the country. And while Latino Oklahomans weren’t included in the samples, many of the findings reflect what the community in this state is experiencing. [KOSU]
Education News
Tulsa Public Schools coordinates with Union for GED classes: Tulsa County residents who did not finish high school are about to have an additional option for earning an equivalency diploma. [Tulsa World]
New investments in CareerTech aim to provide relief for booming waitlist, agency hopes for more: And about 7,500 students are sitting on a waitlist to get in. To tackle the waitlist, the Oklahoma Legislature allocated $26.7 million in new one-time funds for the agency this year. The money was recently disbursed to schools and is now being used across the state for facility upgrades, expanded programming and more. [KOSU]
Opinion: Leave religious indoctrination out of public schools: As a devoted Christian, I am deeply disturbed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ recent push to mandate the Bible and the Ten Commandments as part of the public school curriculum. Under Oklahoma law, Walters does not have the legal authority to dictate the materials used in our classrooms or the methods our teachers employ. [Erika Wright / Tulsa World]
Opinion: Perhaps Ryan Walters is a classic victim of the corrupting potential of political power: As head of the public instruction in Oklahoma, Walters seems to interpret every criticism and even differences of opinions as highly personal attacks. He has repeatedly responded to simple calls for accountability with escalating and emotionally charged rhetoric. [Aaron Baker / The Oklahoman]
Health News
Sneezing like crazy? Fall allergies, ragweed levels ‘very high’ in Oklahoma: How to treat: If you woke up with a scratchier throat than typical or a stuffy nose, the allergy count today could have your answer. Oklahoma is seeing an influx of pollen in the air this week, according to the Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: I’m a conservative, but we must demand amendment to guarantee reproductive rights: We don’t need the Supreme Court to tell us where abortion questions should be answered. It has become just another issue being used to divide us as a nation. The Supreme Court should have sent this moral issue back to the place it belongs, the individual American citizen who is directly affected by it. [Jim Young / The Oklahoman]
Criminal Justice News
Diversion from justice system stressed as option for troubled youths: The Aug. 27 study proposed by Rep. Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City, a lawyer and member of the House Criminal Judiciary Committee called attention to how the state’s juvenile justice system too often tends to treat kids as criminals, or criminals in the making, when all might fare better if more emphasis were placed on diverting children away from court involvement. [Tulsa World]
- From OK Policy: Understanding and Reforming Oklahoma’s Juvenile Justice System | Interim Study Presentation (video)
Search for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre graves moves west of downtown: The city’s search for unmarked graves from Tulsa’s 1921 Race Massacre shifts to west of downtown on Thursday, officials said late Wednesday. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma County wants a cease-fire in court fight with city over proposed jail location: Oklahoma County commissioners want peace with the city of Oklahoma City before any more expensive legal shots are fired in the impasse over the location of a new county jail. [The Oklahoman]
Five things to know about the Oklahoma County jail’s staffing crisis: Chronic understaffing at the Oklahoma County Detention Center has contributed to poor living conditions, overworked employees and routinely missed sight checks of detainees, The Frontier’s reporting found. [The Frontier]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
‘No place to go.’ Amid deep-seated animosity, small Oklahoma cities try to reckon with homelessness: What was once considered an issue strictly for downtown OKC and other large urban areas, homelessness has grown to touch even smaller suburbs around sprawling metros. [The Oklahoman]
Edmond Scout teams up with nun to help feed people experiencing homeless: A local Scout was volunteering at a local food pantry with his family when he noticed that the nonprofit could use new furnishing. So, Simon Starnes, 14, a Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 21, decided to build new furniture for Sister BJ’s Pantry himself. [The Oklahoman]
Economy & Business News
Two Oklahoma casinos were named among USA Today’s top 10 non-Vegas casinos: Two Oklahoma casinos were named in the 2024 USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for best casinos outside of Las Vegas. The Readers’ Choice Awards highlight the very best in travel, food and drink and lifestyle. Every week, USA TODAY 10Best invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite points of interest and attractions across a wide range of categories. [The Oklahoman]
Study finds 40% of employees suspect employer surveillance: Nearly 40% of employees in the U.S. think they are being tracked by their employers, according to a new study. Surveillance levels could be much higher because, under federal law, bosses in most states are not required to disclose to their workers that they are being monitored. [Journal Record]
Local Headlines
- Downtown Tulsa Partnership announces performers for first 918 Day Festival [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Science Museum Oklahoma announces opening for new, state-of-the-art planetarium [KOCO]
- Norman holds first public hearing on $1B entertainment district [Journal Record]
Quote of the Day
“My plea is, we can’t let young people get to their absolute worst and commit a crime before we do anything. I’m asking that we not turn our backs on our young people, especially teenagers, because they’re crying out for help, and the help is coming entirely too late, and at what cost?”
– Wyjuana Montgomery, a family member of a justice-involved juvenile, in her emotional testimony shared with lawmakers at a recent interim study on the need for preventive services and family support programs to get help for kids before their behavior spirals out of control. [Tulsa World]
Number of the Day
20%
Percentage of Oklahoma children living in poverty, which for a family of two adults and two children was below $29,678 in 2022. Oklahoma ranked as having the nation’s 7th highest rate for child poverty. [KIDS COUNT]
Policy Note
How Do Children and Society Benefit from Public Investments in Children?: Research shows investments in child well-being can have significant short- and long-term payoffs for the children receiving the benefits as well as for society at large. Investments in children are often used to combat the negative effects of growing up in poverty. These supports are a necessity to help children thrive and reach their full potential. [Urban Institute]
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