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In The Know is a daily synopsis of Oklahoma policy-related news and blogs. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
Today you should know that Gov. Mary Fallin decided to delay a decision on whether Oklahoma will set up its own online health insurance exchange under the nation’s federal health care law, leave the task to the federal government, or share responsibility for the plan. A medical social worker writes in NewsOK that refusing to join the Medicaid expansion would be cruel. OK Policy previously explained why expanding Medicaid in Oklahoma makes sense.
A CDC report highlighted Oklahoma’s growing diabetes problem. Oklahoma City and Tulsa are among 6 of the 50 largest cities in the United States that have weak laws regarding secondhand smoke in public places. A federal court ruled against a Michigan affirmative action ban similar to what was recently passed in Oklahoma. On the OK Policy Blog, comedian Barry Friedman shared his election memories. A NewsOK op-ed responded to an OK Policy Blog post which showed that inequality is rising in Oklahoma as lower- and middle class income stagnate.
Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman said funding education reforms will be a top issue for Senate Republicans when they return to the Capitol in February. Federal assistance for struggling Oklahoma schools has been delayed for months because the State Department of Education has not identified which schools should receive the funds. The Edmond Sun examined how coming federal budget cuts could affect Oklahoma schools. OK Policy previously discussed what these cuts could mean for education in Oklahoma.
Outgoing House Speaker Kris Steele will become executive director of The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM), which provides education, social services, and job training and placement at no charge to low-income Oklahomans. NewsOK writes that current lawmakers can learn from the outgoing Speaker. Former Senate leader Cal Hobson gave five suggestions for state lawmakers.
In The News
Fallin delays decision on Okla. health insurance exchange
Gov. Mary Fallin decided Friday to announce later whether Oklahoma will set up its own online health insurance exchange under the nation’s federal health care law, leave the task to the federal government or share responsibility for the plan. Fallin spokesman Alex Weintz said the governor opted to delay her decision after the federal government pushed back until Dec. 14 what had been a Friday deadline for states to decide how people can shop for coverage. States can set up their own exchanges, have federal workers set one up or operate an exchange in partnership with the federal government.
Read more from the Associated Press.
To pass on Medicaid expansion would be cruel
According to the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Medicaid expansion would provide health insurance coverage to more than 100,000 low-income Oklahomans who would otherwise remain uninsured. Gov. Mary Fallin hasn’t yet announced whether she’ll support or oppose this expansion of Medicaid. As a medical social worker, I encounter the effects of Oklahomans having no access to health insurance. For uninsured individuals, having medical needs but no resources takes a toll on emotional and physical well-being. The uninsured have a tendency to delay seeking medical attention until symptoms are severe. This often results in costly emergency room visits, generating bills that go unpaid.
Previously: Expanding Medicaid in Oklahoma makes sense from Oklahoma Policy Institute
CDC report highlights Oklahoma’s growing diabetes problem
Over a 15-year time period, Oklahoma saw the largest increase in its diabetes rate when compared to any other state in the nation, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Thursday. In 2010, 10 percent of adult Oklahoma residents were diabetic, compared with 3 percent in 1995, the report said. An Oklahoma diabetes expert said Thursday that while the state has a big problem with this disease, the 15-year-old estimates may have been too low, making the increase look too big. However, Oklahoma does have a growing diabetes problem.
Smoking laws in Oklahoma City, Tulsa are weak compared to many major cities
Oklahoma City and Tulsa are among six of the largest cities in the United States that have weak laws regarding secondhand smoke in public places, according to a federal government report released this week. Meanwhile, 30 of the 50 largest cities in the U.S. have provisions that prohibit smoking in any indoor area, including private workplaces, restaurants and bars, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released this week. State and city leaders say the main reason Oklahoma City and Tulsa do not have their own secondhand smoke ordinances is because they’re not allowed to. Oklahoma state law prohibits municipalities from making their smoking laws stricter than state law.
Okla. affirmative action ban backers say it could survive court fight; precedent conflicting
Supporters of Oklahoma’s recently approved ban on affirmative action in state government say they are confident the voter-approved law would survive a legal challenge. But federal court precedent is conflicting. And if Oklahoma’s law change makes it to court, that could further raise the possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court would eventually get involved in the issue. This week, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a similar voter-approved law in Michigan that bans the use of affirmative action in college admission.
Read more from the Associated Press.
Barry Friedman: Election memories–live and on tape
Scene 1: Delray Beach, Florida Aunt Marilyn, 89, is yelling at Mitt Romney, yelling at the television as he talks about investment income. “We don’t have any,” she says. My dad says Mitt Romney looks constipated. Uncle Leo, 91, eating fruit slices and pretzel M&Ms says after it’s over, “I think Obama got him.” Leo is liberal, Jewish, a Democrat, and a member of the NRA who’s for stricter gun control laws. He also has macular degeneration. You heard right. Marilyn gives me a bag of fruit slices, unopened, and three cans of Coke as we leave. Driving back to the Best Western Plus in Boca Raton, we pass by one billboard of Obama bowing to a Sheik and another which says “Obama: Oy vey.”
Read more from the OK Policy Blog.
NewsOK: Obsessing on income gap not a sound policymaking approach
Left-of-center policy groups often lament income inequality, using the gap as a way to push “progressive” solutions such as higher taxes on top earners (including some in the middle class), a higher minimum wage and perpetual unemployment benefits. The Oklahoma Policy Institute joins this parade with a drumbeat of statistics showing that income inequality is exceptionally high in this state. Frankly, we’ve never understood how punishing the most successful will help anyone else, but that’s a topic for another day.
Previously: Rising inequality in Oklahoma as lower- and middle-class incomes stagnate from the OK Policy Blog
Oklahoma Senate Republicans say education, workers comp reform will be top issues
Education will be a top issue for Senate Republicans when they return to the Capitol in February, Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman said. “Education has been discussed all throughout the summer, and over the last couple of sessions we have worked diligently to implement new reforms in education,” said Bingman, R-Sapulpa. “I think it is incumbent upon the Legislature to make sure we are funding the issues, the reforms we put in place. You are not just going to see a blank check going to education,” Bingman said. “We want to make sure we are targeting, putting money in the right places and make sure it is getting in the classroom.” Several new members also said education was a priority.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Struggling Oklahoma schools caught in funding limbo
After being designated among the lowest-achieving 5 percent of schools in the state, McKinley Elementary School started the academic year off with a plan to get research-based interventions and three extra hours of help per week for struggling students. With the first semester nearly over, McKinley is no closer to implementing that plan because the federal funds allocated to pay for it are held up in bureaucratic limbo. Schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families receive federal Title I funds to help ensure that all children meet the state’s academic standards on tests administered each spring. But school districts can’t touch a significant portion of those funds that have been set aside to implement interventions until the state has identified the lowest performing “Priority” sites or those with the greatest academic achievement gaps, called “Focus” sites. Low-performing Title I recipient schools around the state are anxiously awaiting word that officials had expected months ago from the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Schools eye sequestration cuts
The Budget Control Act of 2011 will impose across-the-board cuts of about 8.2 percent to education and other domestic programs in Fiscal Year 2013 unless Congress intervenes by Jan. 2. Sequestration would apply to defense budgets but also to federal activities from education to job training to medical research, child care, worker safety, food safety, national parks, border security and safe air travel among other programs. “These essential government services directly touch every family in America, and they will be subject to deep, arbitrary cuts under sequestration,” said Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and Related Agencies in his July 25 report, “Under Threat.”
Read more from the Edmond Sun.
Previously: What the coming federal budget cuts mean for education in Oklahoma from the OK Policy Blog
Steele to join TEEM as executive director
The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) announced Thursday that former Oklahoma House of Representatives Speaker Kris Steele will join the interfaith non-profit organization as executive director, effective Nov. 26. TEEM is an interfaith non-profit organization founded in 1987 and has served and nurtured 12,000 lives and families in Oklahoma. Its mission is to reduce poverty, homelessness and unemployment in Oklahoma. At no charge, TEEM provides education, social services, and job training and placement so students are able to become self-sufficient and pass on their legacy to their children.
Read more from the Daily Ardmoreite.
See also: Current lawmakers can learn a little from outgoing House speaker from NewsOK
Former Oklahoma Senate leader: Five Suggestions for state lawmakers
As the 2013 legislative session approaches, I recognize that advice to legislators from a former legislator is probably about as welcome as a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking. Regardless, here goes … Think big. Address the infrastructure crisis in this state — roads, highways and bridges as well as new construction and long-overdue repairs to our state facilities, such as the Capitol. This also includes our growing structural needs in higher education. Pass a large bond issue, at least $1 billion, to be paid for over 10 to 15 years. It would create thousands of jobs.
Quote of the Day
Education has been discussed all throughout the summer, and over the last couple of sessions we have worked diligently to implement new reforms in education. I think it is incumbent upon the Legislature to make sure we are funding the issues, the reforms we put in place.
Number of the Day
49
Number of counties in Oklahoma, out of 77, where 80 percent or more of the land area is farmland, 2007
Source: OK Policy County-Level Database
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Why we should stop obsessing about the federal budget deficit
I wish President Obama and the Democrats would explain to the nation that the federal budget deficit isn’t the nation’s major economic problem and deficit reduction shouldn’t be our major goal. Our problem is lack of good jobs and sufficient growth, and our goal must be to revive both. Deficit reduction leads us in the opposite direction — away from jobs and growth. The reason the “fiscal cliff” is dangerous (and, yes, I know – it’s not really a “cliff” but more like a hill) is because it’s too much deficit reduction, too quickly. It would suck too much demand out of the economy.
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