Recent Articles

Changes to Oklahoma’s drug laws reduce criminal charges and prison sentences

Though much remains to be done, the Oklahoma Policy Institute has been tracking the effects of justice reform in courts, jails, and prisons as reforms have taken hold and found a steady move towards a less punitive approach to offenses like drug possession and burglary.   [More...]

OK Policy’s Response to 2021 State of the State Address

In pointing Oklahomans towards his vision of Oklahoma as a Top 10 state, Gov. Stitt during his State of the State address shared a quote he attributed to Will Rogers: “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” However,… Read more [More...]

CBPP Tribal Policy Fellow at OK Policy

The Oklahoma Policy Institute is seeking applicants for a Tribal Policy Fellow through our partnership with the Center on Budget and Policy and its State Policy Fellowship Program. [More...]

We’re hiring for a Child Well-Being Policy Analyst / KIDS COUNT Coordinator

OK Policy is now hiring for a Child Well-Being Policy Analyst / KIDS COUNT Coordinator [More...]

New KIDS COUNT® report shows need for immediate action to help Oklahoma children and families 

A new report from KIDS COUNT®, a program of the Annie E. Casey Foundation focused on child well-being, shows how the COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact on Oklahoma’s children and families. The report — entitled “Kids, Families and COVID-19: Pandemic Pain Points and The Urgent Need to Respond” — also highlights the outsized impact of the pandemic on our state’s children and families of color.   Many Oklahoma families have directly dealt with the illness itself; far more, however, have found themselves facing the pandemic’s economic and emotional toll from lost wages, lack of child care, and school closures. Too many Oklahoma families are asking themselves regularly: Will my family have enough food to eat? Will I be able to pay our rent on time? How will I afford medical treatment if we get sick?  [More...]

New OK Policy report shows intricate, fragile interconnectedness of public assistance programs for Oklahomans in need

A new report from the Oklahoma Policy Institute — entitled “Plateaus and Cliff Effects in Oklahoma” —  is among the first of its kind to examine how public supports and income interact to impact low-income Oklahomans. [More...]

We’re hiring for a Justice Data Analyst

OK Policy is now hiring for a Justice Data Analyst. The Justice Data Analyst will use Open Justice Oklahoma’s (OJO) database of court, prison, and jail records to open the black box of our justice system. [More...]

Announcing OK Policy’s Fall 2020 Interns and Fellows

An often unsung element of OK Policy’s mission is the opportunity to engage college students and recent graduates into Oklahoma policy work. Below are our Fall 2020 Interns and Fellows who will be playing a crucial role for our work… Read more [More...]

SQ 814: Decrease Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund Payments and Fund Medicaid Program Amendment

State Question 814 would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to change the way Oklahoma’s tobacco settlement money is distributed.  [More...]

SQ 805: Criminal History in Sentencing and Sentence Modification Initiative

State Question 805 would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to end the use of sentence enhancements for people convicted of nonviolent crimes [More...]