Recent Articles

Adopting the National Popular Vote would make Oklahomans’ votes matter

The weeks before the Presidential primaries on Super Tuesday back in March were heady times in Oklahoma. The leading candidates for the Republican and Democratic nominations held large, enthusiastic rallies in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Voter registrations surged by nearly… Read more [More...]

After two revenue failures, Oklahoma will end the year with surplus. What?

This weekend, The Oklahoman reported the unexpected news that state finance officials now expect to end the current fiscal year with a cash surplus of at least $100 million. After two mid-year revenue failures that led to across-the-board budget cuts… Read more [More...]

Bad Brew (Guest Post: Erin Taylor)

Erin Taylor, PhD is a mother to five and a disability advocate living in Oklahoma City. Her previous guest post, “What I Didn’t Get From My Tax Cut,” ran in March. Like many advocates, I’m still recovering from the Capitol… Read more [More...]

Highs and lows of Oklahoma’s 2016 legislative session

The 2016 session began with some high hopes and grave concerns given the state’s massive budget shortfall. Prior to session, OK Policy laid out our top priorities in the areas of budget and taxes, health care, education, criminal justice, economic… Read more [More...]

Emergency clause

The emergency clause is a provision included as part of a bill in the Oklahoma Legislature that allows it to become effective immediately upon the signature of the Governor or at a specified date. Emergency clauses require approval by two-thirds… Read more [More...]

Motion to Reconsider

A motion to reconsider is a procedural action in the Oklahoma Legislature that allows a member the option to bring a bill or resolution back for another vote. In most cases, a member must serve notice of a motion to… Read more [More...]

Sine Die

Sine die is a term for the adjournment of an assembly for an indefinite period, from the Latin “without day”. In March 1989, Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly approved State Question 620, a voter-initiated constitutional amendment providing that regular legislative sessions begin… Read more [More...]

‘Behind Smoky Doors’: Last-minute bills breed public distrust

Each year, the Legislature appropriates a sum of money to the Department of Education in the General Appropriations bill for “programs and activities.” This line-item covers contributions to teachers’ retirement, early childhood education, alternative education, reading sufficiency, remedial programming, and… Read more [More...]

Legislative Service Bureau (LSB)

The Oklahoma Legislative Service Bureau (LSB) is a nonpartisan legislative agency responsible for producing all computer and information processing services for members and staff of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate. LSB operates the Oklahoma Legislative Information Service, which… Read more [More...]

Where next year’s shortfall starts: Budget counts on $600-$750 million in one-time revenues

OK Policy’s analysis of the General Appropriations bill and budget documents released this week shows that far more than half of the additional revenues agreed to by legislative leaders and Gov. Fallin as part of the FY 2017 budget consists… Read more [More...]