Emma Morris worked as Oklahoma Policy Institute's Health Care and Fiscal Policy Analyst from April 2021 to January 2024. She had previously worked as an OK Policy intern and as the Health Care Policy Fellow. Previous experience included working as a case manager with justice-involved individuals and volunteering as a mentor for youth in her community. Emma holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies and Public and Nonprofit Administration from the University of Oklahoma, and is currently working on a Master of Public Administration degree from OU-Tulsa. She is an alumna of OK Policy’s 2019 Summer Policy Institute and The Mine, a social entrepreneurship fellowship.
By: Emma Morris
April 20, 2022 // Updated: May 27, 2022
Cuts to the individual income tax rate are unfair to low- and middle-class families since they return the largest benefit to the wealthiest Oklahomans. Tax cuts now can devastate state revenue and funding for services like public education in future years. [More...]
By: Emma Morris
April 11, 2022 // Updated: April 11, 2022
Oklahoma is in a unique position this year to make a downpayment on the future of our state. Premature tax cuts will set the state up to fail; investments will allow us to thrive. [More...]
By: Emma Morris
March 17, 2022 // Updated: June 14, 2022
This legislative session, the Oklahoma legislature is set to consider several proposals that would significantly cut state revenue. Rather than cutting taxes, legislators must consider the state’s long-term fiscal health and its structural deficit by maintaining revenue streams this year and for years to come. [More...]
By: Emma Morris
March 14, 2022 // Updated: March 17, 2022
Throughout this pandemic — and particularly since the implementation of Medicaid expansion in 2021 — Medicaid has fulfilled its purpose: facilitating access to affordable and comprehensive health coverage for those who might otherwise go without health care. State and federal actions have helped maximize the impact of Medicaid, and moving forward we should continue to prioritize accessible coverage for all eligible Oklahomans. [More...]
By: Emma Morris
February 23, 2022 // Updated: May 27, 2022
Lawmakers should consider significantly expanding the Sales Tax Relief Credit that would provide targeted tax relief to Oklahomans who need it, cost less revenue, and give lawmakers more flexibility to raise revenue in the future. [More...]
By: Emma Morris
February 7, 2022 // Updated: May 27, 2022
At a time when many Oklahomans are struggling to put food on the table and are at risk of eviction, a more robust Sales Tax Relief Credit can help put money back into the pockets of those who need it most. Doing so would bolster family finances, make purchasing food more cost-effective, and stimulate our local economies. [More...]
By: Emma Morris
November 15, 2021 // Updated: November 15, 2021
Oklahoma has successfully expanded Medicaid, as more than 210,000 Oklahomans have enrolled in expansion and there have been substantial declines in the uninsured rate across all demographics. Though it is too soon to definitively identify the long-term benefits for the… Read more [More...]
By: Emma Morris
September 23, 2021 // Updated: September 22, 2021
Medicaid expansion went into effect just over two months ago, and some of these benefits are already playing out in the state. Oklahoma has historically had a very high uninsured rate, ranking second highest in the nation with 14.3 percent of the population without health insurance. [More...]
By: Emma Morris
September 3, 2021 // Updated: October 14, 2021
Our state, county governments, and community-based organizations can leverage this new coverage option to divert more individuals from the justice system and streamline access to health care as people return to their communities. These efforts will likely generate cost savings, reduce recidivism, and increase quality of life for impacted Oklahomans. [More...]
By: Emma Morris
July 30, 2021 // Updated: July 29, 2021
Per capita Medicaid costs have grown at slower rates than both Medicare and private insurance, and the program has become more efficient as the cost per enrollee has declined in recent years. This investment pays off, as healthier Oklahomans are better able to work, parent, and pay taxes. [More...]