Recent Articles

Weekly Wonk: OK’s higher ed cuts among nation’s Top 3 | TogetherOK presents policy talks | Rethinking ‘tough on crime’

Oklahoma among worst states for higher education cuts; Together Oklahoma Talks Policy: Healthy Oklahomans and Safe Communities; (Capitol Update) Lawsuit challenges OHCA’s managed care proposal; Policy Matters: Rethinking Oklahoma’s ‘tough on crime’ approach to justice; Virtual Day of Action, March 4 [More...]

Oklahoma among worst states for higher education cuts, harming students who already face the greatest barriers

Even before COVID-19 brought new challenges to state education systems, a new report out this week shows that Oklahoma was one of 6 states that cut higher education funding by more than 30 percent between 2008 and 2019: Oklahoma cut higher education allocations by 35.3 percent, or $3,515, per student in 2019 when compared with a decade earlier. Oklahoma had the nation’s third largest percentage decrease in state higher education funding during that period, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report released Feb. 17.  [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Measuring success of justice reform measures | Talking health care policy, Medicaid | Breaking cycle of political inequity

Changes to Oklahoma’s drug laws reduce criminal charges and prison sentences; Together Oklahoma Talks Policy: Healthy Oklahomans & Health Care; (Capitol Update) Proposed bills again seek to undo will of the voters; Policy Matters: Breaking the cycle of political inequities [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Benefits simulator can help families understand assistance programs | State of the State commentary | Black History Month

Benefits simulator helps families understand assistance programs and helps support better policies; Confrontations between governor, legislature may continue over managed care proposal (Capitol Update); OK Policy’s Response to 2021 State of the State Address; Policy Matters: What was left unsaid in the State of the State Address  [More...]

Weekly Wonk: OK Policy State Budget Summit | Privatizing health care is bad policy, process lacked public input | Working together to move forward

OK Policy State Budget Summit recap; Statement: OHCA’s approval of privatizing Oklahoma’s health care is bad health care policy and lacks sufficient public comment processes; Legislators must work together to move forward (Capitol Update) [More...]

Statement: OHCA’s approval of privatizing Oklahoma’s health care is bad health care policy and lacks sufficient public comment processes

Statement from Carly Putnam, Policy Director for the Oklahoma Policy Institute:  “The OHCA’s decision today to approve funding for privatizing management for the state’s Medicaid program was rushed, disallowed a robust public comment process, and advanced bad health care policy… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: OK Policy’s 2021 policy priorities | Changes recommended to state revenue certification | Making government serve the people

What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In… Read more [More...]

OK Policy Statement: State officials forcing public to choose between health, government participation 

UPDATE: OHCA officials said Wednesday morning (Jan. 20) that this meeting will be rescheduled following a decision by the board chair. # # # The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is continuing to stifle taxpayers who want to comment on a… Read more [More...]

OK Policy announces its 2021 policy priority areas

OK Policy has announced its 2021 legislative priorities, focusing on policy initiatives to help Oklahomans live healthier, create thriving families, and develop safe communities.  “Even before COVID-19 struck, far too many Oklahoma families and communities were struggling to provide and… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: New report details problems with managed care | Securing our state Capitol | In-person school guidance draws criticism

OK Policy State Budget Summit, Advocate Training set for Jan 26 & 27; New GAO report details problems with managed care (Capitol Update); Policy Matters: Protecting, securing our state Capitol; Governor's guidance sets wrong goal [More...]