Jessica joined OK Policy as a Communications Associate in January 2018. A Mexican immigrant, she was a Clara Luper Scholar at Oklahoma City University where she obtained a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy. Prior to joining OK Policy, Jessica worked at a digital marketing agency in Oklahoma City. She is an alumna of both the National Education for Women (N.E.W.) Leadership Institute (2013) and OK Policy's Summer Policy Institute (2015). In addition to her role at OK Policy, Jessica serves as a board member for Dream Action Oklahoma in OKC and communications director for Dream Alliance Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Oklahoma Legislature sends FY '22 state budget bills to governor; Corporate, Personal Income Tax Cuts Sent To Governor; State legislators decry secretive budget process; [More...]
Oklahoma lawmakers seek to put ‘guardrails’ on privatized Medicaid expansion; State Starts Tracking COVID-19 Variants; Tulsa Race Massacre survivors ask Congress for justice [More...]
Adding 5-year residency rule on Oklahoma disability aid is unconstitutional, critics say; Legislative effort to block Medicaid privatization ends; Oklahoma House Advances Major Components Of FY22 Budget Plan; [More...]
Big budget bills advance in ‘quite a rush’; Bill addressing disability services waiting list gets personal; Oklahoma governor announces end to extra unemployment money; [More...]
Wherefore art thou budget bills; Senate Panel Passes Bill For Waiting Period On Services For Some With Intellectual Disabilities; Oklahoma identifies cluster of 17 cases of COVID-19 variant first detected in India; [More...]
Corporate, personal income tax cuts included in $8.3 billion state budget; Oklahoma House leaders intend to fund privatized Medicaid if the Senate doesn’t approve a bill to halt the plan; State: K-12 Schools Likely Prohibited From Requiring Students Be Vaccinated Against COVID; [More...]
In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support… Read more [More...]
Examining educational management organizations, charter school reform being negotiated; Centennial commission scolds governor; legislator says he's had enough; Adolescents ages 12 to 15 could begin receiving Pfizer vaccine in Oklahoma as early as Thursday; [More...]
Pressure mounts on centennial commission as Tulsa Race Massacre anniversary approaches; State begins publishing COVID-19 variant data as it still ranks last in U.S. for genetic sequencing; House leadership taking up multicounty grand jury recommendations from Epic Charter Schools investigation; [More...]
Stitt signs controversial bill limiting race, gender curriculum in schools; Medicaid proposal meant to rival Gov. Stitt's plan for managed care faces uncertain future; Advocates Say Stitt's End Of COVID Emergency Declaration Means Drop In SNAP Benefits For Thousands; [More...]