Author: Steve Lewis

Chamber of origin deadline brings heavy workload this week (Capitol Update)

Note: Capitol Update is a guest column from former Oklahoma House Speaker Steve Lewis’ weekly newsletter focused on major events occurring in the state capitol. — Last week was a short week for the legislature. Both the House and Senate… Read more [More...]

HB 3903 would place strict limits on reviews of death penalty cases (Capitol Update)

House Bill 3903 by Rep. John Pfeiffer, R-Orlando, that passed out of the Judiciary-Criminal Committee last week, exposes an ongoing dispute between the state’s prosecution forces and the Pardon and Parole Board and governor. A recent battle between the Oklahoma… Read more [More...]

A look at criminal justice sentencing reclassification efforts this session (Capitol Update)

It looks like the criminal justice reform effort to reorganize the Oklahoma Criminal Code by arranging various crimes into classes with an appropriate range of punishment for each class has begun to fall on hard times already. The reorganization effort… Read more [More...]

ARPA funds offer start to transform nursing needs, but state will need to step up in the long run (Capitol Update)

The first public hearing by a legislative working group of the American Rescue Pandemic Act (ARPA) Committee was held last Thursday. The working group, led by co-chairs Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and Sen. John Haste, R-Tulsa, will do the nuts… Read more [More...]

[Weekly Wonk] Strengthening the Grocery Tax Credit | Shifting burden for college costs | More

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...]

Budget choices have dramatically shifted college costs to students, families (Capitol Update)

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education have requested an $85.1 million budget increase for next year. Good for them. The increased funding would amount to a 10.5 percent increase over the $812.8 million appropriation for the current year. A… Read more [More...]

Managed care discussions likely to continue this session (Capitol Update)

Chapter two of last year’s Medicaid managed care saga is underway. It appears from the introduction of Senate Bill 1337 and comments by Senate Majority Leader Greg McCortney, R-Ada, that discussions about changing Oklahoma’s delivery system for Medicaid services from… Read more [More...]

SB 1548 would prioritize treatment, stability over punishment in Oklahoma’s drug courts (Capitol Update)

Of the 2,297 bills filed for the upcoming session, one of the best is Senate Bill 1548 by Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah. The bill reorganizes drug courts in Oklahoma, giving the upper hand in decision making to mental health professionals… Read more [More...]

Three early bill filings that caught my attention (Capitol Update)

It’s interesting to read the early bill filings each year. Some are remarkable in the degree of change they would make. Others are not so consequential, and yet others give you the feeling they’ll never see the light of day.… Read more [More...]

Policy issues can take center stage in election year (Capitol Update)

This is the first week of election year 2022. The filing period for statewide and legislative offices will be April 13-15. Election years always provide a fascinating dynamic for the legislative session. A few legislators will already have announced opponents,… Read more [More...]