Category: Media Coverage

Not Just Numbers; Punching Down, Oklahoma style (Tulsa Voice)

By Barry Friedman Institutional callousness was averted last month when the State Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted against HB 2665, an inexplicably heartless piece of legislation that would have eliminated Medicaid benefits for any “non pregnant able-bodied… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Eyes Obamacare Funds, But Without Medicaid Expansion (Bloomberg)

By John Tozzi  Dwight Sublett has seen a lot of busts in his 33 years as a pediatrician in Stillwater, Oklahoma, but this year ranks among the worst. With oil hovering at $35 a barrel, the state is facing a… Read more [More...]

Byng Schools prepare for drastic funding cuts (The Ada News)

By Carl Lewis Officials at Byng Public Schools are bracing for fallout from repeated budget cuts as the state’s budget failure continues to drain resources from already cash-strapped Oklahoma schools. In a letter sent home with students, Byng Superintendent Todd… Read more [More...]

Potential solutions to Oklahoma budget crisis struggling to find legislative support (OU Daily)

By Emma Keith Oklahoma’s state budget crisis and falling tax revenue are squeezing education at all levels, and ideas to raise revenue are struggling to gain traction in the legislature. Though countless other sources support education funding, state taxes are… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma leaders ponder ways to stabilize state’s shaky Medicaid program (Tulsa World)

By Barbara Hoberock  OKLAHOMA CITY — Officials unveiled on Thursday the framework of a proposal to provide subsidized medical insurance to more Oklahomans. The proposal also calls for moving thousands of people who are on Medicaid into the private market… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma gasoline taxes haven’t been raised in nearly three decades (Fox 25)

By Jordann Lucero  OKLAHOMA CITY — The amount of tax drivers pay at the pumps in Oklahoma hasn’t increased in nearly 30 years. A look at this tax by the Oklahoma Policy Institute show Oklahoma is losing out on millions… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Health Care Authority Proposes Plan To Insure More Oklahomans (KGOU)

By Jacob McCleland A new plan from Oklahoma’s Medicaid agency would provide coverage for uninsured Oklahomans, and would tap into federal matching funds. Oklahoma Health Care Authority CEO Nico Gomez addressed Gov. Mary Fallin and legislative leaders on Thursday to… Read more [More...]

HomeNewsCapitol Report Bill to remove 111,000 Oklahomans from Medicaid dies in Senate committee (Tulsa World)

By Barbara Hoberock  OKLAHOMA CITY — A Senate panel killed a bill Monday that would have cut 111,000 Oklahomans, mostly women, from Medicaid. House Bill 2665, by Rep. Doug Cox, R-Grove, and Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, died in the Senate… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma City Public Schools District announces teacher layoffs (Reuters)

By Rory Carroll The Oklahoma City Public Schools District will eliminate 208 classroom teaching positions to help grapple with a $30 million revenue shortfall, the district’s top official said on Wednesday. The layoffs are the latest impact of the state’s… Read more [More...]

Justice reform supporters collecting signatures to get state questions on ballot (Tulsa Business & Legal News)

By Ralph Schaefer Supporters for criminal justice reform in Oklahoma have taken to the streets to collect signatures to reduce population in state prisons as proposed by State Questions 780 and 781. Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform officially started the… Read more [More...]