Category: Media Coverage

Nation’s Least-Funded Schools Get What They Pay For (Governing)

By Liz Farmer In his 17 years as a school official in Oklahoma, Robert Romines has dealt with more than his share of painful situations. In 2013, as superintendent in the town of Moore, he had to shepherd his system… Read more [More...]

Final days nonrevenue revenue bills defy sense, if not law (Tulsa World)

By Wayne Greene Way back when Democrats and Republicans were trying to work together to come up with reasonable changes to the state tax code — in other words until late Monday — there was a puzzling story making the… Read more [More...]

Legal threats linger as lawmakers approve budget (Stillwater News Press)

By Janelle Stecklein OKLAHOMA CITY – Lawmakers admit they may be back for a costly special session this summer – even if Gov. Mary Fallin ultimately signs their proposed budget. Even as they adjourned Friday, lawmakers were already facing threats… Read more [More...]

House proposal would cut education funding (Journal Record)

By Kateleigh Mills OKLAHOMA CITY – The proposed House bill that would appropriate money to state agencies for the fiscal year that begins July 1 would cut funding to several education agencies by nearly 5 percent. Photos of the revised… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Legislature considering ACA waiver program (News OK)

By Dale Denwalt Oklahoma is preparing to subsidize its own health insurance program to replace the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The plan has been formulated for months as a waiver that will be submitted to the federal government. Federal law… Read more [More...]

With three days left, lawmakers pushing budget through Oklahoma Capitol (News OK)

By Dale Denwalt Gov. Mary Fallin said the budget agreement lawmakers are considering this week avoids the kind of significant cuts she warned about when threatening a veto earlier this year. In a late-night session that spanned Tuesday night and… Read more [More...]

Budget bills advance, legality questioned (Journal Record)

By Catherine Sweeney OKLAHOMA CITY – After weeks of relative quiet on the new revenue front, lawmakers finally started getting some measures out of committee, but there’s one problem: They could all be illegal. The Oklahoma Constitution states that the… Read more [More...]

House limits itemized deductions (The Norman Transcript)

By Janelle Stecklein OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite complaints that it could harm working families trying to deduct mortgage, childcare and student loan expenses from their taxes, Republican House members Monday pushed through a measure capping how much Oklahomans can claim.… Read more [More...]

Republican budget could draw court’s attention (KTUL News)

By David Norris OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KTUL) — Governor Mary Fallin wants more money in the budget. Trouble is, lawmakers can’t do that. At least not in a tax increase kind of way. Last week was the deadline. But Gene… Read more [More...]

Republican States Make the Case Against Trump’s Drug Policy (NBC News)

By Jon Schuppe The Trump administration’s get-tough drug enforcement policy aims to set the tone for the rest of country by projecting a distaste for leniency and an embrace of mandatory minimum prison sentences. But that outlook is becoming more… Read more [More...]