OK Policy Blog

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Criminalizing homelessness is harmful and ineffective

By: Sabine Brown
March 30, 2024 // Updated: April 1, 2024
Proposals to criminalize homelessness are harmful and counterproductive. Research shows us that the best way to combat homelessness is to increase access to affordable housing. More...

Recent Posts

Rebranding private school vouchers: The art of political makeovers (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 24, 2023 // Updated: October 24, 2023
In time-honored legislative jargon it’s called “putting lipstick on a pig.”  Most legislators have opposed school vouchers for private schools. In 2022 the Senate tried to pass a bill giving private school students a publicly funded “education savings account,” and… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: State budget process: How the sausage gets made | OK Wellness Watch event | Teen mental health | more

By: Dave Hamby
October 21, 2023 // Updated: October 21, 2023
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...]

How the sausage gets made: Comparing today’s state budget process to previous process (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 16, 2023 // Updated: October 16, 2023
Governor Stitt’s special session that lasted only a few hours brought attention to a perpetual issue: transparency of the legislative appropriations process. Stitt’s complaint was he didn’t know what was in the general appropriation bill until it was too late… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: State needs fiscally responsible budget planning | Credit where it isn’t due | Capitol Update | More

By: Dave Hamby
October 14, 2023 // Updated: October 14, 2023
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...]

Examining the death penalty in Oklahoma: Insights from last week’s interim study (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 10, 2023 // Updated: October 9, 2023
The House Judiciary-Criminal Committee conducted an interim study on the death penalty last week at the request of Rep. Kevin McDugle, R-Broken Arrow. McDugle became concerned with the way the state applies the death penalty after taking an interest in… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Lawmakers should prioritize democratic processes | Quitting our Lone Star envy | Capitol Update

By: Dave Hamby
October 7, 2023 // Updated: October 7, 2023
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...]

When lawmakers prioritize democratic processes, all Oklahomans benefit

By: Cole Allen
October 6, 2023 // Updated: October 6, 2023
Factsheet: What to know about Online Voter Registration in Oklahoma [PDF] # # # While lawmakers worked to make some improvements to Oklahoma’s democracy in the 2023 legislative session, there are still many opportunities to bring our state closer to… Read more [More...]

Economic uncertainty calls for fiscal responsibility from Oklahoma leaders, not tax cuts (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 3, 2023 // Updated: October 2, 2023
This week legislators will arrive at the Capitol to respond to Governor Stitt’s call for a special session. It is a safe bet that his proposal for a law to trigger an automatic repeal of any tax held by a… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Cutting state revenue creates race to the bottom | Tax cut deja vu | Poverty persists because we fail to act | More

By: Dave Hamby
September 30, 2023 // Updated: September 30, 2023
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...]

Tax cut deja vu: Governor’s income tax proposal echoes past attempts (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
September 26, 2023 // Updated: September 26, 2023
Those listening have heard Gov. Kevin Stitt repeat his mantra “the people of Oklahoma elected me to lay a fresh set of eyes on state government.” The implication is the people were looking for someone with new ideas. His latest… Read more [More...]

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