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2024 Census data: Oklahoma ranks as 8th poorest state

By: Dave Hamby
September 11, 2025 // Updated: September 12, 2025
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, released Sept. 11, show that Oklahoma’s poverty rate was 14.9 percent, which means that more than 1 in 7 state residents live in poverty. While the state’s overall poverty rate… Read more More...

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Start here to be ready for Oklahoma’s 2017 legislative session

By: David Blatt
February 6, 2017 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Today is the first day of the 2017 legislative session. Governor Mary Fallin will kick things off with her State of the State address in the House chambers beginning at noon. You can follow her speech online here. Governor Fallin… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: New fees and fines report, partial progress, and more

By: Carly Putnam
February 5, 2017 // Updated: February 3, 2017
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...]

Senate Republicans release agenda, but no easy answers for how to accomplish it (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
February 3, 2017 // Updated: February 3, 2017
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. State Senate Republicans, who hold 42 of the 48 seats in the Senate, held a… Read more [More...]

In The Know: Amazon Expected to Collect Sales Taxes Soon in Oklahoma

By: Carly Putnam
February 2, 2017 // Updated: February 2, 2017
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. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions. Today In The… Read more [More...]

New OK Policy report shows how criminal fines and fees trap Oklahomans in justice system without increasing state revenues

By: Ryan Gentzler
February 1, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Tens of thousands of Oklahomans enter the justice system each year, and many come out owing thousands of dollars in fines and fees. For poor Oklahomans, this debt can swallow up most of their family’s income and trap them in a… Read more [More...]

In The Know: Oklahoma’s brand-new drug law on chopping block

By: Carly Putnam
// Updated: February 1, 2017
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. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions. Today In The… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: The 2017 Legislative Primer, long-acting reversible contraceptives, and more

By: Carly Putnam
January 29, 2017 // Updated: January 27, 2017
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...]

In The Know: Everything ‘on the table’ as lawmakers tackle $868 million budget hole, Republican Senate leader says

By: Carly Putnam
January 27, 2017 // Updated: January 27, 2017
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. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions. Today In The… Read more [More...]

Be prepared for the 2017 session with the new Legislative Primer

By: Gene Perry
January 26, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Whether you are a veteran advocate, a complete novice to Oklahoma politics, or anyone in between, the 2017 Legislative Primer will provide you invaluable information in a concise, user-friendly format. Read more... [More...]

New issue brief assesses benefits of increasing access to long-acting reversible contraceptives

By: Carly Putnam
January 25, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
[Go to the full report] The decision of when and whether to have children is one of the most consequential choices a family can make. When better able to plan pregnancies and births, women attain more education, earn higher incomes,… Read more [More...]

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