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2023 Census data: Oklahoma ranks as sixth poorest state

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
September 12, 2024 // Updated: September 12, 2024

Lawmakers have options to improve Oklahomans’ well-being, access to prosperity Data from the Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey released Sept. 12 show that Oklahoma’s poverty rate was 15.9 percent, which was the nation’s sixth highest. The national poverty rate… Read more More...

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Adding penalties to felony reclassification efforts is vital (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
April 10, 2023 // Updated: April 10, 2023

Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, for the second year, is trying to enact a felony criminal reclassification system based on recommendations by the Criminal Justice Reclassification Coordination Council. The proposal is contained in House Bill 1792 by Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond.… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma lawmakers need to close the affordable housing gap

By: Sabine Brown
// Updated: April 10, 2023

Call to Action • Contact members of the Senate Finance committee and ask them to support more affordable housing by voting YES on HB 2040 and HB 2098. • Contact members of the Business and Commerce committee and ask them… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: State budget is a moral document | A look at private school tax credit proposals | Summer Policy Institute

By: Hana Saad
April 8, 2023 // Updated: April 11, 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...]

2023 Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute Applications are Now Open

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
April 7, 2023 // Updated: May 7, 2023

Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute 2023; A program of the Oklahoma Policy Institute; Deadline to apply: Friday, May 12

UPDATE: Registration deadline extended to Friday, May 12, 2023. – – – “I can’t imagine how different Oklahoma’s political landscape and policies would look if everyone were more informed about the work OK Policy does. I deeply admire the… Read more [More...]

A closer look at House, Senate proposals to spend public dollars for private schools (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
April 3, 2023 // Updated: April 3, 2023

With just under $1 billion in new recurring revenue potentially on the table for appropriation this session, the leaders of the House and Senate have directed their attention to increased education funding. But the conversation has taken unexpected twists and… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: A look at this session’s tax proposals | Oklahomans deserve justice reform | April 4 local elections vital | Capitol Update

By: Hana Saad
April 1, 2023 // Updated: April 1, 2023

National Arab American Heritage Month 2023 Resource Guide

By: Hana Saad
March 31, 2023 // Updated: March 31, 2023

April is National Arab American Heritage Month, and we want to recognize the achievements, contributions, and rich heritage of Arab-Americans, especially for our friends and neighbors who call Oklahoma home. Arab-Americans, who can trace their roots to 22 countries in… Read more [More...]

Tax proposals this session fail to deliver inflation relief, jeopardize state’s long-term fiscal health

By: Emma Morris
March 30, 2023 // Updated: January 25, 2024

Call to Action Contact your lawmakers to urge them to oppose across-the-board, untargeted tax cuts and other handouts for wealthy Oklahomans and out-of-state companies. • Contact your lawmaker • Current Tax Cut Proposals Don’t Help Most Oklahomans [Printable PDF] With… Read more [More...]

Oklahomans deserve justice reform; there is still time to deliver results this session

By: David Gateley
March 29, 2023 // Updated: March 29, 2023

Now that the Oklahoma state legislature is roughly halfway through the 2023 session, there is still time for lawmakers to prioritize criminal justice issues. In recent years, Oklahoma has made some progress in modernizing the state’s justice system and alleviating… Read more [More...]

Change requires patience and persistence: SB 706 provides great example of representative government (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
March 27, 2023 // Updated: March 27, 2023

With last week’s deadline for passage of legislation by the house of origin, there was an onslaught of floor action on both sides of the Capitol. One bill, Senate Bill 706 by Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, caught my attention because… Read more [More...]

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