OK Policy Blog

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Hard work deserves a fair wage. SQ 832 would help make that happen.

By: Gabriela Ramirez-Perez
May 15, 2026 // Updated: June 6, 2026
After years of inaction by state legislators, Oklahomans took matters into their own hands two years ago and began to gather signatures to put a state question on the ballot and finally raise the minimum wage. This ballot initiative, also… Read more More...

Recent Posts

The Weekly Wonk: Getting election-ready for November | Oklahomans should know where private school dollars were spent | Capitol Update

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
September 28, 2024 // Updated: September 28, 2024
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...]

Survey: Business leaders prioritize investment in infrastructure, education over tax cuts (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
September 23, 2024 // Updated: September 23, 2024
Thoughtful legislators, like thoughtful businesspeople, understand you can't have quality education, infrastructure, and mental health programs without funding them properly. Hopefully, policymakers will take care to read the whole report. [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: We can’t continue to ignore Oklahoma’s poverty problem | Inadequate funding keeps Oklahoma at the bottom of the heap for health care | Oklahoma should adopt IRS Direct File

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
September 21, 2024 // Updated: September 21, 2024
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...]

Inadequate funding keeps Oklahoma at the bottom of the heap for health care (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
September 16, 2024 // Updated: September 16, 2024
Due to inadequate health care funding, Oklahoma will continue to experience the economic and social outcomes caused by poor health, mental health, and addiction. [More...]

Join Our Team as a Regional Organizer, Central Region (Fall 2024)

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
September 15, 2024 // Updated: September 30, 2024
Regional Organizers support OK Policy in the development and implementation of virtual and community-based advocacy actions that further policy goals. [More...]

Oklahoma should adopt IRS Direct File

By: Aanahita Irani Ervin
September 14, 2024 // Updated: September 14, 2024
Oklahoma can opt in to Direct File for the 2025 tax season, which would offer taxpayers free and easy filing by integrating our state online tax filing tool. [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: SQ 832 election date is longest delay for a state question in past 10 years | Will recommendations from immigrant-focused task force get traction this session? | Voting is the price of democracy

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
// Updated: September 14, 2024
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 Census data: Oklahoma ranks as sixth poorest state

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
September 12, 2024 // Updated: September 12, 2025
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...]

Statement: SQ 832 election date is longest delay for a state question in past 10 years

By: Dave Hamby
September 11, 2024 // Updated: September 11, 2024
The 21-month span between Gov. Stitt announcing the SQ 832 election date and the election itself is more than six times longer than the median time for all other state question elections during the last 10 years. [More...]

Will recommendations from immigrant-focused task force get traction this session? (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
September 9, 2024 // Updated: September 9, 2024
While HB 4156 gave state law enforcement officers the authority to arrest people who are found in Oklahoma without legal authority to be in the U.S., the "Oklahoma State Work Permits and Visa Task Force” has issued recommendations towards a more balanced approach to the immigration issue.  [More...]

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