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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...

Recent Posts

Weekly Wonk: Help wanted – Leadership from Oklahoma’s delegation | Oklahoma enacted one of the five biggest tax cuts for millionaires | Moving the needle on Oklahoma’s youth justice reform | More

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
November 2, 2025 // Updated: October 31, 2025
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...]

Justice demands proportionality in child abuse laws (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 28, 2025 // Updated: October 28, 2025
Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee — chaired by Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus — held a three-hour interim study exploring Oklahoma’s “Failure to Protect” statutes. The study was led by Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Bristow. The Oklahoma statute, 22 O.S. 843.5,… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: How the not-so-beautiful bill will push eligible Oklahomans off SoonerCare | Interim studies examine Oklahoma services to families, children, youth | Oklahoma can’t prosper while our neighbors struggle

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
October 26, 2025 // Updated: October 25, 2025
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 not-so-beautiful bill will push eligible Oklahomans off SoonerCare

By: Kati Malicoate
October 23, 2025 // Updated: October 23, 2025
Medicaid – known in Oklahoma as SoonerCare – is the health backbone for nearly a million Oklahomans: children, working parents, people with disabilities, and seniors. But under the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” also known as H.R. 1, that foundation is… Read more [More...]

Interim studies examine Oklahoma services to families, children, youth (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 21, 2025 // Updated: October 21, 2025
The House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Human Services, led by Chairman Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, and Vice Chair Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City, held a series of interim studies last week ranging widely on Oklahoma’s services to families, children, and youth.… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Ryan Walters was a test; Oklahoma leaders flunked | A look at potential improvements to Oklahoma’s criminal justice system | The government shutdown is hurting a lot of people. Leadership is needed.

By: Annie Taylor
October 19, 2025 // Updated: October 17, 2025
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...]

Interim study looks at potential improvements to Oklahoma’s criminal justice system (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 13, 2025 // Updated: October 13, 2025
The Senate Public Safety Committee chaired by Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, conducted an interim study on October 1 requested by Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, to consider several flaws in the criminal justice system – some that could perhaps be easily… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Eliminating property taxes would devastate crucial local services | Oklahoma’s mental health system is at a crossroad | Indigenous Peoples Day should remind us that we’re stronger together

By: Dave Hamby
October 11, 2025 // Updated: October 11, 2025
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...]

Eliminating property taxes would devastate crucial local services

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
October 9, 2025 // Updated: October 9, 2025
Co-authored by Aanahita Ervin, Fiscal Policy Analyst, and Sabine Brown, Housing Senior Policy Analyst Property values have increased nationally since the pandemic, leading to higher property taxes. This has created a financial strain on some lower- and middle-income households. The… Read more [More...]

The challenge of reforming Oklahoma’s property tax (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 6, 2025 // Updated: October 6, 2025
Representative Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, has assumed chairmanship of the House Subcommittee on Finance after the resignation of former Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee, and Fetgatter wants to look at lowering the property tax burden and finding ways to replace the revenue.… Read more [More...]

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