OK Policy Blog

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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...

Recent Posts

Weekly Wonk: Eliminating U.S. Ed. Dept. is bad for Oklahomans | State will thrive if we prioritize people over politics | New leadership at state youth justice agency

By: Dave Hamby
November 9, 2024 // Updated: November 9, 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...]

New OJA director good fit to address needs for state youth (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
November 5, 2024 // Updated: November 5, 2024
Timothy Tardibono, who was appointed last week by Gov. Kevin Stitt to be the new director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA), should prove to be a good appointment. His background, education and experience all point toward progress for troubled children, youth and families in Oklahoma. [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: Studying long sentences and mental health in Oklahoma prisons and jails | A community discussion about youth justice | Let’s not be last this election

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
November 3, 2024 // Updated: November 1, 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...]

Long Sentences and Oklahoma’s Parole Process | Interim Study, October 2024

By: Cole Allen
October 30, 2024 // Updated: October 30, 2024
OK Policy's Criminal Justice Policy Analyst Cole Allen spoke with lawmakers on Oct. 29, 2024, about how long prison sentences impact the state's parole process. [More...]

Mental Health in Oklahoma Prisons and Jails | Interim Study, October 2024

By: Cole Allen
// Updated: October 30, 2024
OK Policy's Criminal Justice Policy Analyst Cole Allen spoke with lawmakers about how to improve mental health treatment in Oklahoma jails during an Oct. 28, 2024, interim study. [More...]

Modernizing the Sales Tax Relief Credit: It’s never too late to do the right thing (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 29, 2024 // Updated: October 29, 2024
The House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Finance held a study about modernizing the state Sales Tax Relief Credit for low-income Oklahomans. [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: Work needed to support Oklahoma’s justice-involved youth | A look at the lawsuit filed challenging the purchases of classroom Bibles | More

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
October 27, 2024 // Updated: October 26, 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...]

Impact of the Sales Tax Relief Credit on Oklahoma Families | House Interim Study | Oct. 23, 2024

By: Aanahita Ervin
October 25, 2024 // Updated: October 26, 2024
OK Policy’s Fiscal Policy Analyst Aanahita Ervin spoke with lawmakers about how modernizing the state’s Sales Tax Relief Credit can benefit low- and moderate-income families. Ervin spoke during an Oct. 23, 2024, interim study in the Oklahoma House focused on… Read more [More...]

Overview of Oklahoma’s Sales Tax Relief Credit | Oklahoma House Interim Study | Oct. 23, 2024

By: Aanahita Ervin
// Updated: October 26, 2024
OK Policy’s Fiscal Policy Analyst Aanahita Ervin spoke with lawmakers about the state’s Sales Tax Relief Credit, which provides targeted fiscal relief to low- and moderate-income families. The Sales Tax Relief Credit has been on the books since 1990, but… Read more [More...]

A look at the lawsuit filed challenging the purchases of classroom Bibles (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
October 23, 2024 // Updated: October 23, 2024
One of the interesting things about living in these times is the re-litigation of matters long thought to be settled. Who would have thought that public school teachers could be required by the state to teach from Bibles that were purchased and delivered to schools with state tax dollars? [More...]

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