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The 2023 legislative session included significant tribal-state bills and a respect for tribal sovereignty from state lawmakers

By: Vivian Morris
November 21, 2023 // Updated: November 22, 2023

Oklahoma has the second-highest share of tribal citizens of any state, which helps shape the fabric of our state’s culture and communities. This year, the Oklahoma legislature demonstrated this influence by including and valuing Native Oklahomans and tribal leaders in… Read more More...

Weekly Wonk: Cutting state revenue creates race to the bottom | Tax cut deja vu | Poverty persists because we fail to act | More

By: Dave Hamby
September 30, 2023 // Updated: September 30, 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...]

Tax cut deja vu: Governor’s income tax proposal echoes past attempts (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
September 26, 2023 // Updated: September 26, 2023

Those listening have heard Gov. Kevin Stitt repeat his mantra “the people of Oklahoma elected me to lay a fresh set of eyes on state government.” The implication is the people were looking for someone with new ideas. His latest… Read more [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Poverty comes from structural barriers, not personal choices | A look at the upcoming special session | More

By: Dave Hamby
September 23, 2023 // Updated: September 23, 2023

Weekly Wonk, Sept. 24, 2024 | Poverty comes from structural barriers, not personal choices | A look at the upcoming special session | More [More...]

Taking a deeper look at the latest special session call (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
September 19, 2023 // Updated: September 19, 2023

The Oklahoma Constitution provides for a regular session of the legislature once a year, but last week Gov. Kevin Stitt called the third special session for 2023 to begin on Oct. 3. This follows two special sessions in 2022, one in 2021, and two in 2020. Special sessions are provided for in the Constitution, but they are called Extraordinary Sessions. If the name means anything, you’d think special sessions would be rare. [More...]

Weekly Wonk: The dangers of eliminating personal income tax | Census: Oklahoma has 8th highest poverty rate | Hispanic Heritage Month | Capitol Update

By: Dave Hamby
September 16, 2023 // Updated: September 16, 2023

2022 Census data: Oklahoma remains among the nation’s poorest states; policy solutions can help reverse this trend

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
September 14, 2023 // Updated: September 19, 2023

Data from the Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey released Sep. 14 show that Oklahoma’s poverty rate was 15.7 percent, which was the nation’s 8th highest. The national poverty rate in 2022 was 11.5 percent, and Oklahoma’s ranking among states remained unchanged compared to 2021. [More...]

Everyday Oklahomans will be hurt by sweeping revenue cuts

By: Emma Morris
// Updated: September 28, 2023

NOTE: On Sept. 11, 2023, Gov. Stitt called for a special session in October 2023 to address tax reforms. One of the items included in the governor’s request was a “path to zero income tax.” – – – Oklahoma should… Read more [More...]

Refreshing to see bipartisan work on capital needs for regional, rural universities (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
September 12, 2023 // Updated: September 16, 2023

An encouraging piece of bipartisan work will occur in the form of an interim study to help assess the capital needs for regional and rural universities. [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Oklahomans deserve more than incremental justice reform | Removing barriers for workforce development | Capitol Update

By: Dave Hamby
September 9, 2023 // Updated: September 9, 2023

Investments in people can help make Oklahoma’s workforce competitive (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
September 4, 2023 // Updated: September 4, 2023

Instead of using the state's record-level savings as an excuse for ill-advised tax cuts, lawmakers should follow the wise counsel of elected officials who want to see Oklahoma make workforce development investments in job training, education, childcare and other programs that can help residents get good jobs or re-enter the job market. [More...]

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