Category: Weekly Wonk

Weekly Wonk: Benefits simulator can help families understand assistance programs | State of the State commentary | Black History Month

Benefits simulator helps families understand assistance programs and helps support better policies; Confrontations between governor, legislature may continue over managed care proposal (Capitol Update); OK Policy’s Response to 2021 State of the State Address; Policy Matters: What was left unsaid in the State of the State Address  [More...]

Weekly Wonk: OK Policy State Budget Summit | Privatizing health care is bad policy, process lacked public input | Working together to move forward

OK Policy State Budget Summit recap; Statement: OHCA’s approval of privatizing Oklahoma’s health care is bad health care policy and lacks sufficient public comment processes; Legislators must work together to move forward (Capitol Update) [More...]

Weekly Wonk: OK Policy’s 2021 policy priorities | Changes recommended to state revenue certification | Making government serve the people

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...]

Weekly Wonk: New report details problems with managed care | Securing our state Capitol | In-person school guidance draws criticism

OK Policy State Budget Summit, Advocate Training set for Jan 26 & 27; New GAO report details problems with managed care (Capitol Update); Policy Matters: Protecting, securing our state Capitol; Governor's guidance sets wrong goal [More...]

Weekly Wonk: Vape taxes aren’t answer for Medicaid expansion | Leaders shouldn’t hide from information | Making state budget serve everyone

Vape taxes aren’t the answer for Medicaid expansion; 'Organizational day’ at the Capitol'; A look back at 2020's top stories; Ignoring information doesn’t make problem disappear [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: An early look at next year’s budget picture | Oklahoma deserves state leadership | Action needed to support children, families

Revenue estimates don’t make budgets. Leaders do; Oklahomans deserve state leadership; New KIDS COUNT® pandemic policy report shows immediate action needed for Oklahoma children; Policy Matters: Avoiding the benefit ‘cliff effect’ [More...]

Weekly Wonk: New report examines public support programs | Reducing courts reliance on fines and fees | Value of charitable giving

Report shows intricate, fragile interconnectedness of public assistance programs for Oklahomans; Reducing Oklahoma’s court fines and fees is police reform; An early look at two recently filed Senate Bills (Capitol Update); Charitable giving is an investment for today and tomorrow. [More...]

Weekly Wonk: How are Oklahoma children doing? | Many reasons for a special session | Fines & fees system harms families

How are Oklahoma children doing?; There are many reasons to call a special session and, contrary to claim from the Governor’s office, no reasons not to; Policy Matters: Redistricting meetings don’t account for pandemic, rural geography. [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: Public deserves opportunity for public comment | Fines & fees system harms families | ‘Pretty please’ isn’t enough

Public being denied opportunity for input about significant change to Oklahoma health care policy; Oklahoma’s fines and fees system worsening the economic crisis for families and courts; Managed care will have a disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities; Policy Matters: When ‘pretty please’ isn’t enough. [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: SQ 805’s defeat doesn’t signal end of justice reform efforts | Census numbers require more context

OK Policy announces Angela Monson as Outreach and Legislative Director; SQ 805’s defeat doesn’t signal end of justice reform efforts (Capitol Update); Policy Matters: Census numbers require 99.9% more context; Notes and numbers. [More...]