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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. Subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
New from OK Policy
Poverty is a policy choice; ending it is one, too: Oklahoma has a poverty problem — but it isn’t just about how much money people have in their pockets. It’s also about how small we’ve allowed our expectations to become. For decades, the majority of our lawmakers have chased an elusive vision of prosperity through tax cuts and austerity, instead of doing the harder work of investing in our people, our communities and our future. That poverty mindset — a failure of vision as much as of resources — has held our state back. And until we confront it head-on, Oklahoma will continue falling short of what it could be. [Shiloh Kantz / The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma News
New Oklahoma laws take effect Jan. 1. Food stamp changes delayed: A dozen new laws take effect Jan. 1, including one designed to provide more consistency in sentencing of felony crimes. House Bill 1792, dubbed the Sentencing Modernization Act of 2024, creates a uniform classification system for all felony offenses and maximum fines. [Oklahoma Voice]
- What new laws start on Jan. 1, 2026? Oklahoma introduces these 12 laws [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma Health Department Refuses to Share County-Level Measles Data: Outbreaks of measles and whooping cough in Oklahoma have led to calls for greater transparency from the Oklahoma State Department of Health as the state stands alone in only sharing measles cases on a statewide basis. [Oklahoma Watch]
Fact Check: Are claims about Oklahoma data centers holding up?: From the state’s ‘Behind the Meter’ power law to promises about electric bills and transparency, The Frontier reviewed the facts behind recent statements on data center development. [The Frontier]
Several stories from 2025 will linger into 2026: As the calendar turns, however, plenty of other lingering issues remain on our radar. So as you subconsciously seek things to do today that aren’t work, here are 10 topics our team covered in 2025 that still deserve attention in 2026. [NonDoc]
Editorial: Let’s make 2026 the turning point for education in Oklahoma, and other needs: Looking ahead always involves an element of uncertainty, but it’s encouraging to see that key leaders in Oklahoma seem to agree on a few important priorities for 2026. After years of apparent indifference on the part of legislators and state officials, with only intermittent bursts of support, a strong consensus seems to have formed that Oklahoma schools can no longer be neglected. [The Oklahoman Editorial Department]
- Opinion: We can build the great American Dream in Oklahoma [Gov. Kevin Stitt / The Oklahoman]
- Opinion, Oklahoma, Tribes are stronger together [Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes / The Oklahoman]
- Opinion: Nearly half our state is one crisis away from disaster [Sen. Julia Kirt / The Oklahoman]
- Opinion: OK’s future depends on strong readers, says House speaker [House Speaker Kyle Hilbert / The Oklahoman]
- Opinion: Oklahoma needs to make better school plan and stick to it [Former Rep. Mark McBride / The Oklahoman]
- Opinion: Reforms made through OK-DOGE give state financial flexibility [Marc Nuttle / The Oklahoman]
State Government News
Irritating employees, Corporation Commission terminates Brandy Wreath as administrative director: After more than three hours of discussion in executive session, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission unanimously voted Tuesday to terminate the employment of the regulatory agency’s administrative director, Brandy Wreath, with a “confidential” severance agreement and no public explanation. [NonDoc]
PSO says needed investments may hike customer bills 15%: A rate review case filed at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission by Public Service Company of Oklahoma could result in a hefty bill increase for PSO customers. [Tulsa World]
- Consumers and OG&E clash over new Oklahoma utility rate law [The Journal Record]
Oklahoma lawmaker will try again to slow state’s eviction timeline, which includes holidays: Sen. Julia Kirt will try again to extend Oklahoma’s eviction timeline after Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a similar measure last legislative session. Kirt hopes to lessen the burden on courts and renters by removing weekends and holidays from the period tenants have to appear in court after getting an eviction summons with Senate Bill 1209, a new measure she filed in advance of the 2026 legislative session. [The Frontier]
Lawmakers to consider funding options for mental health help line: With funding for the Oklahoma mental health crisis hot line set to run out at the end of the budget year, lawmakers will have to determine how to fund 988 this session. [Oklahoma Voice]
Funding, staffing cuts hamper release of special Oklahoma audits: A number of high-profile audits have yet to be released by the State Auditor and Inspectors office. State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd said short staffing, a lack of funds and other factors, some outside of her control, impact when an audit is completed and released. [Oklahoma Voice]
State lawmaker to propose millionaire tax, revenue going to low performing schools: An Oklahoma lawmaker has taken inspiration from an initiative in Massachusetts, to bring additional funding for education. Representative Andy Fugate has plans to introduce a millionaire tax, with the revenue going to low performing schools. [News 9]
Water board cites $24B in needs as agencies make budget requests: A $24 billion price tag has been placed on water infrastructure needs that communities across Oklahoma will have to deal with in coming years. [Tulsa World]
Freshman GOP Lawmaker Finds Statewide Backers For Save Oklahoma Plan: A freshman Oklahoma lawmaker who upset a powerful House Republican incumbent last year is trying to turn grassroots energy into a broader policy movement, rolling out a seven-point conservative agenda that has already drawn support from several statewide candidates ahead of the 2026 elections. [Oklahoma Watch]
Complaints of open records violations increased with launch of Oklahoma AG’s compliance portal: The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has received over 220 complaints of open records violations this year, with the numbers increasing since a public complaint form launched, officials said. [Oklahoma Voice]
Roundup: Budget numbers, website blunders, a surprise funder and ‘actual innocence’: The lead up to the holidays failed to slow down state agencies, courts or elected officials. Beyond lingering litigation, the looming fury of 2026’s legislative session and election cycle portend a peculiar political year on Oklahoma’s horizon. By reading the roundup below, you’ll find new filings in compelling cases, upheaval in a political party and other updates worth knowing as 2025 cascaded to a close. [NonDoc]
Opinion: Here’s an easy 2026 resolution for Oklahoma lawmakers: Stop creating do-nothing advisory boards: I have an easy New Year’s resolution for Oklahoma lawmakers: Vow to reject any legislation in 2026 that creates do-nothing advisory boards. Pretty much every annual legislative session, senators and representatives pat themselves on the back for creating another government panel that seems to have no enforcement or regulatory power, much less do anything to make our state a better place. [Janelle Stecklein / Oklahoma Voice]
Federal Government News
Oklahoma GOP lawmakers praise Trump after U.S. capture of Maduro: Oklahoma’s Republican members of Congress are praising President Donald Trump following an overnight U.S. military operation during which Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and explosions rocked the country’s capital of Caracas. [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma congressional delegation backs Venezuelan attack [Tulsa World]
- Oklahomans call raid on Venezuela ‘piracy,’ act worthy of impeachment [The Oklahoman]
Trump canceled temporary legal status for more than 1.5 million immigrants in 2025: Since Inauguration Day, more than 1.5 million immigrants have either lost or will lose their temporary legal status, including their work authorizations and deportation protections, due to President Donald Trump’s aggressive revocation of legal immigration. Oklahoma has over 5,600 people with temporary protected status. [Oklahoma Voice]
EPA, state lawmakers could consider regulating abortion pills as pollutants in 2026: As multiple lawsuits over the abortion drug mifepristone unfold, state and federal proposals to regulate and restrict medication abortion are expected to continue in 2026. Abortion opponents argue that medication abortion, despite its strong safety record, is dangerous to patients and the environment. [Oklahoma Voice]
In Oklahoma, rescheduling marijuana will benefit business owners: President Donald Trump’s executive order calling for rescheduling marijuana has triggered many questions, and misconceptions, about what the order actually does. [The Oklahoman]
D.C. Digest: ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ rebranded ‘Working Families Tax Cut’: Politicians with unpopular ideas always complain about their party’s messaging. Democrats did after the 2024 election, and now it’s Republicans turn as the New Year begins with a big spike in health insurance premiums for many Americans. That’s why last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is now the “Working Families Tax Cut.” [Tulsa World]
Tribal Nations News
Muscogee Nation, Tulsa County jointly ask to close case after injunction rejection: The Muscogee Nation is seeking formal closure of a federal lawsuit it filed against the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office over criminal jurisdiction, clearing the way for an appeal. [Tulsa World]
- 5 things to know: Legal battles over tribes’ criminal jurisdiction continue [Tulsa World]
Opinion, Cherokee Nation Chief: Disrupting poverty through opportunity: In recent decades, Cherokee Nation has continued to prosper in cultural preservation, health care and economic development by leaps and bounds. But when we assess our nation’s true strength, we can only measure success by what is afforded to our most vulnerable citizens. [Chuck Hoskin Jr. / Tulsa World]
Voting and Election News
Opinion: Oklahoma’s political system is broken. SQ 836 will help: Even though I have been a politician, I am not a fan of politics. The vast majority of our politicians are not trying to do what is best for our state or what is best for Oklahomans. They are trying to keep getting reelected. We are the worst state in America for education. We are the worst state in America when it comes to voter turnout. In health care and overall health, we are in the worst 5 states, some folks say the worst. We have got to fix this, and we can. [Dr. Ervin Yen / The Oklahoman]
Education News
New Oklahoma law to offer $5 million for teacher pipeline programs: A new Oklahoma law will open $5 million in state funds for programs supporting aspiring teachers. Senate Bill 235 took effect this year to offer 50% matching funds for Grow Your Own Educator initiatives, which provide tuition or loan repayment assistance for school district employees pursuing an undergraduate teaching degree. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Bipartisan bills would expand paid parental leave for Oklahoma teachers [The Oklahoman]
Walters’ free school meals policy not a GOP priority, lawmakers say: A mandate that public schools offer free meals to all students appears to have failed to capture widespread support in the GOP-controlled Oklahoma Legislature after being ignored by school districts. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Ryan Walters-era OSDE lawsuit over open records is wrapping up [The Oklahoman]
Hearing screenings in Oklahoma public schools could help boost outcomes, some say: A Tulsa lawmaker is pushing for a new law that would require public schools to begin conducting routine hearing tests for children in kindergarten through third grade in an effort to boost literacy rates. [Oklahoma Voice]
For fifth straight year, Oklahoma higher education enrollment is up: Across all metrics, enrollment in Oklahoma’s public and private universities has increased for the 2025-26 academic year, even in the face of a so-called “demographic cliff, according to a preliminary report presented by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. [The Oklahoman]
Wooley resolution could let Oklahoma withhold university funding: In response to controversy surrounding Samantha Fulnecky’s failing essay grade last month at the University of Oklahoma, a state lawmaker has filed legislation that could give legislators the ability to punish state universities and colleges by freezing, suspending or withholding public funding. [The Journal Record]
- Proposed amendment would let Oklahoma lawmakers suspend university funds [The Oklahoman]
- Thousands sign petition calling for transparency over OU instructor’s firing [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Oklahoma faces child care crisis that puts kids at risk: OKDHS child care subsidies primarily serve low-income families — the families already at the highest risk. While OKDHS refers to this change as a “pause,” there is no guaranteed timeline for reinstatement. Although the agency has requested additional funding for the next fiscal year, that budget will not be addressed until summer. Are Oklahoma families now being forced to “pause” on children’s safety and well-being? [Christy Kastl / The Oklahoman]
Health News
Oklahoma lags behind in mental health care access. Here’s what’s being done to improve: Beneath the government turmoil around mental health funding and administration, however, patients and advocates say one of the biggest issues gripping the state’s mental health system is a dearth of mental health professionals, especially in rural areas. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma lawmakers eye $223M federal funding to reshape rural health care: Oklahoma lawmakers say a $223 million federal investment expected in 2026 could reshape how health care is delivered in rural Oklahoma, even as the state faces tighter budgets and rising insurance costs ahead of the next legislative session. [News 9]
Oklahoma explores letting doctors deny care based on conscience: Oklahoma lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow physicians to deny patients services based on moral objections to the treatment. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion, Tulsa County City/County Health Department leader: Misinformation undermines public health: In Tulsa County and across Oklahoma, we have seen firsthand how misinformation can undermine public health. False narratives regarding vaccines have spread faster than the viruses we are trying to contain. The result is clear and concerning: lower vaccination rates, delayed treatments, and a growing distrust in the very institutions designed to protect us. [Bruce Dart / Tulsa World]
Criminal Justice News
Attorney General: Only the DOC Director Can Refer Prisoners For Medical Parole: The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board can’t sidestep the Department of Corrections in determining medical parole eligibility, the attorney general’s office decided last month. [Oklahoma Watch]
Former death row inmate Richard Glossip seeks release over health issues: Former death row inmate Richard Glossip is asking again to be released on bond from jail in part because of health issues that his attorneys called “potentially life threatening.” [The Oklahoman]
Detainee deaths still overshadow drop in population of Oklahoma County Detention Center: The once-packed Oklahoma County jail, a hulking, 33-year-old, 13-story tower in downtown OKC, still teeters, beset by a myriad of problems, but it is heading toward 2025 with one of its biggest complications coming under control, although critics persist. [The Oklahoman]
As price tag climbs and stages pondered, 2026 could be do or die for Oklahoma County Jail project: Oklahoma County could build its new jail in stages or, depending how things go, construct the entire project at once. But either way, as 2025 closes and a new year begins, county officials are bracing for a potentially make-or-break phase in an ongoing effort that has seen massive cost increases and growing public skepticism. [NonDoc]
OK County backs jail center operator in state mental health agency bid: Oklahoma County jail operations, long a source of violent death and tragedy scarring Oklahoma City’s national reputation, will someday be known coast-to-coast for positive criminal justice reform. [The Oklahoman]
Court of Criminal Appeals allows use of ‘BulletProof,’ probabilistic genotyping software program: The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has unanimously affirmed the use of BulletProof, a probabilistic genotyping software program, in an assault and battery trial. The published decision opens the door for prosecutors in Oklahoma to utilize probabilistic genotyping software programs, called PGSPs, during criminal trials. [NonDoc]
Behind Oklahoma Cannabis Farms, New Yorkers With Ties to Beijing: In China, trafficking marijuana is punishable by death. But in the United States, it has become a lucrative sideline for some favored sons of the motherland. [The New York Times]
Dashcam video shows new details in alleged assault by Oklahoma trooper charged with rape: Newly released dashcam footage is providing new insight into allegations that an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper raped a woman during a traffic stop last year. The footage, shared by the agency this week, shows the moments leading up to and surrounding the incident. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
We asked 7 Tulsans what a ‘comfortable’ income is for them. Here’s what they said: The Tulsa Flyer published a story last month about a new study saying Tulsa families need $205,000 a year to live “comfortably,” even though most aren’t making half that. The story resonated with people who have their own ideas of what living “comfortably” in Tulsa means — and where they are on the pay scale. We followed up and asked seven Tulsans to share their thoughts. Here’s what they said. [Tulsa Flyer]
These young Tulsans were homeless teens. Now they’re on the other side of it, sharing how they found help and hope: A growing number of young people in Tulsa who have experienced — or are experiencing — homelessness have become “dreamers” finding help and hope in the Dream Center’s Safe & Secure program. [Tulsa Flyer]
Key To Home Partnership reaches goal of rehousing 500 homeless in OKC: A public-private partnership of local agencies, nonprofit service providers, and private sector funders have successfully rehoused 502 homeless people in Oklahoma City, officials recently announced. [The Oklahoman]
Tiny homes eyed as solution to reduce homelessness for Oklahoma teens aging out of foster care: An Oklahoma City nonprofit is aiming to reduce homelessness among teens aging out of the foster care system, one tiny home at a time. Pivot, a program that offers teens aging out of fostercare food, shelter, and therapy, began building tiny homes on its property as a long-term transitional living solution for at-risk youth, or those who are homeless are lack access to permanent housing. [Oklahoma Voice]
Economy & Business News
Latino businesses have boomed in Tulsa. Now, many are breaking into new markets: A growing number of Latino business owners in Tulsa are venturing into different markets and educating other communities about their cultures. They’ve worked on understanding the American market and offer traditional Latin food to areas without similar dishes. [Tulsa Flyer]
Rick Silanskas accused of AI filings in American Heartland Theme Park case: As litigation over the American Heartland Theme Park project continues, Rick Silanskas — one of two men accused of “impersonating God” to manipulate a retired businessman — now faces accusations of using generative AI to write his legal briefs. [NonDoc]
Opinion: Renewable energy in Craig County deserves fair conversation: Renewable energy in our region deserves a fair conversation. We need to look at the facts and have a more open conversation. [Catrina Kelley / Tulsa World]
Community News
Opinion, Oklahoma County offers the American dream, the modern nightmare: Oklahoma County has a mix of every stupid little thing America brings to the table. To live here is both thrilling and exhausting. From withers to brisket, we have cattle, cowboys, corruption, idiocy, irony, ill-gotten gains, luxury, petroleum, poverty and problems so complicated I make a living trying to explain them. [Tres Savage / NonDoc]
Quote of the Day
“When it comes to solving our biggest challenges, Oklahoma doesn’t have a money problem — we have a priorities problem.”
-OK Policy Executive Director Shiloh Kantz, writing in an op-ed about the mindset of state leaders who prioritize revenue cuts over investments needed for our state to reach its fullest potential. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
$4 trillion
The size of the tax-cut package signed into law in July, delivering major benefits to corporations and the ultrawealthy while adding trillions to the federal deficit. These tax breaks were paired with deep cuts to programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP, reducing support for older adults and low-income families. [Congressional Budget Office]
Policy Note
Trump Goes Outside the Law to Give Even More Tax Cuts to the Wealthy: The Trump administration is using regulatory actions to grant additional tax advantages to corporations and high-income households — beyond what Congress authorized — especially by weakening the corporate alternative minimum tax and tailoring rules for asset-heavy sectors like crypto and private equity. These shifts expand tax burdens away from the wealthiest, undermine fairness in the tax system, and raise questions about accountability when regulatory agencies extend policy-making roles without explicit legislative mandates. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
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