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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.
Oklahoma News
Report criticizes Oklahoma’s handling of those with a mental health crisis: A federal report released Friday slams the state, Oklahoma City and its police department for how the entities deal with people experiencing mental health issues. The report comes after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice following a Nov.17, 2022, complaint. [Oklahoma Voice]
- DOJ report threatens lawsuit for Oklahoma, OKC mental health system ‘deficiencies’ [NonDoc]
- Department of Justice says state unnecessarily institutionalizes Oklahomans [Tulsa World]
- DOJ investigation: Oklahoma discriminates against people with behavioral health disabilities [KOSU]
- DOJ investigation finds Oklahoma discriminates based on behavioral health disabilities [Fox 25]
State Government News
Turnpike tolls rise to 7 cents per mile for most drivers: Beginning on New Year’s Day, most drivers on Oklahoma turnpikes started paying a penny more per mile to cover their tolls. The cost for a typical turnpike user and PikePass customer rose from about 6 cents to 7 cents per mile, according to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma legislature to consider ‘bell-to-bell’ school cell phone ban: Sen. Ally Seifried of Claremore filed a bill to require districts to craft policies to prohibit cell phone use on school grounds during the school day, or “bell-to-bell.” [KGOU]
Area farmers could see impact from legislation inspired by ‘forever chemicals’: Worries about “forever chemicals” have prompted legislation that could affect the city of Tulsa and area farmers who use fertilizer made from “biosolid material” left as a biproduct after wastewater treatment. Passage of Senate Bill 3, authored by Sen. Grant Green, R-Wellston, would establish a moratorium on the use of biosolid sludge converted for use as fertilizer. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma Representative calls for structure reform of the House: One Oklahoma House Representative has proposed a house resolution (HR-1001) in an attempt to provide more transparency through the legislative process. Rep. Tom Gann of Inola said the legislative process has been polluted with decisions being made behind closed doors. He stated all the responsibilities under the Speaker of the House should not be in the hands of just one person. [KSWO]
Legal roundup: New federal judges vetoed, state judges chosen, Tulsa and Muscogee Nation negotiate: While a veto from President Joe Biden means Oklahomans will have to wait even longer for new federal judges, Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Judicial Nominating Commission are working to fill several judicial vacancies in Oklahoma. Judicial elections in the state will not arrive until next year, but early retirements can be common, and Stitt is on track to have appointed more than 40 judges to the bench by the end of 2025. [NonDoc]
Before women were allowed to vote, two were the first to be elected to state Legislature: It was a first for Oklahoma, but doubly so, when the first women were elected to serve in the 1920-22 Legislature. Bessie Simison McColgin was the first woman elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. That same session, Lamar Looney was the first woman elected to the Oklahoma Senate. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Capitol Insider: 2025 legislative session to begin with new leadership and processes: It’s a new year and the new legislative session begins Tuesday. That’s organizational day. What happens on the first day of the session? [KGOU]
Opinion: Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready: Reconnecting families with lost life insurance benefits: The Oklahoma Insurance Department has helped to connect thousands of Oklahomans with millions in unclaimed life insurance policy benefits since we launched a transformative tool in 2016. [Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready / Tulsa World]
Opinion: Oklahoma has too many high-priority issues to be thinking about tax rebates: I believe Oklahoma’s very wealthy and the majority of my medium- and low-income friends will agree that Oklahoma needs to fix some of the problems before rebating tax money. Oklahoma is in a shameful state of affairs. We need to address problems while we have the financial resources. [Gary Greene / The Oklahoman]
Opinion, Gov. Kevin Stitt: The American Dream is alive and well in Oklahoma. Companies are noticing: The American Dream is alive and well in Oklahoma. That’s because we believe that with a pioneering spirit, hard work and a level playing field, people can succeed at anything they do. [Gov. Kevin Stitt / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
Osage Nation continues fight to restore its reservation status: The Osage Nation is again trying to convince a federal judge in Tulsa to reaffirm its reservation despite the Tenth Circuit of Appeal’s ruling in 2010 in the Osage Nation v. Irby case. The court found the 1906 Osage Allotment Act disestablished it. [KOSU]
- Osage Nation again asks court to confirm its reservation was never disestablished [Tulsa World]
- Osage Nation Files for Relief from Irby Decision, Reasserts Osage Nation Reservation Remains Intact [Osage Nation]
Sac and Fox Nation strikes unique tolling deal with Oklahoma Turnpike Authority: The Sac and Fox Nation is among many tribes working with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority amidst recent battles over tribal tags. [KOSU]
Tribal leaders will face new compacts, sports betting issues next legislative session: Across the state, members of Oklahoma’s 38 federally recognized tribal nations also are preparing for another legislative session and the second-to-the-last year in office of their harshest critic, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt. For both lawmakers and tribal leaders, many of the issues that need to be addressed next session are a reflection of the concerns facing both sides now. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Enough With the Land Acknowledgments: Land acknowledgments might have outlived their usefulness. Instead of performing an acknowledgment of Native peoples, institutions should establish credible relationships with existing Native nations. [Kathleen DuVal / The New York Times]
Voting and Election News
State auditor Cindy Byrd registers campaign in 2026 lieutenant governor’s race: Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd has registered a campaign committee for the 2026 lieutenant governor’s race. Byrd’s campaign committee is one of nine active committees for candidates looking ahead to the 2026 election. [Tulsa World]
- State Auditor Cindy Byrd files to run for Oklahoma’s lieutenant governor seat [The Oklahoman]
Education News
Ryan Walters attempts to connect teachers’ unions with New Orleans terror attack: In a video posted on what’s labeled as his personal account on social media platform X, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters is trying to connect teachers’ unions – groups he long has railed against – to the recent terror attack in New Orleans. At least one lawmaker, and one of Oklahoma’s teachers’ unions, have responded, saying Walters’ rhetoric is “shameful.” [The Oklahoman]
Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Angela Grunewald retiring after 4 years: After working as head of the Edmond Public Schools system since June 2021, Superintendent Angela Grunewald announced this afternoon she will retire at the end of the current school year. [NonDoc]
- Edmond Public Schools superintendent to retire amid turmoil with Ryan Walters [The Oklahoman]
Edmond, Moore, Stillwater districts shine in latest edition of Oklahoma State Report Card: Among school districts in central Oklahoma, Moore Public Schools and Edmond Public Schools tied for having the most schools receiving an “A” grade on the most recent Oklahoma State Report Card, released in mid-December. [The Oklahoman]
OSDE Proposes New Science Standards To Enhance Workforce Readiness: Oklahoma’s proposed updated science standards aim to enhance workforce readiness by integrating hands-on learning, scientific literacy, and industry-aligned practices, with public input open until Jan. 21. [News on 6]
3 Sperry High School students charged in sexual assault case: Three students at Sperry High School are accused of assaulting a fellow student with a hairbrush. The boys were charged Thursday in Tulsa County District Court with first-degree rape by instrumentation. Sperry police reported that two of the defendants held the boy while a third penetrated him through his clothes with a hairbrush. [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Three Sperry football team members charged with rape by instrumentation [Tulsa World]
Norman nonprofit building duplexes in Moore for unhoused high school students: Providing peace and a roof over their heads for kids in Norman has been a decades-long mission of a local nonprofit. Now, it is expanding its efforts to Moore where 10 duplexes, resident adviser apartments and a student center to house up to 20 teens in need at a time. [The Oklahoman]
Tupper rules OU’s Boren misconduct reports privileged, NonDoc to appeal: Two reports into serial financial and sexual misconduct allegations at the University of Oklahoma are privileged as a matter of law, Cleveland County District Judge Michael Tupper ruled Dec. 20. [NonDoc]
New Oklahoma higher ed chancellor to focus on accessibility, affordability: Chancellor Sean Burrage plans to use his experiences in Oklahoma education to get more students from the state interested in pursuing higher education. Burrage outlined other priorities, including meeting workforce needs, working with the private sector and keeping tuition affordable during a recent interview with Oklahoma Voice. [Oklahoma Voice]
Health News
130,000 turkeys culled in latest Northeast Oklahoma bird flu cases: More cases of deadly bird flu were detected in poultry in northeast Oklahoma in late December. About 130,000 turkeys were culled in the outbreak. [KOSU]
Tulsa area sees spike in respiratory and stomach bugs: Doctors and first responders report an uptick in respiratory and stomach viruses in the area. Hillcrest Medical Center has so far seen 69 cases combined of upper respiratory infections such as flu, pneumonia and RSV. A spokesperson for Ascension St. John says they’ve also seen a spike. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Criminal Justice News
Is Tulsa’s ‘dramatic’ drop in homicides the new normal? Police welcome decline, remain wary: They aren’t quite ready to call it a trend, but after two years, Tulsa police are feeling cautiously optimistic that the city’s drop in homicides is more than just a temporary anomaly. [Tulsa World]
Opinion: Oklahoma County’s jail blunder will prove costly and should serve as a warning for the whole state: Because while this brawl seemingly affects Oklahoma’s most populous county and capital city, this is a cautionary tale for Oklahomans statewide about the importance of ensuring leaders of all levels have their ducks in a row before putting things on the ballot. [Janelle Stecklein / Oklahoma Voice]
Economy & Business News
Job growth in Tulsa metro area ranks among the best in the nation. That may be a first: Somewhat quietly, Tulsa is having an employment boom. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, payroll in the seven-county Tulsa Metropolitan Statistical Area outpaced all but one other MSA with at least 400,000 jobs from October 2023 to October 2024. [Tulsa World]
Local Headlines
- An ambitious plan to reduce fatal crashes is finalizing for OKC. How to give feedback [The Oklahoman]
- Residents can suggest OKC projects for bond election [The Journal Record]
Quote of the Day
“Numerous letters were written to The Oklahoman last year essentially saying just what I have said today: ‘Don’t send me a tax rebate check.’ There are many different ways to share tax money with the people, but there is no better way than to invest in education, people and infrastructure and make Oklahoma great again.”
-Gary Greene, a rancher from Tishomingo, writing in an op-ed about the need to address the state’s many problems before rebating tax money. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
22.8%
Percentage of women serving in the Oklahoma Legislature, while women represent 50.3% of the state’s population. In the upcoming session, there will be 14 women serving in the 48-member Senate and 20 women serving in the 101-member Oklahoma House of Representatives. [OK Policy analysis of Senate and House membership]
Policy Note
One place to start in delivering solutions to a divided and distrustful nation: The hyperlocal level: The rise of the digital world means that in the real world, we have more work to do than ever to solve problems. The good news is that in the remaining places where people mix and encounter those they don’t already know—whether that’s their neighborhood Main Street or downtown—the seeds of solutions already exist. At this hyperlocal level, individuals and institutions avoid ideological arguments, build trust, and do the on-the-ground work—often starting with public spaces—across the civic, nonprofit, private, and public sectors. [Brookings]
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