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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
Policy Matters: New OSDE rules would harm children, undermine transparency: When we talk about education in Oklahoma, it’s not just about books, buses, or classrooms. It’s about ensuring every child, regardless of background, has access to their fundamental right to an education. But a series of proposed rule changes by the Oklahoma State Department of Education threatens to undermine that commitment and more. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
State Government News
Two Oklahoma senators aiming for harsher abortion restrictions in new session: Two Republican state senators criticized the new speaker of the House this week for saying no more abortions were being performed in Oklahoma, and they said they would make another run at more restrictive abortion legislation during the upcoming legislative session. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma House lawmaker takes on second role as government affairs manager: A Democratic House lawmaker has taken on a job as a regional government affairs manager for a nonprofit organization focused on the separation of church and state. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Lack of litigation transparency hides who really profits from lawsuits: Much discussion has occurred over the years at the Oklahoma Legislature regarding lawsuit abuse and how to remedy. I engaged in those policy discussions as a state senator and as attorney general. Always the challenge is to ensure access to individuals harmed and in need of relief while identifying and curtailing the advancement of nuisance litigation aimed at extracting payment for questionable or, at times, entirely baseless claims. [Scott Pruitt / Tulsa World]
Federal Government News
Drummond, 18 other Republican AGs urge immigration policy follow through from Trump: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and his counterparts in 18 other Republican-led states have urged incoming President Trump to do something he’s already promised: crack down on immigration. [KOSU]
Hern says he’ll ‘look at’ Trump plans for Greenland, Panama Canal: First District Congressman Kevin Hern had no definite answer Wednesday when asked whether congressional Republicans have room in their budget to buy Greenland from Denmark and take over the Panama Canal, as President-elect Donald Trump has proposed. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma delegation voices support for U.S. Speaker Johnson: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was reelected as Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 119th Congress in a nail-biting first ballot. Johnson secured the speakership 218-215-1. Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-Oklahoma City), Frank Lucas (R-Cheyenne), Tom Cole (R-Moore), Kevin Hern (R-Tulsa) and Josh Brecheen (R-Ada) all voted for Johnson. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Tribal Nations News
Tulsa prosecutor takes on case of Cherokee citizen on Muscogee land after criminal appeals decision: Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler is prosecuting a Cherokee Nation citizen for driving while intoxicated on Muscogee Nation land. And that decision could soon have ripple effects. [KOSU]
7 Oklahoma tribal nations represented at first Native American All-Star Football Game: More than 50 Indigenous high school seniors participated in the first Native American All-Star Football Game in Dallas, preparing them for life after graduation and enhancing their football skills. [KOSU]
Opinion: Tribes cannot be truly sovereign without food sovereignty: As we begin this new year, I’ve reflected on what I’m looking forward to in 2025. Tribal food sovereignty is at the top of this list. Recent progress has been wildly positive and a welcome contrast to so many issues in the political landscape that reduce our quality of life. [Carly Griffith Hotvedt / Tulsa World]
Voting and Election News
Cindy Byrd launches run for Oklahoma lieutenant governor: State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd has filed paperwork indicating she is running for lieutenant governor. [Oklahoma Voice]
Eight file for open Senate District 8 in eastern Oklahoma: A whopping eight candidates have filed for the vacant Senate District 8 seat representing Okmulgee, Okfuskee and McIntosh counties in eastern Oklahoma. [NonDoc]
Norman’s Next Step: Mayoral debate set for Jan. 30: Norman’s three mayoral candidates have agreed to a public debate scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, in the first-floor auditorium of Gaylord Hall at the University of Oklahoma. [NonDoc]
Education News
Oklahoma schools don’t report corporal punishment use, a new bill could change that: Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, said his bill would require school districts to report uses of corporal punishment, and metrics about each instance, to the State Department of Education — a process not currently mandated by law. [KOSU]
Catoosa Public Schools nixes proposed calendar shift: Superintendent Robert Schornick said he would not follow through with a previously announced plan to recommend that Catoosa shift its calendar starting in 2025-26 from not having in-person classes on Fridays to not having in-person classes on Mondays. Catoosa, which has about 1,800 students, has used a four-day school week since the 2016-17 school year. [Tulsa World]
Special ed students benefit from being integrated at school: Inclusion is also what federal law recommends: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says students with disabilities should be educated in the “least restrictive environment,” meaning they should be taught in the general education setting for the maximum amount of time possible with the necessary support to help them learn. The goal driven by federal policy is 80% of the day in a general education setting. It doesn’t always happen. [KOSU]
Health News
Nutritional void: Why Oklahoma ranks at the bottom in eating healthy and what’s being done: Oklahoma has a rich agricultural history. More than 2,500 farms across the state produce fruits, vegetables and other food crops. Yet Oklahomans consume less fruits and vegetables than nearly every other state in the country, according to the United Health Foundation. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Lack of diverse Oklahoma mental health providers keeps people from seeking help: Mental health and substance abuse issues are a top concern across Oklahoma and the nation. One of the biggest barriers to addressing this crisis is a lack of mental health providers, including in Oklahoma, where all 77 counties are considered mental health professional shortage areas. [Shameca K. Brown / Tulsa World]
Criminal Justice News
How Tulsa Police solved every homicide in 2024 for the first time in decades: The Tulsa Police Department routinely clears more than 90% of its homicide cases annually, but 2024 marks the first time since the late 1970s that it attained a 100% solve rate. [Tulsa World]
New Broken Arrow police chief says ‘relentless follow-up’ needed to address domestic violence: When it comes to domestic violence, new Broken Arrow police chief said his officers are already looking at ways to address the issue. Broken Arrow has had 18 people killed in murder-suicides since October of 2022. [Public Radio Tulsa]
OK County jail fails another inspection with Supreme Court case pending, death: The Oklahoma County jail has failed another surprise health inspection, found “not in substantial compliance” with state regulations, this time after an actual examination — not “failing” because jail administration wouldn’t let inspectors on the premises. [The Oklahoman]
Man dies after less than a day in Oklahoma County jail: Vincent George Burke, 42, of Oklahoma City, died after being transported to a hospital by ambulance, the jail said in a news release. The jail had seven inmate deaths in 2024, the last on Dec. 10. [The Oklahoman]
Former lawmaker, co-author of Oklahoma Survivors’ Act thankful for Lisa Moss release: A former Oklahoma representative says he’s thankful a woman serving a life sentence for her role in her husband’s 1990 murder is getting a second chance under the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act. [KFOR]
Tulsa culinary program gives formerly incarcerated women second chance: A Tulsa nonprofit is offering a chance for formerly incarcerated women to get into the culinary field. The nearly six-month long program aims to decrease barriers to employment for those with a criminal record. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Opinion: Oklahomans ignoring human trafficking are allowing it to thrive: Within a mile of where you stand, the crime of human trafficking is occurring. That’s an opening line Tulsa private investigator Eric Cullen uses to grab the attention of an audience unfamiliar with human trafficking. He adds that the Oklahoma Legislature declared it an emergency in 2022. Among girls trafficked for sex, 80% are recruited — or groomed — through social media apps starting as young as 10. The boys are typically groomed through their video game headsets. Online predators’ chief deterrent is seeing an active parent, particularly a father or father figure, in a child’s life. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
For Some Oklahomans, Eviction is a Death Sentence: In April, Anthony Goulding, died in flames as sheriff’s deputies attempted to enforce an eviction order against him and his wife from the Oklahoma City home they had occupied for decades. In December 2023, a study was released showing a direct link between eviction and death. [Oklahoma Watch]
- Justice Department accuses 6 major landlords of keeping rents high [KOSU]
Community News
12 Weeks of Healing: Black women living well in 2025: As Black women, we’ve often been conditioned to put the needs of others above our own. Whether it’s in the role of the caretaker, the nurturer, or the “strong Black woman,” we’ve learned to hold it together—even when it feels like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Local Headlines
- Oklahoma City area shelters ready to house people through freezing temperatures, snow [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma City asks residents to drop off household hazardous waste before temporary center closure [KOSU]
Quote of the Day
“You know, we as a community have done really good work around getting people off the streets and into permanent housing, but as evictions continue to remain really high, the inflow into our system, it’s a faucet that we just haven’t been able to turn off.”
-Meghan Mueller, CEO of The Homeless Alliance in Oklahoma City, speaking about how evictions are contributing to homelessness faster than Oklahoma City can provide shelter and housing solutions. [Oklahoma Watch]
Number of the Day
17%
Percentage of Oklahoma’s prison population who are serving life sentences. In 2024, there were 3,585 people in Oklahoma prisons serving sentences that include life with parole, life without parole, and virtual life sentences (sentences more than 50 years). [Sentencing Project]
- From OK Policy: OK Policy’s Criminal Justice Policy Analyst Cole Allen presented at an October 2024 interim study about how long prison sentences impact the state’s parole process.
Policy Note
A Matter of Life: The Scope and Impact of Life and Long Term Imprisonment in the United States: One in six people in prison – nearly 200,000 people nationwide – are serving life sentences. This comprehensive 50-state report examines the prevalence and implications of life sentences across the country, highlighting the disproportionate impact of such extreme sentences on people of color and the inefficacy of punitive measures in improving community safety. [Sentencing Project]
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