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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: Common good is Oklahoma’s strength: Too often, policy debates pit freedom against government — as if caring for each other threatens liberty. When we value individual gain over shared responsibility, the systems meant to support us all break down. The result? Many Oklahomans are left behind — not because they aren’t trying, but because we haven’t invested in our common good. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
State Government News
Gov. Stitt calls for less money than Medicaid agency head says he needs: Legislators are debating an increase in funding for the agency that disburses Medicaid to low-income Oklahomans amid the director’s urging that it needs a 35% increase in its budget to avoid running out of cash. [The Oklahoman]
Bill protecting places of worship from disruptors heads to Oklahoma governor: The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday passed a measure designed to protect churchgoers from those seeking to disrupt their religious services. [Oklahoma Voice]
House lawmakers weigh bills aimed at reducing Oklahoma food assistance fraud: Oklahoma House lawmakers on Wednesday considered measures that would create limitations on the use of food assistance funds in an effort to curtail fraud and cut costs. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma bill would require DHS to verify SNAP immigration status, notify ICE via SAVE [Fox 25]
- Oklahoma bill to verify immigration status for SNAP, TANF clears committee vote[News 9]
- No SNAP fix could mean over $250 million OK taxpayer dollars [KFOR]
- Learn why Oklahoma could face hundreds of millions in SNAP costs next year [News on 6]
House education committee approves bills affecting state tests, school libraries: A House committee on public schools advanced bills on Wednesday to move annual state testing to May, to increase teacher training time and to ban sexually explicit materials from school libraries. [Oklahoma Voice]
State lawmaker cites problems with OSSAA, need for more accountability: Senator Casey Murdock filed legislation to create another secondary school activities entity, citing problems with the current Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA). [KFOR]
Oklahoma work zone safety bill aims to curb speeding risks: Oklahoma highway construction crews are highlighting the serious risks they face daily, as they work just one foot away from moving traffic. [Fox 25]
StateImpact Oklahoma previews the 2026 legislative session: The Oklahoma Legislature is back in session for 2026, with thousands of bills up for consideration. StateImpact Oklahoma focuses on health, education, science and the environment. Logan Layden talked with the team about what they’ll be watching. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
Trump doubles down on calling for the feds to take over state elections: President Donald Trump restated a call Tuesday for federal control over election administration across the country, undermining the structure outlined in the Constitution that empowers states to run elections. [Oklahoma Voice]
Top Dems in Congress list ICE constraints they want in funding bill: The top two Democrats in Congress on Wednesday outlined their proposal for restrictions on immigration enforcement, including body cameras and a ban on masks, though they had no details to share about when actual negotiations would begin. [Oklahoma Voice]
First Amendment free speech rights debated in Sen. Mark Kelly’s illegal orders case: The federal district court judge overseeing the lawsuit Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly filed against the Department of Defense said during a Tuesday hearing he expects to issue a ruling before Feb. 11. [Oklahoma Voice]
Voting and Election News
House GOP lawmaker launches state superintendent campaign: Former teacher and state Rep. Toni Hasenbeck announced Wednesday she will enter a crowded GOP primary race for state superintendent. As she makes her bid for Oklahoma’s top education office, Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, contended she’s the most qualified and most conservative candidate in the field. She was a principal author of state laws banning transgender girls from participating in girls sports and prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma representative from Elgin to join race for state superintendent [The Oklahoman]
Gubernatorial Candidates Rely on Personal Money to Launch Campaigns: Republican gubernatorial candidates have poured $7.6 million of their own money into their campaigns ahead of the June 16 primary election, eclipsing donations from individuals and political groups. [Oklahoma Watch]
Early voting for Oklahoma elections, including OKC mayoral election, starts Thursday: Election Day is Tuesday, Feb. 10, and there are several races throughout the Oklahoma City metro and statewide. Among the issues on the ballot are the Oklahoma City mayoral race and bond proposals at Deer Creek and Edmond. [KOCO]
- Early voting starts for OKC mayoral election. See polling locations, sample ballot [The Oklahoman]
Education News
Education Watch: New Proposed Standards Leave the Controversy Behind: The Department of Education released a revised draft of the social studies standards, minus the controversial elements that drew public pushback in the previous version. [Oklahoma Watch]
- Controversial content deleted in new draft of Oklahoma social studies standards [Oklahoma Voice]
- Bible stories, election denial theories absent from proposed new social studies standards [Tulsa World]
- New Oklahoma social studies standards: no 2020 election denialism, instruction on Christianity [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Civil rights groups call for rejection of Jewish charter school in Oklahoma: A consortium of civil rights and anti-state religion advocacy groups is calling on the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board to reject at its upcoming Feb. 9 meeting a proposal for the formation of an online Jewish charter school. If approved, it would become the first religious charter school in the nation. [Public Radio Tulsa & StateImpact Oklahoma]
Oklahoma State University opens doors to Claudia’s Career Closet: As career fairs inch closer, students preparing for job interviews and other professional opportunities can now raid OSU’s closet. [KOSU]
Tulsa Public Schools drops special education ‘guardrails’ while failing to meet them: With a special education job fair happening below their feet, the Tulsa Public Schools board dropped specific expectations for special education services in its next strategic plan. [Tulsa Flyer]
Opinion: We don’t need more school days, just better days: I’m sure you’ve heard the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. That’s exactly what came to mind when I heard that Oklahoma is considering extending the school year by up to two weeks. [James Finck / Southwest Ledger]
Health News
Oklahoma’s Long-Term Bet on Public Health: Oklahoma puts its tobacco settlement funds in a trust, spending only the interest. The strategy has had long-term public health benefits. [Governing]
Criminal Justice News
Legal roundup: Krigel convicted, judge cleared, ‘Hao Chen organization’ indicted: As one branch of government gaveled back into session this week, Oklahoma’s courts have kept busy with high-profile cases. [NonDoc]
Widow to appeal qualified immunity decision in Skiatook police motorcycle chase: The wife of a motorcyclist hit and killed by a former Skiatook police officer in a chase through Tulsa for a speeding violation will appeal a federal judge’s decision to grant qualified immunity to the officer and dismiss her civil rights claims. [Tulsa World]
Economy & Business News
As data centers boom, Oklahoma lawmakers consider new restrictions and regulations: Among the thousands of bills up for debate this legislative session, Oklahoma lawmakers are eyeing more oversight and transparency in response to the influx of hyperscale data center projects across the state. [Tulsa Flyer]
- Opinion: Data centers’ payoff far outweighs the costs [Pedro Israel Orta / The Oklahoman]
- Opinion: Will data centers really help our local economies? [Kyle Scott / The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Norman Ward 3: Robert Bruce, Cullen Bieger battle for half-term [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma Supreme Court clears Rock Creek Entertainment District in Cleveland County [The Journal Record]
Quote of the Day
“Undocumented Oklahomans are already not entitled to, or already can’t receive state benefits…What this bill would’ve done is [document] adults applying for child-only applicants — children that are U.S. born that have citizenship status… [and they] would lose access to it because parents may be too afraid to re-enroll or even opt out of these state benefits.”
– Cindy Nguyen, policy director for the Oklahoma ACLU, addressing House Bill 4422, which would add immigration verification and federal notification requirements to SNAP applications. She said the added scrutiny could influence whether families feel safe enrolling their eligible children. [Fox 25]
Number of the Day
$14.5 trillion
The cumulative fiscal surplus immigrants contributed to the U.S. from 1994 to 2023, in real 2024 dollars. Over that period, immigrants consistently paid more in taxes than they received in public benefits, generating a net gain for government budgets. [Cato Institute]
Policy Note
Macroeconomic implications of immigration flows in 2025 and 2026: January 2026 update: After several years of high immigration, net migration to the United States was likely zero or slightly negative in 2025 — meaning as many or more people left as arrived — and is expected to remain very low or negative through 2026. This sharp shift reflects tighter enforcement, fewer new arrivals, and expanded restrictions on visas and entry. Because recent labor-force growth and consumer demand have relied heavily on immigrant inflows, sustained low or negative migration could slow job creation, weaken consumer spending, and dampen overall economic growth. Policymakers considering immigration and labor policy should weigh these broader economic effects alongside enforcement priorities. [Brookings Institute]
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