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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
Senate committee hears, rejects four controversial bills (Capitol Update): The Senate Judiciary Committee devoted a good part of last Wednesday afternoon to hearing four, what might be called “religious right” bills, and killed all four of them. The committee meeting was unusual, to say the least. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
Oklahoma News
Supreme Court orders new trial for Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip: A fractured Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a new trial for Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip, whose appeal drew national attention and support from the state’s conservative attorney general, in light of allegations that the state withheld evidence related to its main witness. [CNN]
Walters seeks Oklahoma AG opinion on impact of Trump order on immigrant students’ education: Oklahoma’s public schools chief has asked for clarity over whether a presidential executive order could block federally funded services to undocumented students. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Walters asks Oklahoma Attorney General if Trump order pulls funding from undocumented students [KGOU]
- Walters requests AG opinion on impact of Trump immigration order on Oklahoma schools [The Oklahoman]
- State Department of Education asks attorney general for immigration-related opinion [Tulsa World]
- From OK Policy: Statement: All children have the fundamental right to an education
Report shows $19.3M in Oklahoma’s private-school tax credits went to wealthier households: A mandated report released by the Oklahoma Tax Commission with little fanfare shows that about 21% of the tax credits issued as part of the Parental Choice Tax Credit program for spring 2025 went to families making more than $250,000. [The Oklahoman]
- From OK Policy: Private school tax credits will give everyone’s taxes to people who don’t need our help
State Government News
Senate rejects bills targeting illegal poultry farms: Two measures intended to reduce illegal feeding operations died in the Senate Agriculture Committee Monday morning. State. Sen George Burns, R-Pollard, presented two bills to the committee, and both were met with immigration-related concerns by members. [The Journal Record]
Religious bills fail in Oklahoma Senate Judiciary Committee: The bills, authored by Sen. Dusty Deevers (R-Elgin), a member of the right-wing State Freedom Caucus, aimed to enshrine certain religious and social viewpoints into Oklahoma law. [The Black Wall Street Times]
The end of daylight saving time in Oklahoma? Bill aims to adopt standard time year-round: Authored by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, House Bill 1223 would undo Senate Bill 1200, which was passed in April 2024, that requires Oklahoma to adopt daylight saving time as the year-round standard time if a federal law is passed that authorizes the state to do so. [The Oklahoman]
Public memorial service set for Oklahoma politician David Boren: A public memorial honoring the life of former governor and U.S. senator David L. Boren is set for next month. [Oklahoma Voice]
Federal Government News
Supreme Court sets date to hear case on Oklahoma Catholic charter school: The U.S. Supreme Court has decided on the date it will hear oral arguments over an Oklahoma Catholic school seeking taxpayer funding in what could be a test case for the separation of church and state. [Oklahoma Voice]
- US Supreme Court sets date to hear Oklahoma’s religious charter school case [The Oklahoman]
Possible Tinker Air Force base layoffs lead to fear, concern: Though it hasn’t happened yet, hundreds of civilian employees could be in line to lose their jobs at Tinker Air Force Base sometime this month. [The Oklahoman]
Senators Want to Know if DOGE’s FAA Layoffs Will Make the Skies Less Safe: Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, which has one of the largest Federal Aviation Administration field facilities in the country, said the FAA still needs more air traffic controllers because “as was highlighted three weeks ago in the crash, it’s incredibly important that people are there.” [Oklahoma Watch]
Tribal Nations News
Why some Native American citizens worry about getting caught in ICE’s net: Priscilla Weaver packed for her six-hour drive to Phoenix bringing along her U.S. passport and other forms of identification, including one showing she’s a Navajo Nation citizen. Family and friends, she said, send texts warning each other to carry identification, including some showing they belong to a tribal community. [USA Today]
- From OK Policy: Anti-immigration raids harm all communities (Commentary)
Voting and Election News
Former House Rep. Jon Echols files to run for Oklahoma State Attorney General: Former Oklahoma City Republican Rep. Jon Echols has jumped into the race to replace Attorney General Gentner Drummond. He’s the first to declare his candidacy for the office. [KOSU]
Gentner Drummond says many don’t like him but do respect him: In the rush to the right in Oklahoma politics, Oklahoma Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Gentner Drummond is trying to be both independent-minded and meet enough of the ever-changing definitions of “conservative” to win a Republican primary. [Tulsa World]
Education News
Bill requiring Oklahoma schools to spend 60% of budgets on instruction advances: The measure would require districts spending less than 60% on instruction to increase that number by 2% each year until they reach 60%. If those schools fail to do that, they would receive a notice to be posted on the district website. If a district fails to comply for four consecutive years after that, it would have to increase teacher pay by 2% for each year it did not comply. [KGOU]
Bill would add items to the Oklahoma back-to-school sales tax holiday list: Senate Bill 231 would add sportswear and school items like art supplies, instructional materials and computer items to the list. [Oklahoma Voice]
New AI tutoring program announced to boost Oklahoma math scores: The Governor’s Education Task Force is working to implement a new AI tutoring program for Oklahoma schools. This month’s meeting was focused on ways to prepare Oklahoma students for success in the workplace of the future. [News on 6]
Tulsa higher education picture could be scrambled by bill: Legislation lifting long-standing restrictions on which public higher education institutions can teach what in Tulsa and elsewhere advanced in the Oklahoma House of Representatives on Monday. [Tulsa World]
Tulsa school board approves snow day pay for support employees: A consent agenda vote at Monday night’s school board meeting means Tulsa Public Schools’ support employees will get paid for half of the district’s recent snow days. [Tulsa World]
Health News
Fentanyl deaths skyrocket in Oklahoma as jails, prisons and rural communities try to combat the drug: New drug combinations, limited emergency resources in some rural communities, and overdoses in jails and prisons have contributed to rising fentanyl deaths in Oklahoma. [The Frontier]
Whooping cough on the rise in Oklahoma: What to know about symptoms, treatment, vaccines: Whooping cough has continued to rise in America, and Oklahoma is no exception. The disease, often referred to as pertussis, has affected 71 Oklahomans since the start of the year. [The Oklahoman]
Criminal Justice News
Tulsa County sees highest reports of domestic violence in Oklahoma: The state Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board reported the county had 8,363 such reports in 2023. For context, Oklahoma County — the most populated in the state — had 2,722 fewer reports that year. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols announces four initiatives to accelerate housing construction: Mayor Monroe Nichols signed an executive order Monday establishing four programs to speed up housing construction in the city. [Tulsa World]
Economy & Business News
Agriculture economist expects egg prices to keep rising this year: The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects egg prices to increase by 20% this year. Shoppers’ pocketbook pain is due to bird flu. Oklahoma State University Agriculture Economics Specialist Scott Clawson said prices will not be going down as quickly as normal because of limited supply. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Community News
There’s always something to ‘Notis’ in Oklahoma: From Black Wall Street Burning to the upcoming Sessions, Notis Studios films are a product of spiritual inspiration and teamwork. In an interview with the Black Wall Street Times, Marcus Brown and Dr. Dekoven Riggins, co-owners of the Oklahoma-based film studio, discussed their projects and purpose. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Opinion: Adrian Bradley on Tulsa’s Future: Don’t make families just inherit history. Let them make it: North Tulsa isn’t just where I work. It’s where I am from. I grew up in this community, shaped by its resilience and ambition. As a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, I carry the legacy of an institution that has cultivated Black excellence for generations. That foundation fuels my work today. [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“Our first priority needs to be those who need it the most financially.”
– Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton (Tuttle), responding to a report from the Oklahoma Tax Commission showing that 21%, or over $19 million, from the Parental Choice Tax Credit Program went to wealthier households making over $250,000 per year. The program, which has been plagued with issues since its implementation, ranging from lax oversight of accreditors of private schools to tax credits instead being used to pay recipients’ debt, among others. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
686,800
Number of people in Oklahoma who would be at risk if federal lawmakers move forward with proposed cuts to SNAP, the nation’s largest food assistance program. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
Policy Note
Millions of Low-Income Households Would Lose Food Aid Under Proposed House Republican SNAP Cuts: The budget resolution that the House plans to take up this week directs the House Agriculture Committee to cut programs in its jurisdiction by at least $230 billion through 2034, with these cuts expected to come largely or entirely from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and to be used to help pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest business owners and households. Lawmakers cannot cut $230 billion — or anything close to that amount — from SNAP without slashing benefits, restricting eligibility, or some combination of both. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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