OKPOLICY.ORG
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
Let’s not kid ourselves: Oklahoma can’t run without income tax revenue: Income tax is a necessary revenue source for Oklahoma’s fiscal health. Reducing or eliminating income taxes provides almost no relief for the segment of Oklahoma’s population who needs it most: low- and middle-class taxpayers. Fiscally responsible policy choices during the 2025 session can ensure our state is prepared for any financial difficulties while still being able to help working Oklahomans. [Aanahita Ervin / OK Policy]
Oklahoma News
Oklahoma AG calls Walters’ ask for opinion on Trump order a ‘manufactured political drama’: Calling the inquiry a “manufactured political drama,” Oklahoma’s attorney general declined state Superintendent Ryan Walters’ request for a legal opinion over whether a presidential order blocks federal education funds from benefiting undocumented students. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma AG calls Walters’ request for opinion on Trump order “manufactured political drama” [KGOU]
- Drummond declines Ryan Walters’ request for legal opinion, calling it ‘manufactured political drama’ [The Oklahoman]
- AG to Ryan Walters: Request for legal opinion on Trump order inappropriate, ‘political drama’ [Tulsa World]
State Government News
Despite physician opposition, lawmakers OK bill allowing denial of care for ‘moral’ reasons: Amid concerns that it could harm patients, lawmakers narrowly advanced a bill that would allow health care providers to refuse to offer specific procedures or care based on moral, religious or conscientious beliefs. [Oklahoma Voice]
Bill banning ingredients in Oklahoma foods advances out of committee: A legislative panel on Monday passed a bill that would bar synthetic dyes and over a dozen other ingredients from food, despite concerns it could drive up prices and amounts to government overreach. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma Senate committee advances food dye ban bill [The Journal Record]
- Oklahoma bill seeking to ban Red Dye 40, aspartame, others advances [The Oklahoman]
- ‘Big swing’ bill targeting food additives advances in committee [Tulsa World]
Bill to Boost Rural Mental Health and Diversion Programs Advances: A grant opportunity, made possible after lawmakers settled on a formula to calculate the savings from State Question 780 and offer the money to counties as directed in State Question 781, meant more than $2 million to hire new employees and build up programs to keep people out of the criminal justice system. But in places like Cimarron County, which was allotted $7,583, there’s been less incentive for officials to go through the legwork of submitting a bid. [Oklahoma Watch]
Oklahoma House approves bill to boost construction trade education with 90-4 vote: On Monday, the Oklahoma House passed House Bill 1256 which would enhance workforce development initiatives in connection with construction-skilled trade education. [Fox 25]
Oklahoma bill aims to cut credit card fees for restaurants, nonprofits: A bill (SB1095) in the Oklahoma Legislature would eliminate certain credit card fees on business transactions, primarily benefiting restaurants and nonprofits. [News 9]
Judge tosses lawmaker’s suit against Stitt over return-to-office order for state workers: An Oklahoma County judge on Monday dismissed a separation-of-powers lawsuit filed last month by state Rep. Andy Fugate against Gov. Kevin Stitt that challenged the governor’s executive order requiring state employees to stop working remotely and return to working in their offices. [The Oklahoman]
- Judge tosses lawmaker’s suit against Stitt over order ending remote work [Tulsa World]
- GOP leaders side with Gov. Stitt on executive order to end remote work for state employees [Tulsa World]
Federal Government News
Private prison company CoreCivic signs deal with ICE to expand detention capacity: Private prison company CoreCivic has inked a deal with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to expand detention capacity for immigrants at four of its prisons, including in Oklahoma. [Axios]
- This week in immigration detention – detention deaths, targeting children, and expanded detention capacity [Detention Watch Network]
We fact-checked what Oklahoma politicians are saying about spending cuts: Oklahoma’s congressional delegation has publicly defended Trump-backed cuts to federal jobs, foreign aid and Medicaid spending. We found some misleading, half-true and unverifiable statements. [The Frontier]
Tribal Nations News
Opinion: You May Not Feel It Yet, But Trump’s Cuts in Indian Country Are Real.: You may not be feeling it, but what is happening in Indian Country as a result of Trump’s executive orders and the gutting of the federal government by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is real. Last week, our sister publicationTribal Business News reported that in Oklahoma, leases were terminated at BIA and IHS offices that serve Native American communities. [Levi Rickert / Native News Online]
Voting and Election News
Special primary election set for Tuesday for eastern Oklahoma Senate district: Six Republicans meet Tuesday in a primary special election for Senate District 8. A Democrat and independent have also filed for the post, which includes Okmulgee, Okfuskee and McIntosh counties and portions of Creek and Muskogee counties. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Election preview: Vacant Senate seat, school bonds on the ballot March 4 [KGOU]
- Okmulgee, Okfuskee, McIntosh county Republicans to vote on new state senator Tuesday [Tulsa World]
Education News
Tulsa Community College might start bachelor’s degree programs if proposed legislation becomes law: TCC President Leigh Goodson said Monday that her school is prepared to transition its two-year associate degree programs in nursing and early childhood education to bachelor’s status should House Bill 2854, by Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, get Gov. Kevin Stitt’s signature. [Tulsa World]
Health News
Is Oklahoma’s health care system ranked among the lowest in the nation? Yes.: US News’s 2024 review places Oklahoma 49th out of 50 states, reflecting the state’s low rankings along the metrics of health care access, health care quality, and public health respectively. [Oklahoma Watch]
Criminal Justice News
Inmate’s move from federal prison clears path for Oklahoma execution: An Oklahoma death row inmate could be executed later this year after being moved here over the weekend from a Louisiana federal prison following the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought to block the transfer. [Tulsa World]
- Prisoner transferred from Louisiana to Oklahoma death row for execution [Oklahoma Voice]
- Federal prisoner George Hanson transferred to Oklahoma for death row execution [KOSU]
Community News
Tulsa historian’s Black History Saturdays program celebrates third year, new funding: Black History Saturdays opened its third season in February, at a time when laws aimed at quashing the contextual teaching of Black history and racism are popping up more across the country, racist rhetoric by elected leaders is becoming the norm and a push to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs have intensified from the statehouse and corporate world to the White House. [The Oklahoman]
- See photos of Black History Saturdays, a community class held for all ages in Tulsa [The Oklahoman]
Small Oklahoma town’s Black History parade celebrates past, looks to future: While sitting on a bench in Spigner Park, Bessie Harris watched her family decorate her white and purple float. She was among a stacked lineup of cowboys, old cars, fire trucks and others in the Town of Tatums’ 2025 Black History Month Parade over the weekend in southern Oklahoma. [KOSU]
Upward Transitions nonprofit celebrating a ‘Centennial of Hope’: Three identification cards helped save the day for one Oklahoma City family. Upward Transitions helped the single dad obtain an identification card which helped him get a job to support his family. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Mikeale Campbell on Tulsa’s Future: A strategy that moves from commitments to accomplishments: As a proud product of north Tulsa, I always felt like my community was an afterthought. I felt my reality resulted from lots of unintentional consequences — a lack of consideration for what would become my reality. [Mikeale Campbell / Tulsa World]
Local Headlines
- Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols names new chief resilience officer [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa Public Schools board member withdraws her name from consideration for city advisory role [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa Public Schools announces Teacher of the Year finalists [Tulsa World]
- Voters to consider $90 million bond proposal for Moore Norman Technology Center expansion [The Oklahoman]
- This Oklahoma City suburb just ranked in the top 15 suburbs in America. See the list [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“When you maximize these opportunities in rural Oklahoma, prosecutors and judges are going to use them. As much as we can get funding to these areas, we’ll see a major impact in how individuals with mental health disorders or behavioral health issues end up interacting with the criminal legal system.”
– Brittany Hayes, Policy Director at Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, speaking about increasing participation in community-level behavioral and mental health services as part of the County Community Safety Investment Fund. This fund is a grant program made possible after lawmakers settled on a formula to calculate the savings from State Question 780 and offer the money to counties as directed in State Question 781. [Oklahoma Watch]
Number of the Day
$2 billion
Oklahoma was projected to receive more than $2 billion this year (FY 2025) for all programs and services operated by the U.S. Department of Education in the state. Recent changes to federal education programs and funding under the new presidential administration make the final amount for this year uncertain. [U.S. Department of Education]
Policy Note
Cutting education is an ‘America last’ not an ‘America first’ approach: With the stroke of a pen, President Trump and his administration have cut education investments and weakened the United States’ global competitive edge—in stark opposition to the government’s America First Priorities. Using executive orders to debilitate the U.S. Department of Education (ED), the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID), and universities, the administration is creating an education shock where a system is suddenly compromised by attacks that leave it struggling to breathe and thrive. [Brookings]
You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
