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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
Bill would revamp Oklahoma’s economic development efforts (Capitol Update): Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, Chair of the Senate Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism Committee, has been working more than two years to revamp Oklahoma’s economic development efforts, and the result was passage in the Senate last week of her Senate Bill 987. The bill will create a new governance structure for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce employing the expertise and perspective of private citizens to be appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President Pro Tempore. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
State Government News
Bill would ban opening new homeless shelters near schools in most Oklahoma cities: The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would bar new homeless shelters from opening within 3,000 feet of a school. [Oklahoma Voice]
- State Senate OKs revised homeless shelter bill [Tulsa World]
- Bill limiting location of new homeless shelters advances in Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma Senate passes antisemitism regulations for schools, colleges: Oklahoma public schools and universities would be held accountable to an international definition of antisemitism under a bill the state Senate approved despite bipartisan concerns of limiting free speech. [Oklahoma Voice]
Bill would limit initiative petition signatures by county, giving less-populated counties disproportionately larger influence: A bill advancing through the Oklahoma Legislature would change how citizen-led initiatives make it onto the ballot by capping the number of petition signatures that can come from each county, a move critics say is designed to silence urban voters. [KFOR]
- From OK Policy: Initiative petition process is vital to Oklahoma’s democracy: Lawmakers should keep it accessible
Patient Bill of Rights advances to Oklahoma Senate: A bill of rights for medical patients in Oklahoma has been in the works since 2023. House Bill 1600, called the Lori Brand Patient Bill of Rights Act of 2025, passed the House Floor with a vote of 84-10 on Tuesday.[KGOU]
Oklahoma Senate unanimously passes ‘Jail Standards Act’: The Jail Standards Act cleared the Oklahoma Senate in a unanimous vote Monday. Legislators say the bill will establish clear minimum requirements for the state’s county detention and lockup facilities. [KOSU]
Saying Oklahomans can eat ‘real meat,’ lawmakers move to ban lab-grown alternatives: Citing safety concerns and Oklahomans’ ability to eat “real meat from real animals,” House lawmakers advanced a measure Tuesday that would ban lab-grown meat alternatives. [Oklahoma Voice]
Lawmakers reject effort to ‘lock the clock’ plan giving Oklahomans more daylight in the morning: The Oklahoma House on Tuesday rejected an attempt “to lock the clock” and remain permanently on standard time. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma lawmakers rush to pass nearly 200 bills before deadline: Oklahoma lawmakers are working to pass nearly 200 bills before a looming deadline, including measures on homeless shelters and social media safety for children. [KOCO]
Three nominations to fill Oklahoma Supreme Court seat named: What’s next in the process?: Three Oklahoma attorneys — two of them district judges and one in private practice — were chosen by the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission this month for a post on the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The three names have been forwarded to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who will make the final decision. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Waiting for the other shoe to drop. What will OK-DOGE look like?: When Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that Oklahoma would be creating a state Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to match the federal program launched by President Donald Trump, he said a report would be delivered by Monday, March 31. [William C. Wertz / The Oklahoman]
Editorial: Tulsa-area Republican senators voted to reduce constituents’ rights: In the latest push to make it harder for Oklahomans to get an issue to a statewide vote, nearly every Republican Tulsa-area state senator voted to devalue their constituents’ voices. [Tulsa World]
Federal Government News
U.S. Supreme Court hears Oklahoma case over where environmental challenges should be heard:
U.S. Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments Tuesday in a case that could allow states to challenge federal environmental rules in more favorable courts. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Supreme Court hears arguments on proper venue for Oklahoma’s EPA challenge [KOSU]
5 things to know as Dr. Oz gets one step closer to leading Medicare and Medicaid: Dr. Mehmet Oz, once the star of the long-running TV program “The Dr. Oz Show,” cleared another hurdle today in his bid to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or CMS, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. CMS runs Medicare, Healthcare.gov, and Medicaid, which is the joint state and federal health insurance program for low-income people. Altogether, it provides health coverage for nearly half the country. [NPR]
Tribal Nations News
Oklahoma Tribal leaders unite amid federal uncertainty: At the United Indian Nations of Oklahoma quarterly meeting at the Hard Rock Casino in Catoosa, representatives of 31 tribal nations in Oklahoma heard from Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a representative from the Department of the Interior on funding, sovereignty and legal battles. [Osage News]
Most critical minerals are on Indigenous lands. Will miners respect tribal sovereignty?: Mining — whether for fossil fuels or, increasingly, the critical minerals in high demand today — has a long history of perpetuating violence against Indigenous people. Forcibly removing tribal communities to get to natural resources tied to their homelands has been the rule, not the exception, for centuries. [ICT News]
Don’t Let Tribal Businesses Be Left Behind in the Federal Procurement Overhaul: On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order that could significantly reshape how the federal government purchases common goods and services. While the stated goal is efficiency, streamlining procurement through the General Services Administration (GSA) and reducing waste, it could have serious unintended consequences for Tribal enterprises across the country, particularly those participating in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program. [Native News Online]
Application of DEI Executive Orders to HUD’s Legal Responsibilities Toward Indian Tribes and Tribal Citizens: Reacting to recent presidential executive orders, the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) released a memorandum addressing the applicability of recent Presidential Executive Orders to HUD programs, tribal sovereignty and the legal obligation to provide housing for tribes and their citizens is affirmed. [Native News Online]
Cherokee Nation gives $7.6 million in car tag revenue to schools: After being unsure in 2024 whether they’d be able to continue the practice, Cherokee Nation officials distributed $7.6 million in car tag revenue to 107 school districts and charter schools Tuesday at the nation’s annual Public School Appreciation Day. [Tulsa World]
Voting and Election News
Trump seeks to mandate proof of citizenship in voter registration: President Trump has signed a new executive order that would require prospective voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. The order’s sweeping changes test the power of Trump’s presidential authority. [NPR]
- Trump’s executive order on elections is far-reaching. But will it actually stick? [Associated Press]
Oklahoma lawmakers want fewer elections: Lawmakers are ready to reduce the number of state and local elections occurring yearly in Oklahoma. That means some “common sense” consolidating. [KOSU]
Education News
Walters, 4 GOP lawmakers want some federal K-12 education funds switched to block grants: With four of the Oklahoma Legislature’s most powerful lawmakers backing him, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters is asking the U.S. Department of Education for a “strategic shift” to consolidated block grant funding for all federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) funds allocated to Oklahoma. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma leaders ask Trump administration to cut federal strings on education funds: Oklahoma state leaders have urged President Donald Trump’s administration to bypass typical funding methods at the U.S. Department of Education and place federal dollars for schools directly in the state’s hands. [Oklahoma Voice]
- GOP-led states push for control of school aid as Trump promises a smaller federal role in education [Associated Press]
Oklahoma State University’s governing board hired D.C. firm for ‘crisis communications’ services: The Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents will pay a communications firm, whose leadership has close ties to Gov. Kevin Stitt, $10,000 per month to provide “crisis communications support” amid the fallout of the abrupt resignation of a popular university president. [Oklahoma Voice]
Listen Frontier: A ‘bell-to-bell’ cell phone ban could be coming to Oklahoma schools. How would it work? (audio): Oklahoma Senate Bill 139 would prohibit cell phone use in schools from “bell to bell” for one year and then allow districts to develop their own policies. The Frontier’s Executive Editor Dylan Goforth spoke with SB 139’s author, Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, about how she got interested in the issue and how hopes her legislation will help schools. [The Frontier]
Opinion, Sen. Carri Hicks: Preserving the promise of public education: The perils of vouchers: Proponents of vouchers and similar mechanisms often argue that they provide families with greater choice, fostering competition that ostensibly leads to improved educational outcomes. However, this perspective overlooks the broader implications of diverting public funds to private institutions. Such policies can exacerbate existing inequities and drain resources from the public schools that serve the majority of our children. [Sen. Carri Hicks / Oklahoma Gazette]
Opinion: The authoritarian endgame on higher education: When a political leader wants to move a democracy toward a more authoritarian form of government, he often sets out to undermine independent sources of information and accountability. The leader tries to delegitimize judges, sideline autonomous government agencies and muzzle the media. The weakening of higher education tends to be an important part of this strategy. [New York Times via Tulsa World]
Health News
Seven measles cases confirmed in Oklahoma; two other cases probable: There are now seven confirmed cases of measles in Oklahoma and two other cases listed as probable, according to an update on Tuesday from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. [KFOR]
- Oklahoma reports 7 confirmed, 2 probable measles cases in Tuesday update [KGOU]
- Seven measles cases confirmed in northeastern Oklahoma [Tulsa World]
- OSDH reports 7 confirmed cases of measles, 2 probable in Oklahoma [The Oklahoman]
After wild meeting, Norman Regional Health System board opts to try and remain independent: At the end of a wild meeting that included the resignations of both a co-chief executive officer and a board chair, Norman Regional Hospital Authority board members voted to work with a national health care consulting and accounting firm to try and remain an independent health system. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Health Insurance Companies Shouldn’t Play Doctor: When an insurance company delays or denies patient care, it’s more than frustrating: it can be the difference between life and death, especially for critically-ill cancer patients. Insurance companies shouldn’t have that kind of power. [Dr. Diane Heaton / The Edmond Way]
Criminal Justice News
Judge Amy Palumbo reprimanded after beef with Sheriff Tommie Johnson: The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s chief justice has reprimanded Oklahoma County District Court Judge Amy Palumbo after Sheriff Tommie Johnson III filed a judicial complaint last April related to a bizarre saga about courthouse noise levels and a threat to arrest the sheriff for contempt. [NonDoc]
Economy & Business News
Oklahoma among top 10 states for most expensive weekly grocery costs in study: Investopedia took data from the US Census Bureau’s House Pulse Survey from October 2023 and looked at how much the average shopper spends on groceries a week. Oklahoma ranks number 10. [KFOR]
Community News
Former President Clinton to attend OKC bombing memorial event in April: William Jefferson Clinton, who served as the 42nd President of the United States during the April 19th, 1995 bombing of the Alfred Murrah Building, will return to Oklahoma City this spring, once again, to honor those that died and those that served in recovery efforts. [The Oklahoman]
Ramadan celebration promotes unity among Tulsa’s faiths: A local group that advocates for Turkish people celebrated community with an interfaith dinner over the weekend. KWGS’ Elizabeth Caldwell reports these days, togetherness seems especially important. Listen above for an audio story or read the transcript below. [Public Radio Tulsa]
‘Change maker rapper’ hopes concert will spread message of making a ‘Better World’: A Baha’i Faith musician who describes himself as a “change maker rapper” is bringing his interactive concert to the Oklahoma City metro area. [The Oklahoman]
OkEq makes changes and looks for leadership after near closure last year: Oklahomans for Equality has big plans for 2025 after nearly closing a year ago. The nonprofit came back from the brink of closure last year when its treasurer was charged with embezzlement. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Tulsa protests against Tesla continue: Protests have popped up at Tesla dealerships across the country opposing the company’s billionaire owner Elon Musk. One of those protests took place in Tulsa over the weekend. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Long Story Short: Sheridan Church’s Tax Status Holds Up, Despite Unabashed Political Influence (audio): Reporters discuss the rapid aging of the state’s prison population and how officials are responding, an investigation into stay to play in the world of competitive youth sports, and how Sheridan Church’s tax status holds up while showcasing politicians to their congregation. [Oklahoma Watch]
Local Headlines
- Edmond City Council approves east side rezoning, preps charter change [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma City Council awards demolition contract for site of new Thunder arena [The Oklahoman]
- Checking in with Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols (audio) [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“This bill acts like it solves a problem but it doesn’t.”
-Sen. Mary Boren, speaking against a bill (SB 484) that would bar new homeless shelters from opening within 3,000 feet of a school in nearly all Oklahoma towns. Opponents argued the bill only seeks to hide homelessness without addressing its root causes. [Oklahoma Voice]
Number of the Day
838,254
Number of Oklahomans who received Social Security payments for retirees, survivors, and disabled workers, as of December 2023. This represents about 1 in 5 of all state residents. [Social Security Administration]
Policy Note
Trump Administration, DOGE Activities Risk Social Security Operations and Security of Personal Data: Tens of millions of people count on the Social Security Administration (SSA) to reliably deliver benefits they need to pay rent or afford basic household expenses. In recent weeks, however, the Trump Administration — including Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (or DOGE) — has taken actions that risk creating unprecedented delays, degraded customer service, and unnecessary barriers for millions of beneficiaries to access the benefits they earned. For these primarily older and disabled people, President Trump’s repeated insistence that he would not cut Social Security benefits may be a distinction without a difference if his Administration’s actions delay benefits or make it harder to get them in the first place, regardless of whether the President ever proposes legislative changes to Social Security. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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