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.
Oklahoma News
No Kings protesters in OKC cite faith, fear and frustration with Trump: The latest nationwide protest of President Donald Trump and his administration drew thousands of Oklahomans who hoped to send a collective message against what they view as unchecked presidential power. [The Oklahoman]
- Thousands of Oklahomans participate in No Kings demonstrations across state [Oklahoma Voice]
- No Kings day rallies roll out across the US, with millions said to attend anti-Trump protests [Oklahoma Voice]
- As No Kings protests grow, a bigger question looms: What comes next? [Oklahoma Voice]
- Thousands of protestors gather in downtown Oklahoma City for third ‘No Kings’ protest [KOSU]
- Oklahoma residents join nationwide No Kings event [KFOR]
- Thousands protest Trump, ICE and Iran war at Tulsa ‘No Kings’ rally [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Hundreds of Tulsans join nationwide ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump administration [Tulsa Flyer]
Battle Over Cryptic State Farm Documents Reaches OK Supreme Court: On March 25, Oklahoma Supreme Court referee Cassandra Holden heard oral arguments in State Farm’s latest effort to prevent access to documents in the matter known as Hursh v. State Farm, a case of a denied roof claim that has come to represent hundreds of similar cases of Oklahoma homeowners suing State Farm over an alleged scheme to cheat policyholders on valid claims of wind and hail damage. [Oklahoma Watch]
Oklahomans told they are ‘not listed as a U.S. citizen’ by Service Oklahoma: Some Oklahomans are having trouble renewing their driver’s license online. Last month, Service Oklahoma updated its system to make driver’s licenses and vehicle services fast. However, some say they’re receiving a message that says they are not U.S. citizens. [KFOR]
State Government News
‘Disappointed’: OHFA suspends HOME program as Legislature considers reducing restrictions: Despite concerns from several industry stakeholders, the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency has suspended its administration of a federal grant program’s applications owing to a pending bill in the Legislature that would reduce guidelines and codify them in state law. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma lawmakers advance measures that could undo Medicaid expansion protections: Oklahoma lawmakers passed two measures that would put state questions before voters on Medicaid expansion, which could remove it from the state constitution or allow the Legislature to not fully cover its costs if federal support changes. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
- Political notebook: House moves measures to reverse expanded Medicaid state question [Tulsa World]
Lawmakers propose hosting Oklahoma constitutional convention: House lawmakers advanced a bill that would let Oklahomans decide if a constitutional convention should be held to make changes to the state Constitution despite concerns that the proposal excludes tribes and those not represented by Republicans. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Capitol Insider: Proposed constitutional amendments advance in legislature: [KGOU]
- Oklahoma politics launched with constitutional chaos (archive) [NonDoc]
Drummond Settles DOJ Voter Data Lawsuit: Attorney General Gentner Drummond faced pushback last week from Democratic lawmakers, voting rights advocates and experts who questioned his decision to settle a federal lawsuit over access to Oklahoma’s voter database. [Oklahoma Watch]
Your personal data might set your grocery prices. States aim to crack down: State lawmakers in Maryland, Minnesota and Oklahoma are targeting food retailers that use personalized algorithmic pricing. [Oklahoma Voice]
Legislative Roundup
- COLAs, reforms, both or neither? Pension policy percolates in Oklahoma Legislature [NonDoc]
- COLA conversations and housing hubbub [Monday Minute / NonDoc]
- Deadline week: Key measures advance in OK House and Senate [The Journal Record]
- Session Watch: Week Eight [Oklahoma Watch]
Opinion: Oklahoma lawmakers are missing mark with education bills: Oklahoma lawmakers are debating longer school years, stricter discipline rules, changes to testing schedules and new approaches to teacher certification. Each proposal may be well-intentioned, but together they reveal a deeper problem: Oklahoma still lacks a clear strategy for improving schools. The nation’s strongest education systems did not rise to the top by chasing the latest policy idea. They did it by investing in excellent teachers and strong instructional leadership. [Niah Spriggs / The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Oklahoma lawmakers want to rid our state of taxes, but with no plan B to pay for local government: A growing chorus of Oklahoma leaders apparently wants to rewrite Ben Franklin’s adage about life’s only two guarantees: death and taxes. Death, sadly, remains a certainty. But if the Republicans campaigning their way through the legislative session get their way, taxes will no longer be inevitable. That sounds great, if you live in a fantasy land. [Janelle Stecklein / Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma County assessor talks impact property tax elimination could have (video) [The Oklahoman]
- From OK Policy Fact Sheet: Property taxes are vital to the health of local government in Oklahoma
Federal Government News
USAF AWACS from Tinker damaged in Iranian attack: A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged Friday in an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. [KFOR]
- AWACS from Tinker destroyed in Iranian strike overseas [The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
Choctaw Nation shuts down attempt to open ICE facility near tribal headquarters: The Choctaw Nation announced last week the purchase of a former Big Lots distribution facility and adjoining land in Durant, which had been speculated to be a potential detention center site for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. [KOSU]
Voting and Election News
‘Because I’m president’: Trump explains why he voted by mail yet opposes voting by mail:President Donald Trump, who wants to ban mail-in voting, said he had the right to vote by mail-in ballot in Florida’s special election Tuesday “because I’m president of the United States.” [Oklahoma Voice]
A Crude Ad About a Banana — and a Primary That Could Tell Us Where the Republican Party is Headed: In a January survey conducted by Oklahoma pollster Cole Hargrave Snodgrass and Associates, 53% of likely Republican primary voters said cultural issues such as banning Sharia law and transgender surgeries for youth would be vital when deciding which candidate to support. Just 39% said those topics were less important than day-to-day government functions, namely public education, tax policy and infrastructure. [Oklahoma Watch]
Election roundup
- Jackson Lahmeyer Enters OK-01 Race, Disrupting Republican Primary Field [The Black Wall Street Times]
- Tulsa Public Schools bond proposal includes $275.9 million for facility upgrades [Tulsa World]
- Broken Arrow voters to decide on $461 million in projects with measures on April 7 ballot [Tulsa World]
- McAlester voters to decide one-cent sales tax hike for streets, charter updates [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma City Public Schools, District 7: Gen Z candidates Natalie Roman, Galilea Martinez face off [NonDoc]
- Tulsa Public Schools, District 4: Incumbent E’lena Ashley, former Tulsa Councilor Connie Dodson compete [NonDoc]
Education News
Oklahoma lawmakers want free speech training after OU essay case: Some Republican lawmakers say they are trying to change state law to protect students from potential bias based on political beliefs at state universities. The proposals would enforce free speech training at state universities and punish institutions for failing to adopt certain grading criteria. [The Oklahoman]
Health News
Dangerous food recalls spike 36.4% with Oklahoma in lower-middle tier: A 36.4% spike in dangerous food recalls between 2021 and 2025 is likely due to both increased contamination and improved detection by inspectors. Oklahoma ranks 33rd nationally in recall activity. [The Journal Record]
A new COVID-19 variant ‘cicada’ is spreading. What to know in Oklahoma: A new COVID-19 variant is catching health officials’ attention across the country. The variant BA.3.2, most known as Cicada, is steadily rising in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There haven’t been confirmed cases in Oklahoma as of Friday, March 27. [The Oklahoman]
Join local journalists and community leaders to discuss mental health care in Tulsa: Frontier Staff Writer Garrett Yalch will participate in a panel discussion with journalists and local leaders on the current state of mental health care in Tulsa on Monday, March 30. [The Frontier]
Criminal Justice News
Jail trustee says lawsuit could cost OK County, taxpayers $75 million: A single court case could cost Oklahoma County taxpayers $75 million or more as a property tax increase, making the county jail’s money troubles look like small change, Trustee Rev. Derrick Scobey said. [The Oklahoman]
- Opinion: Oklahoma County is failing in its most basic duty to fund jail [Sue Ann Arnall / The Oklahoman]
National Guard could be called to the OK County jail if staff cut: If the Oklahoma County jail truly goes broke and has to slash its staff, putting detainees and remaining detention officers in danger, the Oklahoma National Guard would be called in and the Department of Corrections asked to assist, County Commissioner Bryan Maughan said. [The Oklahoman]
Department of Corrections spent record amount on employee overtime in 2024, 2025: Overtime spending at the state Department of Corrections continues to increase to the point where it now accounts for about half of all overtime spending at state agencies, according to a Tulsa World analysis of state payroll data. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma death row inmate to seek clemency: Raymond Eugene Johnson on April 8 will ask the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board for mercy. Johnson, 52, was sentenced to death for the 2007 deaths of Brooke Whitaker, 24, and her daughter, Kyla, 7 months. He is set to die May 14 by lethal injection at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. [Oklahoma Voice]
- From OK Policy: Oklahoma Death Penalty Tracker
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Tulsa opened its first winter weather homeless shelter. How many people did it serve?: Tulsa served more than 600 people in its first year providing a winter weather shelter. CREOKS, a nonprofit organization providing behavioral health services, and the City of Tulsa partnered to open an inclement weather shelter for unhoused people and their pets in east Tulsa. [Tulsa Flyer]
Economy & Business News
Homeland closes some Oklahoma stores amid financial pressure: The corporation running Homeland grocery stores is closing and consolidating a handful of locations across Oklahoma. Over the next 45 days, Homeland Acquisition Corporation Inc. will close some stores in Edmond, Norman and Lawton. [KOSU]
Community News
Krystal Reyes makes her mark as most powerful Latina in Tulsa government: In early 2025, Krystal Reyes was named deputy mayor by newly elected Mayor Monroe Nichols. She became the first Latina — or, as she likes to say, Mexican — in that position. The appointment makes Reyes the highest-ranking official of Hispanic descent in the administration. [La Semana via Tulsa Flyer]
Quote of the Day
“School bond elections are financed by the property tax base. So what do lawmakers and other supporters of reform think is going to happen to all that bond debt that local voters are on the hook for if they destroy the property tax base or dismantle how it functions? Somebody has to pay the lenders, and I doubt lawmakers are going to fork out state revenue to foot that bill for decades to come. And I don’t think businesses and farmers are going to want to pay an increased share if homeowners suddenly drop off the property tax rolls.”
-Oklahoma Voice Editor Janelle Stecklein, writing in an op-ed about the dangers Oklahoma faces if lawmakers continue advancing proposals that cut or eliminate property taxes in Oklahoma. While state government doesn’t receive funding from property taxes, statewide they bring in about $5.7 billion to pay for school districts, local services, law enforcement, and emergency response. [Oklahoma Voice]
Number of the Day
48th
Oklahoma collects $938 per capita for property taxes, which is the nation’s third lowest amount behind only Alabama and Arkansas. [Tax Foundation]
Policy Note
Anti-Tax Revolts Backfire: What We’ve Learned from 50 Years of Property Tax Limits: The last time states were persuaded to “fix” their property taxes by passing tight restrictions, in the 1970s and 1980s, they enacted a wave of measures that have fallen spectacularly short of their promises. These restrictions have failed to curb housing cost growth and instead led to greater inequality, loss of vital public services, and – ironically – even more public frustration with how we pay for schools and other local services. Across-the-board property tax cuts create less fair local tax systems in the long run. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
