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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.
Oklahoma News
The Serial Evictors: How and Why Landlords File Multiple Evictions Against the Same Tenants Without Forcing Them to Move: Some property managers use evictions as a rent-collection tactic, filing month after month against the same behind-on-rent tenants, burdening small claims dockets with dozens of eviction cases that will be dismissed when tenants make payments. Tenants who experience serial eviction often can’t get caught up on rent and the extra fees assessed with each filing. The tenants are stuck; with a record full of eviction cases, they are unlikely to be approved to rent elsewhere. [Oklahoma Watch]
Suspended shipments, federal spending cuts hit Oklahoma food banks: Food banks and their distribution partners in the state are worried about meeting demands after the federal government suspended shipments nationwide and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut approximately $1 billion in federal spending earlier this month. [The Oklahoman]
State Government News
As U.S. Dept. of Education faces teardown, Walters seeks ESSA federal block grant for ‘local flexibility’: Less than a week after President Donald Trump signed a March 20 executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and “return authority over education to the states,” Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters submitted a request to change the way federal funding is allocated, increase state autonomy and purportedly relieve districts from strict guidelines. [NonDoc]
- Can Ryan Walters be trusted with federal education money? His record says no. [The Oklahoma Editorial Board]
Return of the budget portal: With the Legislature reaching its functional halfway point last week and bills heading from their chamber of origin to the opposite body, committee work will resume in the House and the Senate. As the surviving bills are assigned to those committees, however, the viewing public has something else to peruse: The return of the House budget portal! [Monday Minute / NonDoc]
From DEI ban to recess requirements, Oklahoma Legislature advances array of education bills: Oklahoma lawmakers advanced bills expanding college scholarships, recess time and school tutoring while approving limits to virtual school days and diversity programs before a key legislative deadline this week. Bills had to pass their chamber of origin by Thursday, needing approval of the full House or Senate to continue being considered this year. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Over 400 bills clear Oklahoma House, head to Senate [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma House, Senate trade floor-approved legislation with committee work ahead [KOSU]
- Bill targeting abortion-inducing drugs advances in Oklahoma House [KOSU]
- House Approves Bill Requiring Photo ID to Vote [Oklahoma Watch]
- ‘Transparency and accountability’: House passes bill to bolster Open Records Requests [Fox 25]
- Breaking down what made it out of deadline week at the Oklahoma Capitol [Fox 25]
- Opinion, Capitol Insider: Lawmakers push forward more than 700 bills by deadline [KGOU]
Senate looks to give Oklahomans an avenue to recall politicians: A state lawmaker wants to create a process to allow voters to recall elected state officials. The Senate on Thursday passed Senate Bill 990, which is expected to be the vehicle to set up the process that Oklahomans can use to remove someone from office independent of the involvement from the Legislature. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Bill that allows recall elections clears Oklahoma Senate, headed to House of Representatives [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma sports betting bills advance as Gov. Kevin Stitt promises veto: Three proposed bills that could legalize sports betting in Oklahoma are clearing hurdles in the state Legislature, though Gov. Kevin Stitt has vowed to veto bills that grant tribes exclusive power. [The Oklahoman]
Redcedar removal a priority for Oklahoma legislative leader: As Oklahoma recovers from devastating wildfires this month and copes with springtime allergies, the state legislature has turned its attention to eastern redcedars. [KOSU]
Former head of Oklahoma Forestry Department speaks out following firing: The former head of the Oklahoma Forestry Service is speaking out after he was fired by Gov. Kevin Stitt for his agency’s response to a wildfire outbreak earlier this month. [News 9]
- Former state forester director defends performance during wildfires following unemployment [Fox 25]
Boren praised for his political and academic skill during memorial service Saturday: Depending on who you asked, the late David Boren was either a skilled, centrist Democrat with big ideas who navigated the United States Senate easily, a governor who had no problem pushing back against the old guard, a back-row state Representative who spent his first couple of years in office learning the political ropes, a smart, dedicated university professor. Or the man who charted a new trajectory for the University of Oklahoma. [The Oklahoman]
- David Boren’s education legacy spread beyond OU, to foundations and national security programs [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Oklahoma leaders are trying to trick Trump into thinking we need more education spending freedom: Our lawmakers and state superintendent Ryan Walters haven’t proven yet that they deserve this enormous amount of trust. It seems like a terrible idea to give them unchecked powers to determine winners and losers in our already struggling school system. Why on earth would we want to enable them to underfund certain rural and urban schools, increase funding to private schools, undercut services offered to impoverished or tribal students, or demolish programs that serve special education or English learners? [Janelle Stecklein / Oklahoma Voice]
Editorial: Oklahoma lawmakers have not proven need for new, expensive business court: Measures that would create a separate system of justice for business owners have red flags flying all over them. It’s hard to choose which aspect is most problematic: the expensive creation of a new court system, the complete control the governor would have over it or the special treatment business owners would receive under it. [Tulsa World Editorial Board]
Federal Government News
Senate braces for high-stakes ruling that will decide the fate of Trump’s tax cuts: The parliamentarian may rule next week whether Republicans can use a novel accounting method to make Trump tax cuts permanent. Democrats call the idea “magic math.” [NBC News]
Elon Musk hands out $1 million payments after Wisconsin Supreme Court declines request to stop him: Elon Musk gave out $1 million checks on Sunday to two Wisconsin voters, declaring them spokespeople for his political group, ahead of a Wisconsin Supreme Court election that the tech billionaire cast as critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda and “the future of civilization.” [Associated Press]
Trump says he’s considering ways to serve a third term as president: President Donald Trump said Sunday that “I’m not joking” about trying to serve a third term, the clearest indication he is considering ways to breach a constitutional barrier against continuing to lead the country after his second term ends at the beginning of 2029. [Associated Press]
- Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ if some car prices rise due to tariffs: 5 takeaways from new interviews [USA Today]
Opinion: Foreign aid could help people stay in their home countries. Why cut it?: Their right to migrate is now at the center of our political discourse. While some call for an end to immigration, Pope Francis has articulated, along with other human rights advocates, that people have a right to migrate, particularly in the face of threats to their lives. But in all the heated rhetoric about the border, we can overlook something equally important: the right to stay and be able to build a future in the place you call home. [Kelly Ryan / The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Trump plan to eliminate 80,000 VA jobs is a betrayal of veterans: As a veteran of the United States Air Force, I have served my country with honor, standing alongside fellow service members who took an oath to protect this nation from enemies, both foreign and domestic. That same oath was taken by the members of the current administration, yet their actions over the past 65 days have shown anything but a commitment to those who serve. [Rita Maxwell / The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Trump’s commerce secretary: Don’t complain if we don’t send your Social Security check: Donald Trump’s billionaire commerce secretary made another staggering statement on Friday when he suggested that only “fraudsters” and people “stealing” from the government would complain if they didn’t get their Social Security checks next month. [Brent Arends / MarketWatch]
Voting and Election News
Mike Mazzei, former Oklahoma senator, files to run for governor: Former Oklahoma Sen. Mike Mazzei on Thursday filed paperwork indicating he is entering the 2026 race for governor. Mazzei, a Republican from Tulsa, spent 12 years in the Oklahoma Senate before running into term limits. He served 10 years as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. [Oklahoma Voice]
SD 8 Republican runoff carries broader implications for Oklahoma Senate: As a fractured Senate Republican Caucus watches anxiously, GOP voters in eastern Oklahoma will head to the polls Tuesday to choose between a pastor from Paden and a veteran from Morris to represent State Senate District 8. [NonDoc]
Election Day is Tuesday for races in Tulsa, Owasso, Jenks: Election Day is April 1 for two seats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, as well as other city council and school board positions. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. [Tulsa World]
- Voters to decide on races for Edmond mayor, OKC City Council on Tuesday [KOCO]
- Visit the Oklahoma Election Board website to see a full list of elections on April 1
‘All-or-nothing’ mentality dragging down Tulsa GOP, says political operative: A local political operative believes a herd mentality is endangering the party she belongs to. “I’ve been involved in the party for 13 years now,” said Charity Marcus, who most recently ran an unsuccessful campaign for chair of the Tulsa County Republican Party. She believes her loss could be attributed to what she calls an “all-or-nothing mentality” among some fellow Republicans. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Education News
In Oklahoma, Counting Migrant Students May Have Gone Too Far: A divide between Oklahoma’s governor and schools chief over undocumented students may mark the outer limits of acceptable immigration enforcement, or the next frontier. [New York Times]
A battle over religion and schools in Oklahoma could decide the future of the First Amendment: There is a war raging across the United States on the role of religion in public life, and Ryan Walters is at the center of it. As Oklahoma’s elected official in charge of public education, the conservative Republican and outspoken Christian has been at the forefront of encouraging closer entanglement between government and religion when it comes to one of the most contentious places of all: public schools. [NBC News]
New initiative hopes to get more college students into teaching careers: Officials with Tulsa Public Schools, Northeastern State University and City Year signed an agreement Friday aimed at encouraging more college students to pursue teaching careers. [Tulsa World]
Opinion: Why it makes a difference if a teacher looks like you: National research shows that teachers of color bring benefits to all students, and especially to students of color, including by improving academic performance and attainment. [Deena V. Thomas / The Oklahoman]
Health News
State cuts funding for critical emergency mental health care programs in Tulsa: The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has terminated funding for two key Family & Children’s Services programs, leaving the Tulsa nonprofit and the city scrambling to secure funding to maintain critical emergency mental health services. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma bill could allow medical providers to refuse care that violates their conscience: House Bill 1224 passed on the House floor in a 70-28 vote and could allow medical practitioners to refuse health care to a patient if the service violates their conscience. Critics say the proposed law would adversely affect LGBTQ+ Oklahomans seeking gender-affirming care, along with women needing an abortion. [The Oklahoman]
Criminal Justice News
Oklahoma’s marijuana underworld worth over $100 billion, new estimates show: Oklahoma’s illicit marijuana market may now be worth hundreds of billions of dollars, according to new statistics presented Friday by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. [The Frontier]
Tulsa police give numbers, stories supporting violence prevention initiative: City officials are looking to prevent violent crime in Tulsa before it happens — and at a recent meeting, police shared numbers and stories to highlight the importance of these efforts. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Oklahoma County buys more land near new jail site for possible trade with Crooked Oak Schools. Why?: Oklahoma County commissioners, acting as the county Public Buildings Authority, voted 2-1 in a special called meeting Friday to pay $6 million for 33 acres at 1100 S Eastern Ave. for a possible land swap with Crooked Oak Schools “in support of the new detention center site” at 1901 E Grand Blvd. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper arrested, accused of assaulting woman during traffic stop: An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper has been arrested, suspected of sexual assault during a traffic stop. Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna announced Friday that she will file charges for rape in the first degree and forcible oral sodomy. [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma trooper arrested for sexual assault after alleged traffic stop incident [Fox 25]
The Oklahoma County Sheriff is calling for a judge’s resignation. What to know: The Oklahoma County sheriff is calling for a judge to step down after privately being reprimanded by a state Supreme Court justice over an allegation of judicial misconduct. [The Oklahoman]
Tears of joy, pearls of wisdom: Prison Fellowship Academy celebrates fifth graduating class: Prison Fellowship Academy leaders said the event recognized graduates who completed a yearlong program to develop and practice biblically based values that promote good citizenship, including productivity, restoration, community, affirmation, productivity, integrity and responsibility. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Couple hopes their tiny home company in Skiatook can solve a big problem for the Tulsa area: Located in Osage County, Prime Craftsman Homes has built 42 tiny homes since last year with plans for another 144 by the end of this year and 260 by the end of next. The single-story homes are about 400 square feet on average, with custom options that go a little beyond 2,000 square feet. [Tulsa World]
Economy & Business News
Journal Record Index: Markets head into negative terrain as economy slows and tariffs loom: Rising inflation continued to batter the economy and consumer spending as our trading session ended March 28, 2025. The Commerce Department said that February’s consumer prices were up 2.5% from a year earlier; core prices, excluding food and energy, were up 2.8%, compared to January’s 2.7% year-over-year increase. [Journal Record]
Successment returns to Build in Tulsa to ignite $1M growth for underrepresented founders: Successment, a global revenue operations firm led by Jonathan J. Mentor, is returning to Tulsa in 2025 with a bold mission: help Build in Tulsa startups and founders reach $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), using a scientific approach to revenue growth. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Oklahoma’s Black-owned soda Afropop goes national: With the launch of the online store, anyone in the United States will be able to enjoy the diverse flavors of Afropop, Oklahoma’s all-natural, Black-owned craft soda brand. [The Black Wall Street Times]
New book outlines how Tulsa became a tech hub and how other cities can do it, too: An urbanist who has gained national recognition has written a book outlining how Tulsa has done something few cities have accomplished — become a tech hub. The book, “Reinventing the Heartland: How One City’s Inclusive Approach to Innovation and Growth Can Revive the American Dream,” was released March 4. [Tulsa World]
Residue from human waste has long wound up as farm fertilizer. Some neighbors hate it: While the application of sewage sludge as a fertilizer on farmland has been happening for decades, opposition is mounting amid growing environmental concerns about potential pollution of groundwater from toxic chemicals in wastewater. [Associated Press]
Opinion: Work in progress — more women making their mark in construction industry: Women have increasingly stepped into roles within construction, proving their value, expertise and unique contributions to an industry that has long overlooked their potential. Despite the progress, the sector still struggles with gender disparity, and many women are hesitant to pursue construction as a career. [Patricia Felix / The Oklahoman]
Community News
Trans Day of Visibility is Monday – a day to raise awareness of transgender people: Monday marks the annual Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), which honors transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive people while drawing attention to the high levels of poverty, discrimination and violence the community faces globally. [USA Today]
- Trans Day of Visibility celebrations persist despite Trump admin attacks [Axios]
Trump targets National Museum of African American History: “What we are witnessing is not just an attack on exhibitions or academic framing, it’s an attack on memory, identity, and truth,” said Kristi Williams, founder of Black History Saturdays. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Gilcrease artist-in-residence questions safety of his work amid DEI attacks: A renowned artist known for his focus on sensitive historical subjects has come to Tulsa to research Oklahoma’s complex and often tragic past. The Gilcrease Museum announced this month that Stephen Towns would be the first person selected in a reboot of its artist-in-resident program. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Oklahoma City to host canoe slalom, softball competitions for 2028 Olympics: Oklahoma City is set to host the canoe slalom and softball events for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt announced Friday that host city Los Angeles approved its final venue plan. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Veterans finding sanctuary in yoga at the Tulsa VFW Post 577: Humble Warrior Collective’s yoga practice has 18 partner programs with 14 instructors teaching 100 classes a month, reaching between 600 and 800 people. That includes addiction recovery centers, mental health facilities, domestic violence shelters and senior centers. Those coming to classes may be dealing with trauma, poverty, neglect, isolation, hunger, violence or addiction. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Opinion: Evening with Tulsa Muslims shows growing, welcoming community: Too often, people fixate on differences as a means to divide communities. Or they buy into pop culture representations of extremists or believe statements from non-Muslims. That’s why opportunities to sit down with people of different faiths, thoughts and opinions is worthwhile. We can find common ground, learn and see the humanity in one another. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Local Headlines
- Bryan County Sheriff Johnny Christian has died; Governor, others offer condolences [The Oklahoman]
- Stillwater voters to decide on $8.75M bond for new animal shelter [KOSU]
- OKPOP Museum gets boost from Oklahoma House of Representatives [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa County opens hiring for DOGE-themed job with $80,000 salary [Tulsa World]
- Jenks to receive matching cash from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce following TIF district success [Public Radio Tulsa]
- OK County clerk finally files audited 2022-2023 financial report with Moody’s Ratings [The Oklahoman]
- Employees at Bethany-Warr Acres plant face felony charges in sewage leak case [The Oklahoman]
- Edmond Police Department could lose large chunk of officers to retirements in 2026 [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“It’s just part of the current climate in housing, where in places like Oklahoma, which have such poor tenant protections and no real oversight on these debt issues, landlords can get away with it.”
-Eric Hallett, a staff attorney and coordinator of housing advocacy at Legal Aid Services Oklahoma, speaking about some property managers who use the eviction process as a debt collection tool. They also profit from their tenants’ inability to pay, collecting eviction fees prohibited by the Oklahoma Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. [Oklahoma Watch]
- From OK Policy: Fast, cheap evictions contribute to housing instability
Number of the Day
4
In the currently sitting 119th Congress, only four of the 533 members of the U.S. House and Senate identify as Native American or Alaska Native. [Pew Research]
Policy Note
Tribes, long shut out from their own health data, fight for access and sovereignty: U.S. tribes — which are sovereign nations — seek to own and maintain control over their data, including health statistics. The concept, known as data sovereignty, is important amid the harrowing health disparities seen in tribal people, rooted in forced assimilation dating back more than a century. Often, data gathered by and about tribes has been shared with state and federal agencies; but those same agencies haven’t always shared their tribal-related statistics in return. The lack of tribe-specific data has hindered tribes from fully taking care of their members and clouded their work on public health responses to disease outbreaks. [Stateline]
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