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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 create state business court (Capitol Update): Although a similar effort was authorized in 2004, business courts were never created or funded; now, with backing from a legislative task force and the governor, Oklahoma appears ready to join 25 other states with specialized business courts. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
Oklahoma News
Oklahoma House proposes $107 million budget cut for FY26: The Oklahoma House of Representatives updated its online budget transparency portal over the weekend. It shows a proposed $107 million decrease compared to last year. [KOSU]
- Oklahoma House and Senate priorities for FY26 budget are in, negotiation process underway [News Channel 8]
- From OK Policy: Lawmakers should choose targeted relief amidst budget uncertainty
OSBI conducting criminal investigation after anti-abortion protestors target state senator at his Sapulpa church: The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is investigating if anything criminal happened when anti-abortion protestors showed up at a Creek County state senator’s Sapulpa church earlier this month demanding the senator’s pastor scold him in front of the entire congregation for how he voted on a bill just as they were about to begin worship. [Fox 23]
State Government News
What’s in Governor Stitt’s executive order defending religious liberty in Oklahoma: Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt issued an executive order Monday, making Oklahoma “the nation’s strongest defender of religious liberty,” according to a news release from Stitt’s office. [News 9]
Stitt, Drummond trade jabs on state-funded religious school: In an afternoon exchange of barbed press releases, Stitt ordered state agencies to stop enforcing certain laws with which he disagrees and accused Drummond of “apparently hostility to religious freedom” by opposing taxpayer funding of religious schools. Drummond said Stitt “has been clear that he supports our tax dollars funding radical Muslim schools teaching Sharia Law.” [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma’s Own in Focus: Lawmakers speak out for and against SB 1027, petition initiative bill: Lawmakers are debating Senate Bill 1027 as it makes its way through the state Capitol. News On 6’s Sam Carrico spoke to state senators on both sides of the argument. [News 9]
- From OK Policy: Policy Matters: Hands off our ‘power reserved for the people’ [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
Finalist for vacant Oklahoma Supreme Court seat tied to group that urged voters to create vacancy in the first place: One of the finalists for an open seat on the Oklahoma Supreme Court has drawn scrutiny for his ties to a conservative group whose leaders helped push for the removal of a justice last year, raising concerns from some, including a former Republican attorney general. [KFOR]
Oklahoma lawmakers pass slew of bills targeting renewables, eminent domain, more: The state House of Representatives considered and passed at least 10 energy bills on March 26 and 27. Proposed legislation includes restrictions to the siting of renewable energy projects, prohibiting certain energy facilities from using eminent domain and imposing new setback rules. [KGOU]
Committee enters executive session to hear Department of Commerce proposals: The Legislative Evaluation and Development Committee met Monday to discuss businesses considering operations in Oklahoma behind closed doors. [The Journal Record]
Medical marijuana delivery proposal fails; other cannabis-related bills still alive: A bill that would have allowed dispensaries to deliver medical marijuana to patients stalled in the Senate, but other measures affecting the industry gained traction at the Capitol this year. [Tulsa World]
Lawmakers considering ways to plug Mental Health Department’s funding shortfall: Tulsa leaders met in the Mayor’s Office with Oklahoma Mental Health Commissioner Allie Friesen on Monday morning to discuss the state’s decision to terminate funding agreements for two key mental health programs provided by Family & Children’s Services. [Tulsa World]
House eyes Oklahoma mental health hospital alternative amid soaring price tag: The construction of a new inpatient mental health hospital is $124 million over budget, and House budget leaders do not want taxpayers to pick up the tab. [Oklahoma Voice]
Democrats report ups, downs in session’s first half: Measures authored by Democrats passed through both the House and the Senate, but minority party leaders in both chambers expressed disappointment that some bills championed by their members failed while others they adamantly opposed were advanced by majority Republicans. [Tulsa World]
Opinion, Rep. Mickey Dollens: Why an Oklahoma legislator wants college sports excluded from sports betting: Last week, I voted yes on Oklahoma’s sports betting bill. As the author behind Oklahoma’s NIL Fair Pay to Play Act, a former SMU football player and a Team USA bobsledder, I saw it as a way to address modern sports entertainment and oversee a booming market. But after a week of reflection and reviewing the data, I’m now pushing to exclude college athletics from sports betting entirely. [Rep. Mickey Dollens / The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
Layoffs begin at US health agencies charged with tracking disease, researching, regulating food: Employees across the massive U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday in a major overhaul expected to ultimately lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices come just days after President Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights at HHS and other agencies throughout the government. [AP via Tulsa World]
Democrats ask congressional watchdog agency to probe Trump’s funding freezes: Top Democrats in Congress are asking the Government Accountability Office to open an investigation into whether the Trump administration violated federal law by freezing funding for several programs. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: America needs leaders. It’s time Rep. Cole and Sen. Lankford took a stand.: I have no idea what Cole or Lankford really think in terms of their pro-Trump positions. But surely they understand that their duty is to represent both their voters and American democracy. [John Thompson / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
‘Number 446’: how one special buffalo serves as a testimony to Cheyenne and Arapaho resilience: Ralphy Tallbear and Randy Hawk wave to a very special buffalo making a beeline for their feed truck near Concho. The buffalo, Keifer, is part of the herd they care for. Keifer isn’t just the special pet of the Cheyenne and Arapaho herd. He’s a symbol of immense dedication and cultural revitalization. [KOSU]
Voting and Election News
Election Preview: Legislative primaries, city council races and more on the ballot: Oklahomans in 71 of the state’s 77 counties will head to the polls on April 1 to decide on legislative primaries in both chambers, city council races, school board seats and more. [KGOU]
- Visit the Oklahoma Election Board website to see a full list of elections on April 1
Has every county in Oklahoma voted Republican in presidential elections for the past 20 years?: Yes. The Republican presidential candidate has won the majority of votes in all 77 counties in Oklahoma in the six presidential elections since 2004. [Oklahoma Watch]
Education News
As Walters confers with Republicans, Oklahoma Democrats seek to block new social studies standards: Oklahoma House and Senate Democrats on Monday filed resolutions to reject a controversial proposal of new academic standards for social studies education in public schools. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Democrats call for rejection of Ryan Walters’ new social studies standards [Tulsa World]
- Oklahoma State Department of Education Social Studies standards: House & Senate Dems weigh in [News 9]
- Oklahoma lawmakers question Ryan Walters about proposed new social studies standards [KOCO]
Ryan Walters, OSDE sue nonprofit that sent cease-and-desist letter over prayer in schools: The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which is based in Wisconsin, issued a cease-and-desist letter to a school in Oklahoma for allowing a school to pray over the intercom, according to a news release. The letter threatened legal action if the school did not comply, Walters’ office said. [KOCO]
- Ryan Walters files taxpayer-funded federal suit against Freedom From Religion Foundation [The Oklahoman]
- Superintendent Ryan Walters takes separation of church-state group to federal court [Tulsa World]
Opinion: Let’s celebrate what’s right with Oklahoma’s public schools: Conversations around public education in Oklahoma are often negative: underfunded schools, teacher shortages, declining test scores. While these are very real issues, they don’t tell the full story. Every day, educators and administrators are working tirelessly to innovate and improve educational experiences for our children. [Erin Page / The Oklahoman]
Health News
Oklahoma to dole out $29 million to address opioid crisis: The Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board is preparing to give out a new round of grants to statewide applicants. Soon, local governments will be able to take a bid at $29 million designated to address the opioid crisis. [KOSU]
Criminal Justice News
Oklahoma lawmakers decline to support moratorium on executions: A Tulsa senator’s bill that proposed a moratorium on executions in Oklahoma failed to advance through the upper chamber of the Legislature. [Tulsa World]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Opinion: Child care is a workforce issue, not a woman’s issue. Here’s how to fix it: In September 2022, about 55% of Oklahoma’s population lived in a child care desert, according to the Center for American Progress. Oklahoma isn’t alone. Access to licensed, quality child care has been a growing national problem that affects the workforce and education. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Economy & Business News
Oklahoma hub trains next wave of wind workers: Wind turbine service technician tops the list of fastest growing occupations in the U.S. with 2,100 job openings projected each year through 2033, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of those new “wind workers” will pass through the Enel Green Power training center that opened in October 2022 in Midtown. [The Journal Record]
Community News
Oklahoma excluded from 2025 safest cities for LGBTQ+ travelers: A new guide for LGBTQ+ travelers ranked 30 cities across the U.S. as safest in 2025, but not a single city in conservative Oklahoma made the cut. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Local Headlines
- As fundraising clock ticks, a bill could give OKPOP a new money source [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Work continues on Tulsa County Courthouse [Tulsa World]
- LA City Council approves OKC as host for Olympic events [The Journal Record]
Quote of the Day
“There was nothing presented that proved that this is led only by urban voters. And always those state questions when they go on the ballot are voted on. They have to be passed by the majority of Oklahomans. They have to.”
– Sen. Julia Kirt (Oklahoma City), responding to SB 1027, a bill filed this year which would create significant barriers to getting state questions on the ballot in Oklahoma. A provision of the bill caps the number of signatures collected from populous counties at 10% each, even though about 40% of the state’s population resides within Tulsa and Oklahoma Counties combined. [News 9]
Number of the Day
1,294
Number of Americans older than 100 who were receiving benefits from Social Security as of Feb. 19, according to internal agency records obtained by The Washington Post. Elon Musk had earlier alleged that more than 20 million Americans over age 100 receive Social Security checks. [Washington Post]
Policy Note
Social Security Stability Remains at Risk: The Washington Post reported last week that “Social Security is breaking down,” describing several website crashes from overloaded servers, “complicated benefits cases … falling by the wayside,” “online claims … piling up” due to employee reductions, and “a series of rapid-fire policy changes that have created chaos for front-line staff.” Unfortunately, these developments are unsurprising, given the approach President Trump, Elon Musk, and the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) have taken with Social Security and the dangers they present. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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