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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
Raising the minimum wage means more Oklahomans could afford housing: It’s been 16 years since Congress raised the minimum wage. Since then, rents have risen by 60 percent. The predictable result of this mismatch is drastic increases in eviction filings and homelessness. Low-wage workers – not just minimum wage workers – struggle to afford housing. [Sabine Brown / OK Policy]
State Government News
Gov. Stitt orders state agencies to purge barriers separating church, state in Oklahoma: Oral arguments over the constitutionality of Oklahoma’s — and the nation’s — first state-funded religious charter school are scheduled for April 30. Meanwhile, Gov. Kevin Stitt is trying to get ahead of the conversation with an executive order this week, doubling down on his vision of religious freedom in the state. [KOSU]
- Stitt orders state to review policies excluding religion from public programs [The Journal Record]
- Gov. Stitt orders state agencies to stop enforcing certain laws in latest executive order [Tulsa World]
- Gov. Stitt issues executive order on defending religious liberty [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma House and Senate priorities for FY26 budget are in, negotiation process underway: While the Oklahoma legislature is working to get bills to the Governor’s desk, it is also working on setting the state’s budget for the upcoming year. [Fox 25]
Oklahoma Democrats file joint resolutions to reject Walters’ social studies standards: Oklahoma Democratic lawmakers filed House and Senate Joint Resolutions Monday to reject controversial proposed social studies academic standards. [KGOU]
- Oklahoma Democrats file joint resolutions to disapprove social studies standards [Fox 25]
Oklahoma Lawmakers Hear Few Eviction Bills, Advance One: The Oklahoma legislature considered a handful of bills this session written to address landlord-tenant laws. Only one of those bills is still alive. [Oklahoma Watch]
Oklahoma lawmaker looking to keep resident tax dollars from foreign countries: A lawmaker says companies connected to our foreign adversaries could be in Oklahoma now. So, he wants to ban public money from being spent with any company based out such countries. [KOCO]
Senator hopeful even as food additive bill stalls: A bill intended to rid grocery store products in Oklahoma of many artificial additives and food dyes stalled in the Senate, but its author said she remains hopeful that it eventually will pass into law and make products healthier. [Tulsa World]
State firefighters, AG push back against Stitt’s removal of forestry department chief: The man at the center of a political fight over the state’s wildfire response pushed back against criticism from Gov. Kevin Stitt, saying he “had been falsely accused of not performing the duties necessary to protect life and property in a timely manner.” [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma group launches petition for penny sales tax to increase child protective service workers’ pay: A new campaign in Oklahoma aims to increase pay for those serving the state’s children through a proposed penny sales tax. [KOCO]
Oklahoma group launches effort to legalize marijuana for adults 21 and older: One of Oklahoma’s oldest cannabis advocacy groups has drafted a constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana for adults 21 years of age and older. [The Oklahoman]
Cutting grass and costs: Robot lawnmowers deployed at Oklahoma State Capitol grounds: The Oklahoma State Capitol grounds are getting a high-tech makeover with the introduction of robot lawnmowers, which officials say are not only cutting the grass but also cutting costs significantly. [Fox 25]
Oklahoma Senate Democrats hold Lawton town hall as concern grows over Westwin Elements refinery: The Oklahoma Speaks town hall takes place amid ongoing community concerns regarding the newly operational Westwin Elements nickel refinery in Lawton, alongside escalating legal conflicts related to the company. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Tribal Nations News
Cherokee Nation Community & At-large Languages Classes Scheduled: The Cherokee Nation Language Department is offering a series of free Cherokee language courses available both on the Cherokee Nation Reservation and in at-large communities. Classes will require either in-person participation or a blend of virtual and in-person attendance. [Native News Online]
Opinion: What is Urban Indian Health, Anyway?: So what is urban Indian health? It’s more than services. It’s relationships. It’s trust. It’s advocacy and visibility and walking with communities who are often left out of policy conversations, even though they make up the majority of the Native population in the U.S. [Nanette Star / Native News Online]
Opinion: Challenging Power: What’s at Stake with Vance’s Smithsonian Takeover: Last Thursday, President Trump issued an executive order tasking the vice president with overseeing the removal of what the administration deems “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” from the Smithsonian Institution’s museums and programs. [Levi Rickert / Native News Online]
Voting and Election News
Tuesday election roundup
- Logan tops Nelson in SD 8; HD 71, HD 74 to GOP runoffs [NonDoc]
- Clinton, Logan advance to special general elections for Tulsa area House, Senate seats [Tulsa World]
- Democratic Rep. Jason Lowe beats independent to become District 1 OK County commissioner [The Oklahoman]
- Jason Lowe wins county seat, Camal Pennington wins OKC Ward 7 [NonDoc]
- Election results: Stillwater approves new animal shelter, Lowe becomes county commissioner and more [KOSU]
- Claremore voters approve 1% sales tax increase [Claremore Daily Progress]
- Camal Pennington wins Oklahoma City Council Ward 7 election [The Oklahoman]
- Edmond election: Mark Nash wins mayoral race, Jones retains EPS office [NonDoc]
- Newcomer Mark Nash beats Tom Robins to become Edmond mayor [The Oklahoman]
- Kyra Carby wins Tulsa Public Schools election, voters kick Skiatook mayor, incumbents hold in Jenks, Glenpool [NonDoc]
- Carby wins TPS D3 seat; Kibbe reelected to Tulsa Tech board [Tulsa World]
- Oklahoma election results: See winners of OKC council, Edmond mayor, OK County commissioner [The Oklahoman]
- Tulsa-area April 1 election results [Public Radio Tulsa]
- All unofficial election results are available at the Oklahoma Election Board website
Education News
Walters announces lawsuit against Freedom From Religion Foundation over school prayer: State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma State Department of Education have filed a federal lawsuit against the Freedom From Religion Foundation, escalating a long-standing conflict over religion in public schools. [KOSU]
Bixby school board selects insider to succeed Rob Miller as superintendent: The Bixby school board held a special meeting Tuesday evening and after a closed-door discussion in executive session voted 5-0 to name Associate Superintendent Lydia Wilson as its choice to take the district’s helm as of July 1. [Tulsa World]
Opinion: Ryan Walters is the real radical danger to Oklahoma’s culture: Ryan Walters is scheming to remake the Oklahoma public schools reflect his own biased view of America, and by extension constrain any diversity of thinking in our state. And he’s betting on the laziness and ignorance of the general public to give him a clear path to achieve his radical single-minded goals. [Brian L. Freese / The Oklahoman]
Health News
Providers say they face cuts amid $43 million Oklahoma mental health department shortfall: The state’s mental health commissioner on Tuesday said the agency is dealing with a $43 million shortfall, which some say has resulted in cuts to providers. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Proposed mental health funding cuts could force several facilities to close [KFOR]
- Lawmakers considering ways to plug Mental Health Department’s funding shortfall [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma reports 8 confirmed, 2 probable measles cases in latest update: Oklahoma is reporting one new confirmed measles case. The agency provided a notice for a public setting exposure site at a Weatherford restaurant on March 19. As of Tuesday, Oklahoma has reported eight confirmed measles cases and two probable cases. [KGOU]
- Another measles case confirmed, with exposure notice for western Oklahoma [Tulsa World]
- Oklahoma health department reports state tracking 10 measles cases, warns of exposure [The Oklahoman]
‘It can have a big impact’: Oklahoma City doctor talks Planned Parenthood funding freeze: An Oklahoma City doctor says a recent decision by President Trump will have a big impact on the health of Oklahomans and their families. [Fox 25]
Opinion: Cuts to Medicaid funding will send ‘tidal wave’ through Oklahoma’s health care system: Losing even a fraction of Oklahoma’s Medicaid funding would create a substantial gap for our state and send a tidal wave through our interconnected health care system. When one part of the system fails, the issue doesn’t disappear — the burden is simply shifted elsewhere. [Julie Strebel / Oklahoma Voice]
Criminal Justice News
Execution date set for prisoner transferred to Oklahoma to serve death penalty: An inmate who was transferred to Oklahoma last month to face the death penalty now has an execution date. [Oklahoma Voice]
- How Trump’s election led to the scheduling of an execution in Oklahoma [The Oklahoman]
- Execution date set for former federal inmate who killed Tulsa woman in 1999 [Tulsa World]
- From OK Policy: Oklahoma Death Penalty Tracker
After years of overcrowding and safety issues, Wagoner County jail gets clean inspection: Improvements and a change in attitudes were just some of the elements that contributed to a positive inspection of the Wagoner County jail. [Wagoner County American Tribune]
Oklahoma highway patrolman arrested Friday charged with rape: An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper was charged Monday after allegations of sexual assault during a traffic stop earlier this year. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
OKC community gathers to remember, honor 80 who died while homeless in 2024: The recent Service of Remembrance and Hope was held to honor 80 people who died while experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma City in 2024. [The Oklahoman]
Economy & Business News
Tariffs likely to be detrimental for auto buyers, dealers: If President Donald Trump’s announced tariffs on auto parts actually go into effect on Wednesday, local car dealerships and stock prices of auto manufacturers will not see an immediate impact. That’s in part because they already have, a University of Tulsa associate professor of economics said. [Tulsa World]
Community News
Free Speech in Crisis: How an Archaic State Law is Landing Oklahomans in Jail for Libel: Two Oklahomans have been charged with violating Oklahoma’s 1929 false rumors law, which made it a crime — not a civil offense — to willfully, knowingly, or maliciously communicate false rumors or reports of a slanderous nature. An Oklahoma attorney who specializes in free speech issues finds it troubling that an individual could be arrested for posting materials online. [Oklahoma Watch]
Tulsa leaders push for greater Muslim community voice in city’s cultural efforts: The city’s Asian American Affairs commissioners want Tulsa’s Islamic community to have greater input in their efforts. As many as 10,000 Muslims live in the greater Tulsa area. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Quote of the Day
“Losing even a fraction of Oklahoma’s Medicaid funding would create a substantial gap for our state and send a tidal wave through our interconnected health care system. When one part of the system fails, the issue doesn’t disappear — the burden is simply shifted elsewhere. “
-Dr. Julie Strebel, M.D., writing in an op-ed about the impacts to Oklahoma from proposed federal Medicaid funding cuts. [Oklahoma Voice]
Number of the Day
60%
The minimum wage has not been raised since 2009, and since then, the median rent in Oklahoma has increased 60 percent. [U.S. Census via OK Policy]
Policy Note
Nearly half of U.S workers will live in states with at least a $15 minimum wage by 2027: Policymakers and voters throughout the country have all recognized the need to set minimum wages at $15 or more. Further, the strong consensus of high-quality minimum wage research is that increasing the minimum wage increases workers’ earnings without increasing unemployment or other significant negative economic effects. Unfortunately, there are still state lawmakers who are choosing to deny higher pay for workers in their states. [Economic Policy Institute]
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