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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
SB 1027 would exclude millions of registered voters from signing initiative petitions: Oklahoma’s initiative petition process is an effective and secure way for citizens to serve as a check on our state government and our elected officials. However, Senate Bill 1027 would place arbitrary restrictions on how many signatures could be collected from each county for an initiative petition. SB 1027 would exclude millions of registered voters in Oklahoma from signing initiative petitions. [Cole Allen / OK Policy]
State Government News
Budget gap, canceled contracts unfold during marathon Oklahoma mental health hearing: A special Oklahoma House of Representatives committee spent nearly four hours exploring budget shortfalls, contract cancellations and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ request for additional funding Thursday afternoon. [KOSU]
- Under scrutiny, Oklahoma leader points finger for $43M deficit, contract cancellations [Oklahoma Voice]
- Tulsa County DA tells lawmakers Mental Health Department is in need of overhaul [Tulsa World]
- Committee questions mental health chief about $43M gap [The Journal Record]
House committee passes measure to gain more control over state agency rule proposals: Lawmakers are aiming to bolster their influence over proposed state agency administrative rules. The efforts come amidst public uproar about the education department’s most recent slate of proposed rule changes. [KOSU]
Board led by Oklahoma treasurer sues AG over who can approve contracts with investment firms: An investors’ board led by state Treasurer Todd Russ has sued Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond in the Oklahoma Supreme Court over a dispute about who has the final say when the state enters into contracts or other legal agreements with investment managers. [The Oklahoman]
State reps match Bible verses in ‘Christ is King’ resolution debate: A resolution declaring that “Christ is King” set off a Maundy Thursday battle of the Bible verses on the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and debate about the proper place of Christianity and religion in state government. [Tulsa World]
- Oklahoma lawmaker clash over religion in government with new resolution [7 News]
- ‘A lot of horse manure’: Oklahoma House debates resolution declaring ‘Christ is King’ [Fox 25]
Bill proposes criminal charges for violating service animal rules: There’s a new effort to criminalize people who mispresent their dogs or other animals as service animals. House Bill 1178 authored by Representative Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, would make it a misdemeanor to falsely misrepresent your animal as a service animal. [KFOR]
How to contact your Oklahoma representative: A step-by-step guide: Have you ever wondered how to contact your representative? Here’s what to know. [The Oklahoman]
- From OK Policy: Find Your Legislators
Listen: This Week in Oklahoma Politics: State agency contract workers, new Supreme Court justice, open primaries challenge and more (Audio): This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU’s Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civic Leader Andy Moore about Gov. Kevin Stitt ordering a review of contractors in state agencies, the Department of Mental Health is asking for an extra $6.2 million this fiscal year to continue services through June and a Woodward lawyer is taking a seat on the state Supreme Court. [KOSU]
Opinion: Oklahoma lawmakers’ failure to fund 988 mental health line sends chilling message about their values: Mental illness doesn’t check voter registration. Suicide doesn’t screen for partisanship. These crises are indiscriminate and omnipresent, cutting across class, race and creed. Yet Oklahoma’s failure to fully fund its 988 mental health crisis hotline reveals something chilling: for many state leaders, saving lives is negotiable — so long as it’s politically inconvenient. [Kati Malicoate / Oklahoma Voice]
Federal Government News
U.S. Supreme Court to hear case on Trump’s birthright citizenship order: The U.S. Supreme Court announced Thursday it will hear oral arguments next month over President Donald Trump’s efforts to restructure birthright citizenship, though the justices won’t decide on the merits of the case just yet. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Supreme Court will weigh in on Trump plans to restrict birthright citizenship [USA Today]
- U.S.-born man held for ICE under Florida’s new anti-immigration law [Oklahoma Voice]
- From OK Policy: Anti-immigration raids harm all communities (Commentary)
Rep. Hern reportedly in El Salvador where mega-prison holds illegally deported man: On April 16, the official X account of the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador posted a picture of Hern with six other lawmakers and U.S. Ambassador William Duncan. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Activists to Confront Sen. Lankford at Book Signing Protest: Indivisible Oklahoma announced Thursday it will gather to protest an upcoming book signing event hosted by U.S. Senator James Lankford. The group plans to protest peacefully outside the Full Circle Bookstore in Oklahoma City on April 25 at 4 p.m., exercising its First Amendment right to assemble. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Regional Climate Centers shut down abruptly this week. Here’s why it matters: The closure of four of the six Regional Climate Centers across the U.S. occurred after funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ran out. A recent report stated that the Trump administration plans to propose a 25% cut to NOAA’s budget next fiscal year. [Harvest Public Media via KOSU]
Tulsa libraries CEO: System not in danger from federal cuts: The Tulsa City-County Library CEO said the library system is shielded from federal cuts thanks to its exclusively local funding source. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Federal appeals court temporarily freezes multibillion-dollar Biden climate fund: The legal battle over a Biden-era climate program ramped up late Wednesday when an appeals court halted a federal judge’s ruling requiring the disbursement of those funds. [Oklahoma Voice]
Are two of Oklahoma’s members of Congress ranked among the wealthiest in the nation?: Yes. Sources consistently place two members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation, Kevin Hern and Markwayne Mullin, in the top 10% of all 535 members of Congress based on net worth. [Oklahoma Watch]
Opinion: Proposed foreign aid cuts will be harmful to Oklahoma and its Native communities: Our governmental programs are not always efficient, we must also bear in mind that the quest for efficiency can sometimes lead to negative outcomes, as well. Oklahoma’s farmers, businesses and manufacturers are heavily engaged in the global economy, as are our Native American nations. Therefore, we must think deeply before cutting back on our international assistance programs. [James Collard / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
Graves of two enslaved Trail of Tears survivors marked by Oklahoma Trail of Tears Association: For the first time, the Oklahoma Trail of Tears Association marked the graves of Cherokee Freedmen who survived the Trail of Tears that occurred in 1838 and 1839. [Cherokee Phoenix]
Voting and Election News
Opinion: The 2026 governor’s race is already on: It’s still 18-plus months to Election Day, but the next Oklahoma governor’s race already taking shape. Why should you care? Isn’t it way too early to be thinking about November 2026? Well, it is true that a year-and-a-half is a lifetime in politics, at least traditionally. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]
Education News
Before embezzlement scheme was revealed, Tulsa schools executives secretly planned departure of the man involved: A state investigator raised questions about how much school leaders knew about a scheme to defraud Tulsa Public Schools of at least $800,000 before they notified the police, documents show. [The Frontier]
White House proposes eliminating Head Start funding as part of sweeping budget cuts: The Trump administration is asking Congress to eliminate funding for Head Start, a move that would cut early education for more than half a million of the nation’s neediest children and child care for their families. [AP via Tulsa World]
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation unveils Center for Biomedical Data Sciences: The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) unveiled its new Center for Biomedical Data Sciences on Wednesday. It provides the independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute with computing and data analysis capabilities to support scientists in researching areas like heart disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases. [KGOU]
Casady School announces $9.5M performing arts expansion: The project will transform the school’s existing theater and music spaces into the new Sias Family Center for Performing Arts, adding 5,200 square feet and upgrading key areas including the band, orchestra and choir rooms. [The Journal Record]
Rose State Board of Regents names Travis Hurst as next president: Travis Hurst named as Rose State College’s eighth president. Hurst, who succeeds Dr. Jeanie Webb, will assume his role on July 1. [News 9]
Health News
RFK Jr. to refocus federal autism research on environmental factors: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Wednesday the department will shift its research into autism toward potential environmental causes, though he declined to say exactly what the Trump administration would do if certain industries or pollutants were found responsible. [Oklahoma Voice]
Criminal Justice News
Man behind Oklahoma’s ‘McGirt’ case will face new jury trial this summer: Jimcy McGirt, the man behind the landmark McGirt v. Oklahoma U.S. Supreme Court case, which reaffirmed the sovereignty of several Oklahoma tribes, will face a jury in the Eastern District Court of Oklahoma under felony charges. [KGOU]
Oklahoma teen linked to alleged Election Day terror plot pleads guilty, federal prosecutors say: Prosecutors allege Abdullah Haji Zada, 18, and a co-conspirator, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, of Oklahoma City, obtained AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition and conspired to provide support to ISIS to conduct a November 2024 Election Day attack. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Teen pleads guilty in Oklahoma Election Day terror plot [KGOU]
- Teenager from Afghanistan pleads guilty to getting rifles for Election Day terrorism plot [The Oklahoman]
Community News
After 30 years, is the searing memory of the Oklahoma City bombing starting to fade?: “It remains the worst event ever of domestic terrorism in the U.S.,” said former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, who was barely a few months into his term at the time. “And I hope it stays that way.” So far, it has. [USA Today]
- What is the ‘Oklahoma Standard’? What to know about the saying and its tie to OKC bombing [The Oklahoman]
- Doctor reflects on rescue 30 years after 1995 bombing [The Journal Record]
- OKC National Memorial & Museum evolves with technology to teach new generations [News Channel 8]
- 30th Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony to be held indoors due to rain, organizers announce [The Oklahoman]
- Opinion, Berry Tramel: Oklahoma City National Memorial remains holy ground for those who visit [Berry Tramel / Tusla World]
Oklahomans are remembering Black Sunday, 90 years later: After years of drought that brought on weeks of relentless dust storms, Oklahomans welcomed the clear and calm Palm Sunday on April 14, 1935. But a cold front dropped south, changed the temperature and picked up wind speeds. Later in the day, a black dust storm filled the sky. Clouds about 500–600 feet tall began to roll across the plains. [KGOU]
Local Headlines
- Tulsa’s Equality Indicators Report shows overall progress, nagging inequalities [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“Cutting the programs that support Oklahoma’s growing industries and help build global partnerships for Oklahoma-made products is a mistake that could have long-lasting consequences for our businesses and families.”
– James Collard, director of planning, economic and industrial development for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, wrote in an op-ed about proposed foreign aid cuts that will be harmful to Oklahoma and its Native communities. [James Collard / The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
$0
Tesla, valued at over $1 trillion, paid no federal income tax on its 2024 income of $2.3 billion. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
Policy Note
State and Local Fiscal Fallout From a Trumpian Economy: Trade wars, federal aid cutbacks and IRS layoffs will all have an impact on revenues, though the shocks may not be as bad as some fear. Still, for most jurisdictions budget and staffing freezes or cuts lie ahead. But for now leaders should resist the temptation to raid rainy day funds. [Governing]
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