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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
SoonerCare is a lifeline Oklahoma can’t afford to lose: Oklahoma’s health care challenges don’t exist in a vacuum. They are the result of policy choices made by state and federal lawmakers — decisions that have consistently treated health care as something to cut back, rather than invest in. In the last five years alone, the majority of Oklahoma lawmakers have driven poorly targeted tax cuts that have reduced the state budget by more than $1.5 billion annually, choosing short-term political wins over investments in the health and well-being of Oklahomans. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation has repeatedly fallen short in its responsibility to protect and maintain federal health care funding. The result is a system less prepared to handle fiscal curveballs — leaving real people more vulnerable when those moments come. [Kati Malicoate / OK Policy]
Oklahoma News
Integris cuts reflect national trend, impacts concentrate in rural areas: Oklahoma’s hospital boards are having difficult conversations about where to cut costs as federal funding cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill go into effect. Integris Health has confirmed it will make staffing cuts to help compensate. Recent projections indicate a disconnect between available support and the rising costs of maintaining rural and urban care networks across the region. [The Journal Record]
Tornadoes shred homes, damage power lines in Enid, Braman in Thursday night storm: Multiple tornadoes were confirmed in Oklahoma on Thursday after a stretch of severe storms tore across the northern border of the state, leaving a path of damaged homes and downed power lines. [The Oklahoman]
- Tornadoes strike in northern Oklahoma, leveling homes in Enid [KOSU]
- Destructive storms hit Oklahoma leaving damage behind [KFOR]
USDA designates 56 Oklahoma counties as Natural Disaster Areas for drought: Despite recent storms in parts of the state, all of Oklahoma is in some sort of drought or under abnormally dry conditions. Because of the intense drought in the past few months, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared Natural Disaster Areas in 56 counties in the state. [KOSU]
State Government News
Paxton shifts ‘TSET reset,’ Hilbert meets with frustrated Freedom Caucus senators: The rift between Senate Republican Caucus leaders and their self-proclaimed Freedom Caucus peers has complicated overall negotiations with the House on the year’s lingering policy issues, which largely include a slate of proposed 2026 ballot questions on TSET, Medicaid expansion, property tax reform and more. [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma lawmakers unveil plan to tap $1B in voter-restricted fund [Oklahoma Voice]
- Lawmakers consider reset on division of funds in tobacco settlement trust [Tulsa World]
- TSET could be saved after Oklahoma Senate makes suggestions [KFOR]
Governor’s veto could discontinue Native American education council: A statewide council on Native American education could be discontinued unless the state Legislature reverses a governor’s veto. Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday vetoed House Bill 3006, legislation that would extend the existence of the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education by another five years. State lawmakers overrode a similar veto from Stitt in 2023 and continued the Native education council until July 1 of this year. [Oklahoma Voice]
Pair of welfare immigration reporting bills fail in the Oklahoma Senate: Proposals requiring state agencies to report federal welfare applicants in Oklahoma without legal immigration status to law enforcement are dead, for now. [KOSU]
Oklahoma Senate struggles to secure votes for August ballot state questions: The Oklahoma Senate‘s second go at placing a state question to change Medicaid expansion does not yet have the votes, Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said on Thursday. Called a procedural move to “rig the rules” by Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, House Bill 4063 would order a special election on Aug. 25, a primary runoff election date leaning heavily Republican, for the state questions set forth in House Bill 4440 and House Joint Resolution 1024. [The Journal Record]
Legislative Roundup
- Gov. Stitt signs bill to double Oklahoma elementary school recess time [KOSU]
- Session Watch: Week 12 [Oklahoma Watch]
Opinion: Government shouldn’t dictate rules for political speech: Sen. Brent Howard’s recent column raises a concern that initially sounds reasonable: Voters should be able to identify who is trying to influence their vote. But his suggestion to amend the First Amendment to give incumbents new power to limit speech about government would effectively gut our right to free political speech. [David Keating / The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Power play or voter trust issue?: House Republicans this week revived their scheme to place two controversial state questions on late August’s runoff ballot … when hardly anybody typically shows up to vote. Aren’t these the same elected elites who shed crocodile tears over the low turnout for spring’s school board elections and want to move them to November’s ballot when turnout historically is highest? Yes, it is. Which leaves only one plausible explanation for their hypocrisy: it’s a bald-faced political power grab. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]
Federal Government News
US Senate GOP adopts budget blueprint laying path for billions for ICE, Border Patrol: U.S. Senate Republicans approved a budget resolution early Thursday intended to speed the way for billions for immigration enforcement, sending the measure to the House, where GOP lawmakers in that chamber need to adopt it to unlock the reconciliation process. [Oklahoma Voice]
US citizens shot by ICE beg Congress to rein in federal immigration agents: Nearly all Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee failed to show up for a Wednesday hearing convened by Democrats to highlight President Donald Trump’s aggressive tactics in his mass deportation campaign that have ensnared U.S. citizens. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump’s ‘dummymandering’ leaves US House remap in stalemate after Virginia vote: The race by each party to redraw U.S. House districts in their favor could be headed for a draw after Tuesday’s big win for Democrats in Virginia, though major shifts are still possible before crucial midterm elections in November.[Oklahoma Voice]
Voting and Election News
Oklahoma Republican Party chief under fire for endorsement: The head of the Oklahoma Republican Party is under pressure to either withdraw her endorsement in a Congressional race or resign. Four former leaders of the state GOP say the current chair, Charity Linch, inappropriately used her position to endorse Jackson Lahmeyer in the race for the open seat in Oklahoma’s First Congressional District. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Former party leaders call for Oklahoma Republican chair to remain neutral in primary or resign [KOSU]
- GOP chair endorses candidate for House, sparking calls to withdraw it or resign [The Oklahoman]
No Free Lunches: At Least 11 Republican Candidates Have Pledged to Reject Lobbyist Meals and Gifts: At least 11 legislative candidates have vowed not to accept any lobbyist meals, gifts or campaign contributions, according to an Oklahoma Watch review of campaign websites and social media pages. Some of them are challenging influential lawmakers in leadership positions, including Senate Budget Chairman Chuck Hall and Senate Education Committee Vice Chair Ally Seifried, who could be appointed to lead the committee if the chairman, Adam Pugh, is elected state superintendent. [Oklahoma Watch]
Rep. Toni Hasenbeck asks Supreme Court to punt Sen. Adam Pugh from ballot: With only a matter of days until the deadline for election boards to transmit absentee ballots to military voters, Rep. Toni Hasenbeck filed an emergency application Monday asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to invalidate the state superintendent candidacy of Sen. Adam Pugh. [NonDoc]
Education News
Oklahoma brings back third-grade retention. Here’s how Tulsa schools could be impacted: In each of Tulsa’s largest school districts, more than a quarter of third graders scored at the lowest level on reading tests last year. Under Oklahoma’s newest literacy standards, those scores will force students to repeat a grade. [Tulsa Flyer]
Health News
Rural areas are struggling to get opioid settlement grants. Oklahoma wants to change that: Metro areas and schools have been the largest winners in the first two years of Oklahoma’s effort to distribute opioid settlement funds. About 30% of the $30 million awarded has gone to Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas. That jumps to 38% when cities with more than 25,000 residents, such as Stillwater, Lawton, Bartlesville and Muskogee, are included. [Tulsa Flyer]
Justice System News
10th Circuit affirms conviction of ‘kidnapped’ Fabian Cobos Carpena after Tulsa County transfer to ICE: The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the illegal reentry conviction of Fabian Cobos Carpena on Tuesday after he was allegedly trafficked — twice — into the United States by an Oklahoma woman who abused him for more than a decade. [NonDoc]
Trooper pleads guilty, agrees to not work in law enforcement as part of plea deal: An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, who was alleged to have kicked someone in the head while he was on the job, could get probation after he pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to a felony charge linked to the assault. [Tulsa World]
Economy & Business News
Marijuana reclassification sparks big changes for Oklahoma businesses: After 89 years of considering marijuana illegal and 56 years as a Schedule I-listed drug, the U.S. government is loosening its restrictions for states that have a medical marijuana program. [The Oklahoman]
- Trump administration reclassifies marijuana, eases regulation. How is Oklahoma impacted? [The Oklahoman]
DEQ outlines air-quality permitting process for planned Inola smelter: Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality officials on Thursday night outlined the permitting process for air-quality control regarding a planned $4 billion aluminum smelter at the Port of Inola. [Tulsa World]
Local Headlines
- OKC Council votes to renew controversial police contract [The Oklahoman]
- Mayor details spending plans for $40 million in surplus Vision Tulsa funds [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“If I make a cut in Weatherford or I make a cut in Hobart or I make a cut in Shattuck, those become much more difficult because those services may be the only service that’s available for 60 miles.”
– Rich Rasmussen, CEO and president of the Oklahoma Hospital Association, speaking about how federal health care cuts from H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill) will force small hospitals to reduce services, further limiting access to care in rural Oklahoma. [The Journal Record]
Number of the Day
43%
Two in 5 Medicaid enrollees (43%) in Oklahoma live in a rural area. [KFF]
Policy Note
The State of Rural Primary Care in the United States: Primary care is facing existential challenges — from lower relative investment compared to specialty care to clinician burnout — which are particularly acute in rural communities. Rural clinician shortages, limited broadband internet, and a lack of public transportation in rural areas make it difficult for patients to get health care, either in person or virtually. These access challenges are associated with poor health outcomes, low uptake of preventive services, and overreliance on costly emergency department visits for nonurgent health needs. [The Commonwealth Fund]
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