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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
Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women Awareness Day: Oklahoma has improved its framework, but are Native women actually safer?: Over the last five years, Oklahoma has taken more steps to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis than it had in decades before. Tribal Nations, Indigenous women, and Native advocates pushed this issue into public view. They refused to be ignored, prompting greater awareness and systems to address violence against Native women. The question now is not whether the topic is getting more attention. The question is whether that attention has yet made Indigenous women meaningfully safer. Data limitations leave us without a clear answer, making it difficult to know whether recent policy changes are actually improving safety or where further action is needed. [Taylor Broadbent / OK Policy]
Oklahoma News
‘We are dismayed’: Oklahoma doctors, patients respond to potential Medicaid expansion changes: Nearly six years ago, Oklahoma voters approved a state question to expand eligibility for Medicaid, also known as SoonerCare, to low-income adults. Now, state lawmakers want them to reconsider. [KOSU]
- From OK Policy: SoonerCare is a lifeline Oklahoma can’t afford to lose | From the archives: Medicaid Matters: Celebrating Expanded Health Care Access in Oklahoma (video)
Oklahoma lawmakers to make final changes to data center customer protection bill: House Bill 2992, signed on to by more than 30 lawmakers from both aisles, was sent to a conference committee for adjustments last week. Introduced by Rep. Brad Boles, R-Marlow, the Data Center Customer Protection Act of 2026 seeks to keep data center grid connection costs from being passed on to regular Oklahomans. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
State Government News
‘Bipartisan package’: 8 bills try to limit contract misuse: When the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector’s Office released an audit last summer revealing government agencies misused nearly $100 million, Rep. Judd Strom set off on a quest. State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd found two state agencies had misspent $85 million of American Rescue Plan Act dollars. [NonDoc]
Bank with ties to Oklahoma governor not connected to state debit card program, officials say: A bank with ties to Oklahoma’s governor is not involved in a state employee debit card program, the state treasurer and the financial institution’s leaders said. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma Heartland Flyer again in jeopardy: The Oklahoma Department of Transportation requested $2.5 million more to operate the Heartland Flyer, but the Legislature did not allocate any money in the upcoming fiscal year budget to pay for the Amtrak passenger rail service, said Jared Schwennesen, the ODOT’s multi-modal division manager. [Oklahoma Voice]
Legislative Roundup
- Oklahoma teacher pay raise bill headed to governor’s desk [StateImpact Oklahoma via Public Radio Tulsa]
- Bill hiking minimum salary for teachers heads to Oklahoma governor [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma lawmakers address end to production of the penny [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma House, Senate plan to adjourn early [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Oklahoma reading measure likely will do more harm than good: Since the 1980s, scholarly experts have explained why the policies, now known as the “Mississippi Miracle,” which the Oklahoma law is based on, could cause more harm to students’ reading comprehension than benefits. Now, Oklahoma is going full steam ahead toward a learning culture that produces brief increases in test scores that are gone by eighth grade. [John Thompson / The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
US Supreme Court issues temporary stay preserving nationwide abortion drug access: The U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary stay on an appeals court ruling from Friday that was blocking remote access to an abortion drug, restoring access until at least May 11. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Muscogee Nation appeals decision about state authority to prosecute non-member tribal citizens: The Muscogee Nation is appealing a decision about prosecutorial power over tribal citizens who commit crimes that do not fall under the Major Crimes Act on a disparate reservation. The issue central to the lawsuit is whether Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler can assert concurrent criminal jurisdiction on the Muscogee Nation reservation over tribal members who aren’t Muscogee. [KOSU]
Why Native Americans Wear Red and March on May 5th: While many Americans spend May 5 celebrating Cinco de Mayo, a day that commemorates the Mexican army’s unexpected victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, Native Americans and their allies across Indian Country will spend May 5 wearing red shirts to commemorate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Awareness Day. [Native News Online]
- Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Awareness Day Events Near You [Native News Online]
Voting and Election News
Activists, officials in OKC protest Supreme Court decision on voting rights: Activists and Civil Rights leaders joined state legislators outside the federal courthouse in downtown OKC Friday to protest against the US Supreme Court’s decision overturning a key element of the Voting Rights Act. [Oklahoma City Free Press]
Cindy Byrd alleges Todd Russ and Harold Hamm are related amid endorsement: After oil magnate Harold Hamm endorsed incumbent Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ on Wednesday, state treasurer candidate State Auditor Cindy Byrd alleged he and Hamm were related, claiming it as cause. [The Journal Record]
Education News
Oklahoma Falling Behind 40 States in Getting College Stopouts Back to Class: In Oklahoma, there are 413,576 stopouts aged 18-65. But the 8,645 who returned to college in 2023-24 represented a decrease of nearly 14% compared to the year before. [Oklahoma Watch]
It’s Teachers Appreciation Week. Where to find freebies, deals in Oklahoma: It’s Teacher Appreciation Week from Monday, May 4, to Friday, May 8, which is a time to celebrate everyday heroes who continuously show up and give their time, care and attention to all the minds they nurture. [The Oklahoman]
Justice System News
Arcadia Lake shooting leaves at least 23 injured. What we know so far: At least 23 people were injured after a mass shooting during a party near Arcadia Lake on Sunday night, Edmond officials said. [The Oklahoman]
- Edmond mass shooting may have started with a fight, organizer says [The Oklahoman]
- Images show aftermath of mass shooting at Arcadia Lake in Edmond, OK [The Oklahoman]
OK County jail settles civil rights lawsuit for $7M in 2021 jail murder: The trust reached the settlement on Thursday, April 30, avoiding the risk of an even bigger judgment against the county at the trial. One longtime trustee warned in March the verdict at trial could go as high as $75 million. [The Oklahoman]
Two Choctaw officers on leave following alleged inappropriate contact with juvenile: Two Choctaw police officers have been placed on administrative leave as the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office conducts a criminal investigation regarding alleged inappropriate contact with a juvenile in March. [KFOR]
Man arrested in home without warrant can take case to trial, judge rules: Two Creek County Sheriff Office’s employees, who took part in the warrantless arrest of a man reported to be naked and waving a gun earlier on his property, are not entitled to qualified immunity, a judge has ruled. [Tulsa World]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Boomers lead surge of new residents moving to Oklahoma: The real estate market is feeling a boost as Oklahoma remains a top migration destination for interstate moves. Armed with remote work, out-of-state salaries and a desire for breathing room, people are fleeing expensive coastal markets like California and Texas. [The Journal Record]
‘Anything helps’ How small Stamp Out Hunger donations add up: When it comes to giving to charity, there’s no shortage of clever sayings that can describe how communities come together to make a difference, but when it comes to Stamp Out Hunger neighborhood giving may best be described by a phrase commonly used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — small actions, big impact. [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Local officials celebrate $27 million investment in north Tulsa parks [Tulsa World]
- They used to take the bus to southeast Tulsa. New route changes make it more difficult. [Tulsa Flyer]
- More details outlined for Claremore data center during public meeting; vote set for May 18 [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“When policymakers cannot measure what works, they cannot effectively evaluate programs, allocate resources, or ensure accountability. To truly address this issue, Oklahoma needs sustained investment, better data, and better relations with our Tribal Nations and Tribal citizens.”
—Taylor Broadbent, Tribal-State Policy Analyst for OK Policy, examining why Oklahoma’s structural progress on missing and murdered Indigenous women has not yet been matched by data that can confirm Native women are safer. [OK Policy]
Number of the Day
84.3%
The percentage of Native women who experience violence at some point in their lives. Of those cases, 97% are committed by someone of a different race. [National Institute of Justice]
Policy Note
Blame the System, not the Victim: Understanding the Lack of Advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: Violence against Indigenous women and girls is widespread, yet public advocacy remains limited, particularly among non-Indigenous populations. This gap is linked to the lack of recognition and visibility of Native communities in mainstream understanding, which contributes to minimizing racism and shifting blame onto victims rather than systemic factors. These attitudes reduce empathy and make it easier to disengage from the crisis. As a result, the limited response reflects broader societal patterns that obscure harm and weaken accountability for violence against Indigenous communities. [Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin]
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