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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
Senate divisions come to a head at session’s end (Capitol Update): Former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner was once quoted as saying that “a leader without followers is just a man taking a walk.” Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, must have found himself feeling that way at times this year. One might think that leading a Senate with 40 Republicans and only 8 Democrats would make it easy to put together a 25-vote majority any time leadership needs to. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
Oklahoma News
What to know about Oklahoma’s proposed minimum wage increase: After nearly three years of organizing, campaigning and fighting legal battles, the time has come for Oklahomans to cast their ballots on State Question 832, which will appear in the June 16 election. [KOSU]
- From OK Policy: SQ 832: Minimum Wage Increase — Information and Resources | What you need to know about the minimum wage in Oklahoma. | Get ready to vote for #SQ832 to raise the minimum wage (video)
Jury selection begins for Swadley’s owner accused of defrauding Oklahoma state parks: Nearly four years after questions surfaced about how Oklahoma’s state park restaurants were being run and paid for, the criminal case against Swadley’s Barbeque owner Brent Swadley is moving closer to trial. [Fox 25]
State Government News
TSET Investment Consultant Partnered with Russ Allies During Bid Process: Despite delivering record returns, NEPC, the longtime investment consultant for the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, was fired last year in favor of Innovest Portfolio Solutions, a firm founded by devout Catholics that serves many Catholic dioceses and religious organizations. As Innovest was under consideration for the contract to manage $2B in taxpayer funds, the firm sponsored an event for the State Financial Officers Foundation. [Oklahoma Watch]
2026 Oklahoma legislative session wraps with most controversial measures failing: State lawmakers have headed home to their districts, leaving the Oklahoma State Capitol rotunda empty for the first time in months after adjourning two weeks early. Now, eyes are on June’s primary elections and Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk where the session’s final bills pile up. [The Journal Record]
- Oklahoma Republicans fail to send Medicaid expansion ballot measure to voters before adjourning [StateImpact Oklahoma via KOSU]
Federal Government News
Tulsan went to her routine immigration check-in. She’s now facing deportation to Russia.: The day of Milana Swope’s routine immigration check-in appointment last September, her husband stayed with her in the waiting room until she was called to the back. Roger Swope, a U.S. citizen, remembers a young man calling his wife’s name for her appointment. A few minutes later, another staff member called his name. [Tulsa Flyer]
Tribal Nations News
The opioid epidemic threatened Cherokee culture. Now, it’s being used to fight back: The first tribal nation in the U.S. to sue opioid manufacturers, Cherokee Nation is using settlement money to build a culturally competent healthcare system for people struggling with addiction, including a new treatment center opening next year. [KOSU]
Supreme Court sends closely watched Native American voting rights decision back to lower court: The Supreme Court acted in a Voting Rights Act case brought by tribal nations on Monday, saying a closely watched ruling needs to be reconsidered after the high court weakened the Civil Rights-era law. [Associated Press via ICT]
Voting and Election News
US Supreme Court’s uneven rulings in election lead-up causing chaos, experts say: When the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Texas’ gerrymandered congressional map to take effect in December, its conservative majority wrote that a lower court had “improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign” when it blocked the map more than three months before the election. Now, the Supreme Court is the one upending elections. [Oklahoma Voice]
- The redistricting frenzy is scrambling the midterm elections. Here’s where things stand now. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma Voice launches voter guide ahead of June 16 primary election: Oklahoma Voice on Monday released its 2026 primary voter guide to help Oklahomans learn more about the state and federal candidates who will appear on the June 16 partisan primary election ballot. [Oklahoma Voice]
- The last day Oklahomans can register to vote in the primary is May 22. Visit the election board’s OK Voter Portal for more information.
Election Roundup
- John Cox vows to ‘Make Education Great Again’ as Oklahoma superintendent [Oklahoma Voice]
- One of these Republicans will be Tulsa County DA come November. Meet the candidates. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- McCall says Oklahoma needs him as its next governor [Southwest Ledger]
Education News
Oklahoma law creates new pathways to teacher certification: House Bill 3076 from Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, and Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, allows certification through alternative programs, including those from public schools, regional service agencies and private or nonprofit entities. [KSWO]
- Oklahoma governor signs bill expanding alternative pathways to teacher certification [Fox 25]
Gov. Stitt signed new law opening transfers. OSSAA says eligibility rules still apply: Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association executive director David Jackson pushed back over the weekend against growing misconceptions surrounding Oklahoma’s high school athletics transparency bill that was signed into law. [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma Gov. Stitt signs OSSAA bill changing student athlete transfer rules [News 9]
Gov. Stitt signs Talyn Bain Act into law to improve Oklahoma school zone safety: The new Oklahoma law allows reduced speed zones near schools located along high-speed state highways meeting specific safety criteria. [News 9]
- Glenpool boy’s legacy inspires new Oklahoma school zone law [News on 6]
Tulsa Public Schools budget shortfall starting to shrink: At Monday night’s meeting, interim Chief Financial Officer Dwayne Thompson told Tulsa Public Schools’ board of education that while the district will still need to pull money from its fund balance to get through the fiscal year, it is on track to be less than the $17 million projected earlier this semester. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma Catholic virtual school will not open next academic year: Oklahoma’s first Catholic virtual school will not open this fall after school leaders determined enrollment numbers were too low to sustain operations in its first year. [News on 6]
Justice System News
Lawsuit demands Tulsa County DA release records in Glossip death penalty case: A new lawsuit demands transparency from Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler over his handling of records in the Richard Glossip death penalty case, and raises concerning claims about the way he and other district attorneys conduct business. [2 News Oklahoma]
- Lawsuit filed against Tulsa County DA over Glossip records requests [Fox 23]
Kim Kardashian posts $50K to free Richard Glossip after 29 years on Oklahoma death row: Richard Glossip walked out of the Oklahoma County Detention Center a free man on May 15 for the first time since his arrest in 1997, after reality television star and criminal justice advocate Kim Kardashian paid $50,000 to secure his release. [The Journal Record]
Oklahoma sheriffs back Johnson in inmate transport fight: The Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association is siding with Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III in his legal fight with Attorney General Gentner Drummond over who is responsible for getting county jail inmates to and from court proceedings. [The Oklahoman]
Workers fired over COVID vaccines to split $4.25 million lawsuit settlement: Forty-three workers who were fired from a Broken Arrow company during the COVID-19 pandemic because they weren’t vaccinated will split a $4.25 million federal lawsuit settlement. [Tulsa World]
Community News
Marilyn Luper, Peace City embrace victims, families of Arcadia Lake shooting in Edmond: Following the Arcadia Lake shooting that affected 23 families in Edmond, Oklahoma, earlier this month, activist leaders are speaking out. [The Journal Record]
Local Headlines
- deadCenter 2026 to spotlight OKC’s film scene with major names, premieres [The Oklahoman]
- ‘Ideas for Change’ to expand Tulsa residents’ role in identifying, solving local challenges [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“Every version of the proposed legislation under consideration represented a retreat from what Oklahoma voters decided in 2020. The proposals were based on both the speculation that Medicaid expansion will require a larger future proportionate investment by the state and based on a defeatist attitude that future funding could only be sustained by weakening the program.”
—Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said about the Republican-led effort to remove SoonerCare (Medicaid) expansion from the Oklahoma Constitution — a mandate from voters in 2020. None of the four state questions proposed by lawmakers made it to the finish line before they adjourned last week. [KOSU]
Number of the Day
1.2 million
The number of people choosing a Marketplace plan for 2026 fell for the first time since 2020 by 1.2 million people, or 5 percent, as a result of higher premiums. A few states have already reported a significant number of people dropping Marketplace coverage this year, with declines since January ranging from 9 percent in Pennsylvania to 28 percent in Georgia. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
Policy Note
Higher Marketplace Premiums Take a Toll on Enrollment and on Marketplace Enrollees: Congressional Republicans failed to extend Premium Tax Credit (PTC) enhancements at the end of 2025, and now the harm of higher marketplace premium costs is beginning to show up. Enrollment has plummeted, and many families are making tough tradeoffs to afford health care along with other basic needs. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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