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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
Oklahoma’s legislature missed key opportunities to address housing crisis: While state lawmakers took no meaningful action to address housing instability, they deserve credit for rejecting efforts to further criminalize homelessness and reduce services. These proposals would have made it even more difficult to keep Oklahomans housed. [Sabine Brown / OK Policy]
State Government News
Gov. Stitt: Tribes probably want sports betting only after he leaves office: People who like to bet on basketball or other sports won’t get to place wagers legally in Oklahoma anytime soon — and possibly not until after Gov. Kevin Stitt leaves office. [Tulsa World]
Court halts controversial Oklahoma immigration law that would create new state charge: Oklahoma can’t enforce a controversial state immigration law while a related lawsuit works its way through court, a federal judge in Oklahoma City has ruled. [The Oklahoman]
- Enforcement of Oklahoma immigration law blocked indefinitely [Oklahoma Voice]
Stitt, city leaders dismayed, disappointed, sad about Drummond’s refugee remarks: Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s call for Gov. Stitt to remove all Afghan refugees who entered the state through a Biden administration humanitarian resettlement program was met in Tulsa with disbelief, confusion and a few choice words not fit for print. [Tulsa World]
- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond calls for expulsion of all Afghan refugees [The Oklahoman]
New Oklahoma laws aim to prevent foreign litigation funding, put cap on non-economic damages: Business leaders say two pieces of legislation recently signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt will help them navigate Oklahoma’s commercial legal environment. [The Journal Record]
Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Legislative session recap, mental health agency budget issues, curtailing Ryan Walters’ power: The panel talks about the recently wrapped legislative session, the troubled state mental health agency and how Gov. Kevin Stitt and lawmakers tried to curtail the power of State Superintendent Ryan Walters. The trio also discusses Stitt’s high-use of the veto pen and how state lawmakers responded, and discuss their highs and lows of the session. [KOSU]
Opinion: Oklahoma women get win from Legislature with expanded birth control access: Allowing women to make fewer trips to the pharmacy doesn’t seem like a big win, but it is in Oklahoma when it’s for birth control. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Opinion: Is the Oklahoma Legislature reasserting Its Constitutional role?: So, the chihuahuas abruptly morphed into pit bulls. Bullied by Gov. Kevin Stitt all session long, lawmakers tore into the governor as adjournment neared with a ferocity not seen since … well, since Democrats ruled Oklahoma and were renowned for intra-party cage matches. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]
Federal Government News
‘He. Is. Lying.’ Republican blasted for spinning Medicaid cuts as ‘transitioning: U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) is receiving strong criticism for his claim that Republicans’ budget legislation does not remove millions of Medicaid users from the program, but rather “transitions” them to employer-based health care programs. [AlterNet]
Oklahoma Job Corps sites get temporary reprieve from closure: At least for now, a federal court order has blocked the closure of three Oklahoma Job Corps sites. [Tulsa World]
Education Secretary Won’t Say If She Knows What The Tulsa Race Massacre Is: Education Secretary Linda McMahon deflected when asked if she knew what the Tulsa Race Massacre was during a Wednesday congressional hearing, telling lawmakers that she intends to “look into it more.” McMahon’s response comes as Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) pressed her about history lessons that would be considered “illegal DEI” by the Trump administration. [HuffPost]
The effect of proposed federal budget cuts on vulnerable seniors: President Trump’s massive tax bill – the one he calls the Big, Beautiful Bill – could cut more than $700 million from Medicaid. Millions of older Americans with low incomes rely on Medicaid to take care of home health expenses their Medicare coverage does not. [NPR]
Tribal Nations News
Osage Nation seeks full control of minerals estate amid federal cuts: The Osage Nation is trying to take full control of its mineral estate from the Bureau of Indian Affairs amid proposed federal spending cuts. [KOSU]
Cheat sheet: From Honolulu to Tulsa, 4 campaign in at-large Cherokee Nation election: Incumbent Tribal Councilor Johnny Jack Kidwell will face three challengers during the June 7 election to represent the Cherokee Nation at large — with one hailing all the way from Hawaii. [NonDoc]
Cheat Sheet: Haley Buzzard challenges Melvina Shotpouch for Cherokee Nation District 10: Incumbent Cherokee Nation District 10 Councilor Melvina Shotpouch is facing challenger Haley Buzzard in her June 7 bid for reelection to the Tribal Council. [NonDoc]
Voting and Election News
HD 71 special election: Beverly Atteberry, Amanda Clinton tout professional experiences: A Democratic public relations specialist and Republican attorney are competing in a June 10 special election to represent HD 71, an urban district in Tulsa running along the east side of the Arkansas River. [NonDoc]
HD 74 special election: Amy Hossain, Kevin Norwood campaign in Owasso: Democrat Amy Hossain and Republican Kevin Norwood are campaigning in an HD 74 special election to represent the Owasso area after former Rep. Mark Vancuren resigned to serve as a deputy county commissioner in Tulsa County. [NonDoc]
Listen Frontier: Polling shows Gentner Drummond with a large lead over fellow Republicans in the 2026 race for governor (audio): A year out from the 2026 primary elections, three names have emerged as leaders to be Oklahoma’s next Republican candidate for governor. The catch? Only one of them has officially declared their candidacy. [The Frontier]
Opinion: Oklahoma’s new ballot initiative law just priced democracy out of your reach: Lawmakers claimed the new ballot law was meant to prevent outside interests from influencing Oklahoma’s laws. In reality, those are the only groups with the resources to meet the law’s demands. [Meghan Cox / The Oklahoman]
Education News
What’s coming to Oklahoma education after the 2025 legislative session? StateImpact has the highlights: This year’s legislative session did not see the budget fireworks of 2024 or the historic education funding of 2023, but lawmakers still managed to add $25 million into the state funding formula, along with new programs and regulations. [KOSU]
Walters repeats demand for data on undocumented students: Despite objections from both the federal Department of Homeland Security and the Oklahoma Legislature, State Superintendent Ryan Walters reiterated Thursday night that he wants information about the cost of providing a public education to undocumented students. [Tulsa World]
Health News
‘Total freefall’: Oklahoma faces deadline to fix broken mental health system: As deadlines approach, wait times for severe mental illness treatment continue to be months long, and Department of Mental Health officials have at times been unresponsive to requests for updates, defense attorneys representing clients across the state said. The agency has also been dealing with a financial crisis that led to the firing of its leader. [KOSU]
Criminal Justice News
Double Jeopardy: Two Levels of Justice in Rural Oklahoma: The legal entanglements of a Texas County mother and son — stories separated by a quarter century — illustrate the bifurcated nature of justice in rural Oklahoma, where who you know can make all the difference in the kind of justice you receive. [Oklahoma Watch]
ODOC to purchase Lawton Correctional Facility, take over operations in July: The Oklahoma Department of Corrections plans to purchase the Lawton Correctional Facility and take over operations by July 25. The facility is currently owned by the GEO Group and is the last privately run prison used by the state. [KGOU]
- State next month to take control of Oklahoma private prison [Oklahoma Voice]
Brent Swadley asks judge to kick AG, assistants off his criminal conspiracy case: The owner of Swadley’s Bar-B-Q wants Attorney General Gentner Drummond removed from his criminal case. Brent Swadley is accusing Drummond of making improper prejudicial statements about the case as he runs for governor. [The Oklahoman]
Cleveland County sheriff takes ‘full responsibility’ for inmate’s mistaken release: A convicted robber, who was in jail awaiting trial on a kidnapping charge, was released by mistake in April from the Cleveland County Detention Center. Sheriff Chris Amason blamed a clerical error. [The Oklahoman]
- Cleveland County Sheriff says no layoffs needed despite lower budget approval [KFOR]
Judge orders release of remaining Tulsa police discipline records to The Frontier: Tulsa County District Judge Caroline Wall said she did not see a “significant difference” between records already produced by the City of Tulsa and those the Tulsa Fraternal Order of Police sought to keep private. [The Frontier]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Bartlesville passes ordinance banning public bathing, camping and lying on sidewalks: A unanimous vote June 2 from Bartlesville city councilors saw the passage of an ordinance targeting the unhoused population of the city, even as a city task force was authorized to continue its work to find solutions that don’t criminalize poverty and those suffering from mental health issues. [Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise]
Economy & Business News
Two data centers in the works for Tulsa area: The Tulsa area already has one data center in the works, and after Wednesday, it’s a step closer to having two. The city’s planning commission on Wednesday unanimously approved the land use for Project Clydesdale, which would put a data center near East 76th Street North and North Sheridan Road. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Stitt, Chickasha leaders announce “transformative” industrial park, power venture—but offer few specifics: Gov. Stitt, along with Chickasha leaders, announced plans for a massive industrial park and power generation partnership in Chickasha, calling it a transformative $3.5 billion investment—but offered few specifics about what exactly is coming, and when. [KFOR]
Community News
Oklahoma communities large, small celebrate Pride Month with events: Oklahoma Pride events are taking place in urban and rural communities this month. Rural Oklahoma Pride is an organization that helps people in different areas put on Pride events, and it shares information about other celebrations at any time of the year. [KOSU]
Youth shelter meeting terms of federal funding contract despite commissioner’s claims, director says: The executive director of a nonprofit Oklahoma City youth homeless shelter stripped of $375,000 in federal pandemic funding says the organization is in compliance with its agreement with Oklahoma County despite claims made by Commissioner Jason Lowe. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma’s Heartland Flyer to suspend service after funding not forthcoming: Passenger rail service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth is expected to end on or before Oct. 1, transportation officials said Thursday. The announcement comes after the Texas Legislature declined to continue funding for its share of the 206-mile route. [Oklahoma Voice]
New safety guidelines available for major Oklahoma events: As Oklahoma City prepares to host the first games of this year’s NBA Finals, Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday announced the launch of new security protocols for major events developed by the Secure Oklahoma NOW advisory council. [Oklahoma Voice]
Local Headlines
- Advocates for longtime mediation program urge City of Tulsa not to cut funding [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa Community Foundation to donate profits from vintage car collection sold at Mecum Auction [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“What they suffer sitting in a county jail – literally languishing in an environment that will only make their condition worse – is absolutely unacceptable.”
– Debbie Maddox, Executive Director for the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System, speaking about the state’s shortage of mental health services is leaving people with severe mental illness stuck in county jails waiting for treatment are charged with low-level crimes. [KOSU]
Number of the Day
40%
The proposed cut to federal rental aid in the latest White House budget plan, which essentially would end Section 8 and other housing voucher programs. Its plan calls for cutting rental aid by about 40% and sending that money to states “to design their own rental assistance programs based on their unique needs and preferences.” It would also impose a two-year cap on rental assistance for able-bodied adults, which it said would ensure an even bigger share of federal subsidies went to the elderly and disabled. [NPR]
Policy Note
The Trump Administration Has Proposed $27 Billion in Cuts by Block Granting Housing Assistance. That Could Worsen the Housing Affordability Crisis: The president’s budget proposed combining five federal housing assistance programs into one block grant—a move that would immediately and dramatically reduce the number of assisted households. Any change that turns housing assistance programs into a single block grant would scale back already limited assistance at a time when housing is increasingly unaffordable for many. [Urban Institute]
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