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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
Lawsuit challenges constitutionality of new business court law (Captiol Update): It didn’t take long for a challenge to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s new business courts to be filed in the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The lawsuit, filed last week, asked the court to declare the law — which is scheduled to go into effect September 1 — unconstitutional on several grounds. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
Oklahoma News
What new Oklahoma laws go into effect today?: Dozens of new state laws went into effect today. Here are some of the noteworthy pieces of legislation going into the next fiscal year. [KOSU]
- 100 new Oklahoma laws take effect on July 1, 2025 [KOCO]
Get Out! Oklahoma’s Eviction Timeline is One of the Fastest in the Nation: With the sixth-highest rate of evictions in the United States, Oklahoma evicts tenants at a significantly faster rate than most of the country. Senate Bill 128 sought to address that issue, but was vetoed by Gov. Kevin Stitt. [Oklahoma Watch]
State Government News
Lawmakers aim to increase CareerTech access for Oklahoma National Guard, but allocated no funding: Oklahoma National Guard members may be eligible for tuition assistance to pay for CareerTech programs, but lawmakers did not allocate funding to pay for the program in its first budget year. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma Lobbyists Spent Big During the 2025 Legislative Session: Oklahoma lobbyists spent more than $220,000 on food and beverages for lawmakers during the 2025 legislative session. The $222,300 in spending, reported from January 1 to May 31, is a 13.6% increase from the first five months of 2024. [Oklahoma Watch]
Judge awards KFOR’s lawyers more than $170K in fees following lawsuit against Ryan Walters: A federal judge has ordered state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters and his former spokesman to pay more than $170,000 in attorneys’ fees to lawyers that successfully represented Oklahoma City television station KFOR in a First Amendment lawsuit last year. [The Oklahoman]
Gov. Stitt’s fluoride recommendation: What it means for your water, reaction from Oklahoma dentists: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt’s ‘Make Oklahoma Healthy Again’ initiative includes directing the Oklahoma State Department of Health to stop recommending fluoride in public water systems. [News on 6]
Editorial: Performance audits of OK agencies should be required ― not optional: Government is working best when you notice it least. Like your car, your cell phone, your air conditioning system ― you just want government agencies to do the job they were established to do without a lot of fuss, operating smoothly and cost effectively. Sadly, what we’ve been seeing lately at both the federal and state level is a mess. [The Oklahoman Editorial Board]
Federal Government News
US Senate kicks off vote-a-rama on massive tax and spending cut bill: The U.S. Senate launched a marathon amendment voting session Monday during which lawmakers will debate dozens of proposals from Republicans and Democrats that could significantly reshape the “big, beautiful bill” even as a final vote nears. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Changes made to AI moratorium amid bill’s ‘vote-a-rama’ [Oklahoma Voice]
- How the Senate’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ differs from the House’s version [The National News Desk]
- US Senate launches debate on GOP mega-bill, but passage still not assured [Oklahoma Voice]
- “Big Beautiful Bill” Vote Looms Amid Uproar Over Program Cuts [The Black Wall Street Times]
- One, Big Beautiful Bill ‘Vote-a-rama’: What you need to know [News 9]
Another GOP senator warns Medicaid cuts could boomerang on Republicans: Justice said he’s worried about political repercussions if Republicans go much further in cutting Medicaid spending — revealing that Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) isn’t the only Republican senator worried that Medicaid cuts could boomerang politically on the party. [The Hill]
Latest version of Trump’s mega bill sparks concerns among Oklahoma lawmakers: The latest version of President Trump’s mega bill makes deeper cuts to Medicaid, provides substantial funding for border security, and significant tax cuts for the wealthy. In Oklahoma, state lawmakers are raising concerns about how those cuts can impact people in the Sooner State. [KSWO]
- How Trump’s big bill could leave states scrambling to cover federal funding cuts [Associated Press]
- Proposed federal food aid cuts could overwhelm Oklahoma nonprofits, leaders warn: ‘A very scary time’ [News 9]
- How Medicaid cuts could impact rural hospitals (audio) [KOSU]
Supreme Court throws out appellate rulings in favor of transgender people in 4 states: The Supreme Court on Monday threw out appellate rulings in favor of transgender people in four states following the justices’ recent decision upholding a Tennessee ban on certain medical treatment for transgender youths. The high court ordered appellate judges to reexamine cases from Idaho, North Carolina, Oklahoma and West Virginia involving access to medical care and birth certificates. [Associated Press]
Opinion: President Trump is behaving like a dictator contrary to the U.S. Constitution: The “No Kings” protests have a clear message, resonating with the dissents in the birthright case: Trump’s authoritarianism has no place in our democracy. It is dangerous not only in itself, but also because of the violence it unleashes. Now is the time for protest. [Nancy E. Snow / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
How two tribes — polar opposites in size — are impacting their communities, Oklahoma: At the opposite ends of both size and geographical location within Oklahoma, the Wyandotte Nation and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma share similar economic development goals that reach beyond their reservations. The two tribes are implementing initiatives that seek to improve education, health and economic opportunities in the rural communities where they are based. [The Oklahoman]
Coalition of Tribes Urge Senators to VOTE YES on Amendment to Preserve Critical Tribal Energy Funding: On Monday evening, the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy led a national coalition of Tribal Nations and organizations in calling on the U.S. Senate to support Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-NV) Amendment 2816, which would preserve essential funding for the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program (TELGP). [Native News Online]
Cheat sheet: Seminole Nation Chief Lewis Johnson faces 5 challengers: Five candidates are challenging incumbent Chief Lewis Johnson to lead the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma in this year’s July 12 election, which also features races for assistant chief and several band chiefs, who compose the tribe’s legislative body. [NonDoc]
Large mixed-use development planned for Riverside Parkway near River Spirit Casino: The Muscogee Nation received approval Monday to move forward with plans to seek financial incentives from the city to build a 37-acre mixed-use project on the east side of Riverside Parkway near the River Spirit Casino. [Tulsa World]
Education News
Despite some dissent, Oklahoma City school board approves cellphone ban: The board voted 5-1 to restrict student cellphone use throughout the entire school day. Students will be allowed to have cellphones or other personal electronic devices on school premises, on school transportation and at school-sponsored activities, but they are forbidden from using the devices from the morning bell until dismissal at the end of the day. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma City schools implement new cellphone policy for students [KOCO]
John Rex Charter School plans to build a high school in downtown OKC: A downtown charter school plans to expand to 12th grade and more than double its enrollment during the next eight years, Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education members have learned. [The Oklahoman]
Health News
U.S. Supreme Court declines review of Oklahoma law regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a lower court’s decision regarding an Oklahoma pharmacy law. A 2023 ruling by the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals will stand after the nation’s highest court denied certiorari in the legal dispute over Oklahoma’s Patient’s Right to Pharmacy Choice Act, which regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). [The Journal Record]
Opinion: Medicare, Medicaid funding critical for survival of rural Oklahoma hospitals: As the Senate prepares to take action on the “Big Beautiful Bill,” I urge you – implore you – not to overlook your fellow Oklahomans who live in the most rural corners of our great state. These communities, though often quiet and humble, are the backbone of Oklahoma-and they are in real danger. [Brian Whitfield / Southwest Ledger]
Criminal Justice News
Mannford police falsely claim Bristow mom drove at them in deadly car chase: Two Mannford police officers misled colleagues by falsely alleging a driver had tried to run over them when she fled a traffic stop for a paper tag issue, a Tulsa World investigation shows. [Tulsa World]
Norman police investigating death of 61-year-old man after he died in custody: Police are investigating the in-custody death of a 61-year-old homeless man after what officials believed to be a sudden medical issue. [The Oklahoman]
- After two arrests in two days, man dies after arrival at Cleveland County jail [Fox 25]
Two Oklahomans indicted in fraud scheme targeting major retailers, local businesses: A multicounty grand jury has indicted two Oklahomans in an alleged fraud scheme spanning several counties and totaling more than $21,000. [The Oklahoman]
Economic Opportunity News
Worker confidence sinks below pandemic levels, survey says: American workers are feeling even worse about their finances, job prospects and career outlooks than they did during the early days of the pandemic, according to LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence survey. [The Journal Record]
Community News
Oklahoma Black Towns Juneteenth Rhythm & Blues Festival celebrates community: As the sun set behind the park’s trees, people unfolded lawn chairs to enjoy live music at the Oklahoma Black Towns Juneteenth Rhythm & Blues Festival. Near the stage, people enjoyed food, laughed and played games, while some popped and waved fans in a line dance on the grass. [KOSU]
Local Headlines
- New fire contract makes Lawton competitive, city officials say [The Lawton Constitution]
- Over $170k awarded to develop plan for safer streets in Shawnee [KFOR]
Quote of the Day
“We believe that no American should lose access to basic healthcare simply because of where they live. This is not about politics — this is about people.”
– Brian Whitfield, President and CEO of McCurtain Memorial Hospital, writing to Senators Mullin and Lankford ahead of the Senate reconciliation vote, urging them to consider the impact of the big congressional budget bill on small, rural communities. He warned that the bill’s proposed cuts to Medicaid and Medicare would endanger both rural hospitals and the people who rely on them. [Southwest Ledger]
Number of the Day
5.09%
The Medicaid improper payment rate in 2024. Nearly 80% of these improper payments stemmed from missing documentation — not fraud. [The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services]
Policy Note
Medicaid is Even Leaner as Accountability Improves: Medicaid continues to operate as a highly efficient, tightly managed program — with recent accountability measures enhancing payment integrity and reducing waste. However, proposed deep cuts or tightened eligibility rules would risk stripping vital care from low-income families, older adults, and people with disabilities, shifting costs onto states and undermining both service access and overall health outcomes. [National Health Law Program]
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