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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.
Oklahoma News
In Reversal, Oklahoma Medicaid Agency Plans $218 Million in Provider Cuts: Just days after its board approved a flat budget with no provider cuts for the new fiscal year, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority told the federal government it plans to cut more than $200 million in payments to state hospitals under the state’s Medicaid program. [Oklahoma Watch]
To protect its drinking water, this city has to appeal to the oil regulators that put it at risk: Oklahoma restricts oil field wastewater injection within a half-mile of public water wells. Regulators have let companies do it anyway. But in the city of Enid, officials are pushing back against one of the state’s biggest industries. [The Frontier and ProPublica]
State Government News
Oklahoma sovereign wealth fund projected to reach $670M by 2032: On Tuesday, the Invest in Oklahoma Board met for the first time since the legislature complied with Gov. Kevin Stitt’s call for a sovereign wealth fund, a $200 million investment plan to reduce reliance on the state income tax. The fund is projected to grow to more than $670 million in five years, according to estimates provided by the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services, the state’s administrative and operational backbone. [The Journal Record]
Here are the Oklahoma state agencies, advisory boards facing sunset as of July 1: Several Oklahoma agencies and councils are at risk of shutting down after Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed several bills that would have extended their sunset dates past 2026. July 1, the first day of the state’s 2026-27 fiscal year, marks the sunset date for the affected organizations, which span public media, environmental advisory councils and a professional regulatory board. [KOSU]
Oklahoma launching extended foster care program through age 21: At the beginning of the month, Governor Stitt signed Senate Bill 1806, launching Oklahoma’s new extended foster care program. On July 1, the program goes live, which allows eligible youth to continue receiving foster care services through the age of 21, including Medicaid, a monthly stipend, and case worker support. [KFOR]
Federal Government News
Senate farm bill draft focuses on farm economy, keeps ‘Big Beautiful’ SNAP cuts: Nearly two months after the U.S. House passed a farm bill proposal, the Senate Agriculture Committee has released an initial draft of the omnibus legislation that covers everything from crop insurance to nutrition assistance. [Oklahoma Voice]
Supreme Court Roundup
- US Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump order [Oklahoma Voice]
- US Supreme Court upholds transgender athlete bans in Idaho, West Virginia [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Five Oklahoma tribes awarded $1.6 million in housing grant for repairs, new construction: Five Oklahoma tribes have been awarded a total of $1.6 million in grant money to support affordable housing and community development projects. Tribal leaders with the Cheyenne and Arapaho, Iowa, Osage Nation, Otoe-Missouria and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians plan to use the money to improve housing conditions or accessibility for veterans and older or impoverished members. [Oklahoma Voice]
Education News
Oklahoma education secretary departing for University of Texas: Oklahoma Education Secretary Dan Hamlin will join the UT College of Education as its dean on Aug. 16, the university announced Monday. Hamlin, an education policy professor at the University of Oklahoma, is the fifth person to fill the key advisory role in the governor’s Cabinet since Stitt took office in 2019. [Oklahoma Voice]
School budgets 101: Where the money comes from, where it goes and how it changes through the year: When school’s out for the summer, districts remain hard at work planning how to keep the lights on, students learning and teachers paid come August. It requires a complicated network of funds that ebb and flow throughout the year. Preliminary budgets rolled out in June and July are often more like educated guesses, administrators say. [Tulsa Flyer]
Health News
Parkside addresses mental health care gap by making youth patients its sole focus: Tulsa has been notoriously short of youth mental health beds for years. As of Wednesday, a hospital has stepped up to fill the gap. [Tulsa World]
Justice System News
Danny Seibel, Cody Cordell plead guilty in Lindsay bank fraud case, Shaun Christian charges pending: More than 18 months after the First National Bank of Lindsay failed and left community members with more questions than answers, two men have pleaded guilty in federal court while a third has been charged with fraud and money laundering. [NonDoc]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
PSO residential customers to see $11 increase amid company’s rate case: As state regulators review PSO’s latest rate proposal, the company is temporarily hiking up average monthly bills starting Wednesday. The utility said in an email to customers the increase comes from investments that are “strengthening reliability and building a more resilient energy grid for the future.” [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Economy & Business News
Opinion: AI can increase productivity, but can’t replace human purpose: A few weeks after graduation season, many college graduates are asking a troubling question: Where are the jobs? Employers say they cannot find qualified talent while graduates struggle to find meaningful opportunities. At the same time, artificial intelligence is reshaping the workplace faster than many institutions can respond. During a recent trip to Phoenix, Arizona, I experienced a glimpse of that future. [Daryl D. Green / The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Inola hits pause on smelter after weighing resident pushback, Trump support [KOSU]
- Tulsa launches its pre-approved housing plans program [Tulsa World]
- Police chief outlines criminal probe finding no wrongdoing in Coweta [Tulsa World]
- Yukon residents demand mayor’s resignation at fiery city council meeting over data center land deal [KFOR]
Quote of the Day
“The stressors that hit children today are so immeasurably higher than anything I ever had to deal with at those ages. And so between substances and the access to everything online and the way things work, it can be really stressful. And so we have to up our game as the world ups its game.”
– Jim Serratt, CEO of Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic, speaking about why the hospital shifted its focus from caring for patients of all ages to exclusively accepting inpatient admissions for those ages 5 to 17. He believes his team is helping fill a critical gap in youth mental health care across Oklahoma. [Tulsa World]
Number of the Day
53.1%
More than half of Oklahoma youth who experienced a major depressive episode did not receive any mental health treatment. That ranks Oklahoma 36th in the nation, highlighting ongoing gaps in access to care and the need to ensure every young person can get the mental health support they need when they need it. [Mental Health America]
Policy Note
2025 State Legislation Issue Brief Series: Trends in Access to Mental Health Care State Policy: There continues to be a mental health crisis in the U.S., yet too many people still face barriers to getting care. In 2025, states continued working to address growing challenges in accessing mental health services. With federal funding cuts looming, prioritizing mental health and investing in innovative solutions will be critical to ensuring people can get the care they need. Expanding access to treatment and services as early as possible can reduce crises and ultimately save lives. [National Alliance on Mental Illness]
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