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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
Rep. Danny Williams under investigation for ‘serious allegations’ of ‘improper behavior’: Following a six-week private investigation into “serious allegations” of “improper behavior” by Rep. Danny Williams, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert is referring the matter to the House Rules Committee for review and consideration of potential expulsion proceedings. [NonDoc]
- Republican lawmaker under investigation for “improper conduct” [KFOR]
State Government News
Texts from Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner raise questions over CompSource conversion: Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready privately discussed legislation enabling CompSource Mutual Insurance Company’s controversial conversion plan before policyholders knew the company intended to restructure, according to text messages obtained by attorneys through an open records request. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Insurance Commissioner residency, Trump endorses Mazzei again, Health Care Authority probe and more (podcast): This Week in Oklahoma Politics covers a report finding Oklahoma Insurance Commission candidate Marty Quinn might be living in Arkansas, President Trump releasing a video to reiterate his support of Mike Mazzei for governor against Attorney General Gentner Drummond in the Aug. 25 runoff election and state election officials forced to defend the voting system after accusations from Trump. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
US House approves joint measure to curb Congress’ stock trading, require voter ID: U.S. House Republicans passed a measure to curb stock trading by members of Congress that was packaged with an unrelated voter ID bill, part of President Donald Trump’s push for major federal involvement in elections. The legislation passed by a vote of 232-198. All Republicans and 13 Democrats voted in favor. [Oklahoma Voice]
US Senate Dems press Mullin to ensure all immigration agents have body cameras: A supermajority of the U.S. Senate Democratic Caucus has asked Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to deploy body cameras to all federal immigration officers, following deadly shootings of immigrants in Texas and Maine. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Pentagon budget changes could hurt veteran care: While Congress fights over daylight saving time, the sun is quietly setting on military retirement health benefits. If the current version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passes, a sacred promise to Oklahoma’s veterans will be broken. [Fred Shakeshaft / The Oklahoman]
Opinion: ‘E pluribus unum’ is not a slogan. It’s a choice: Like two sides of a coin imprinted with the nation’s motto, “e pluribus unum” — out of many, one — America’s political factions are cast in opposition, but they are intrinsically bound together as parts of a larger whole. Today, that shared commitment to America’s founding creed is under strain. [Tim Storey & Sue Urahn / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
‘We just want to come home’: Freedmen sue Muscogee Nation in federal court: Exactly one year after the Muscogee Nation Supreme Court ruled that Creek Freedmen are entitled to tribal citizenship, plaintiffs Rhonda Grayson and Jeff Kennedy filed a lawsuit against Principal Chief David Hill in federal court Thursday, with their attorney revealing Hill has refused to meet with them for more than three years. [NonDoc]
- Descendants of those enslaved by Muscogee people file federal suit [The Oklahoman]
- ‘Black freedmen’ descendants file suit to force Muscogee Nation to acknowledge tribal citizenship [Tulsa World]
- Black members of Oklahoma Native American tribe file federal lawsuit to gain citizenship rights [KOCO]
Inaugural BRAIDED event honors Indigenous women for leadership in Oklahoma: The first annual BRAIDED Matriarch Awards, marked a chance for members of Indigenous communities from Oklahoma and beyond to come together in celebration of the profound impacts of tribal nations, and especially Indigenous women, on their communities and the world. [The Oklahoman]
Voting and Election News
Where Oklahoma Republican gubernatorial runoff candidates stand on tax policy: With the August primary runoffs on the horizon, one high-priority issue for Oklahoma voters is tax relief. Here is a summary of the plans leading Republican candidates for governor have, if they win. [KOSU]
“It’s Defunding Schools”: What Oklahoma Superintendents Say About State Question 844: Oklahoma voters will decide Aug. 25 whether to allow the state to opt out of paying for one of its longest-running economic development programs — and school leaders in some of the state’s fastest-growing local economies say the change could end up reducing funding for schools statewide. [Oklahoma Watch]
- From OK Policy: What’s That? Ad Valorem Manufacturing Exemption
SD 32 runoff: Jean Hausheer, Curtis Erwin talk veteran health care access, economic growth: Incumbent Sen. Dusty Deevers finished third in June’s Republican primary election for Senate District 32, meaning the southwest Oklahoma seat will have a new senator for the next four years — one who will likely depart from the firebrand Elgin pastor’s two years of convoluted Freedom Caucus rhetoric. [NonDoc]
Opinion: Low turnout, high stakes: Why legislative leaders love an August runoff: They’d never voice it publicly, of course, but Oklahoma‘s legislative leadership undoubtedly is praying the sizzling summer heat extends all the way through August. Sun worshippers? Masochists? Stockholders in air conditioning manufacturers? Or electric utilities? Maybe. But there’s a simpler, more obvious answer: It’s what they think is best for their political agenda. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]
Education News
While Oklahoma emergency teaching certifications are high, the numbers are dropping: Emergency certifications peaked in the 2023-24 school year at 5,114, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Education. But those numbers have continued to decline over the last two school years. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
- Oklahoma data shows lack of fully trained teachers entering the classroom [Oklahoma Voice]
- State board approves emergency teacher certifications for districts across Oklahoma [Fox 25]
‘$132,000’: OSDE settles lawsuits with two former employees: Two state employees fired from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) when Ryan Walters was in charge, along with his senior advisor Matt Langston, have settled their lawsuits for $132,000. [KFOR]
Justice System News
Tulsa police took him to the city jail instead of a hospital. He was dead within an hour: Justin Benner was rolling around in a flowerbed outside his next-door neighbor’s house late at night, yelling “help him” and “she’s got a gun,” when Tulsa police officers arrived. No one else was around. When Benner did not respond to commands, an officer shot him with a pepperball gun and pinned him down with a tactical shield. Police officers dragged him to a patrol car. [The Frontier]
- ‘Nobody listened’: City jail deaths expose failures [Tulsa World]
Mom sues former Cleveland County sheriff Chris Amason over son’s jail death: The mother of a man who died while in custody of the Cleveland County jail has sued former Sheriff Chris Amason and several other sheriff employees, alleging they failed to keep the jail free of contraband like fentanyl. [The Oklahoman]
Economy & Business News
Is the minimum wage for tipped restaurant staff in Oklahoma $2.13?: Yes. The Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to pay tipped workers the federal tipped minimum of $2.13 by claiming up to $5.12 of an employee’s tips as credit towards the $7.25 minimum wage. [Oklahoma Watch]
A loophole leaves Oklahoma data center water consumption largely untracked: Data centers, which store and process the digital information needed for everyday online activities, often consume large amounts of water to keep servers cool — especially the new hyperscale facilities typically built for artificial intelligence. Senate Bill 259, authored by Rep. Carl Newton and Sen. Brent Howard, both Republicans, allows groundwater permits only for data centers that use cooling systems designed to conserve and recycle water. But in practice, data centers in Oklahoma do not need groundwater or surface water permits to operate. [Investigate Midwest via KGOU]
Community News
Where to find free school supplies giveaways in OKC before school starts: Local churches and other nonprofits are hosting special events and activities to help students preparing to return to school. Free backpacks and school supplies will be distributed at many of these events to help local families whose children are headed back to class. Here is a list of several of these back-to-school gatherings. Activities are free unless otherwise noted. [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Edmond eyes Covell-Coltrane junction upgrade where Walmart is planned [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma City officially opens double roundabout on NW 10th Street [The Oklahoman]
- Where do north Tulsa council candidates stand on public safety, streets and sidewalks? We break it down. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Tulsa City Council District 2 race: Incumbent Anthony Archie faces rematch against challenger Aaron Bisogno [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- State Board of Education rejects meal service request from McAlester nonprofit [Tulsa World]
- Christopher Nassar’s nomination for Tulsa U.S. attorney advances [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa DA keeps pressure on Judge Sharon Holmes but won’t appeal recusal ruling [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul, which government’s good at.”
– Wynnewood Superintendent Byron Mooney discussing how State Question 844 would shift the cost of one of Oklahoma’s longest-running economic development programs onto local communities. The measure would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to eliminate the Legislature’s obligation to reimburse school districts, counties, and municipalities for property tax revenue lost when new or expanding manufacturers receive the state’s five-year property tax exemption. [Oklahoma Watch]
Number of the Day
$88,635,421
The amount Oklahoma reimbursed school districts, counties, and municipalities for property tax revenue lost to the state’s five-year manufacturing property tax exemption. SQ 844 would remove the constitutional requirement for those reimbursements, allowing lawmakers to decide whether — and how much — to repay local governments in the future. [Oklahoma Tax Commission]
- From OK Policy: What’s That? Ad Valorem Manufacturing Exemption
Policy Note
Rethinking Property Tax Incentives for Business: State and local governments across the U.S. spend billions of dollars each year on property tax incentives to attract businesses, despite limited evidence that these programs deliver meaningful economic benefits. Instead, research suggests governments could see better results by investing in workforce training, business services, and other economic development strategies. Where property tax incentives remain in place, experts recommend stronger limits, greater transparency and accountability, approval from all affected governments, and ending state reimbursements for lost local property tax revenue. Local governments can also improve these programs by setting clear eligibility criteria, targeting businesses that bring new economic activity to the region, limiting spending, and making the decision-making process more open. [Lincoln Institute of Land Policy]
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