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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
What didn’t make Oklahoma’s 2026 House interim study list? (Capitol Update): Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, announced last Friday which interim studies he had approved for the 2026 interim and the committees they were assigned to. Hilbert approved 92 of the 120 studies requested by House members and denied 28. There are several reasons that the Speaker might not approve a requested study, including not wanting to elevate a certain issue, the expense incurred in holding multiple committee hearings during the interim, or other concerns. Here are a few of the studies that were denied. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
Oklahoma News
Cedar Lake Residents Battle Powerful Neighbor Over Unpermitted Dams: For decades, people in far southwestern Canadian County and beyond have come to Cedar Lake to swim, fish and boat, using it as a getaway oasis in an oftentimes arid and drought-ridden western Oklahoma. But the lake has gone lower each year. Many residents blame a wealthy and politically connected upstream neighbor who’s bought hundreds of acres of surrounding land and built dams on family property. [Oklahoma Watch]
State Government News
Drummond issues deadline for insurance examination report: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond says his office has requested that Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready release his report into insurance companies’ roof-claim handling practices. [KFOR]
‘Uncommon common man’: Richard Lerblance remembered for service to cities, state and tribes: A longtime Hartshorne attorney whose career spanned state government, tribal judiciary and local public service, former Sen. Richard Lerblance died Saturday at age 80. [NonDoc]
Opinion: Here’s why we should pay attention to the Oklahoma State Chamber’s annual survey: These days it feels increasingly easy to ignore survey results given the bombardment of people attempting to survey everything from most popular video games to most livable cities. But I find myself hopeful that Oklahomans will pay attention to the 2026 findings of the State Chamber’s annual Oklahoma Business Roundtable survey. [John Thompson / Oklahoma Voice]
Federal Government News
Trump urges US Senate to hold off on August recess until SAVE America Act passes: President Donald Trump on Monday called on the U.S. Senate to cancel its five-week August break, keeping lawmakers in session to advance several of his priorities, despite not having the votes. [Oklahoma Voice]
Suit alleges Homeland Security targeted people observing, protesting immigration agents: Three people who observed federal immigration enforcement during the Trump administration’s sometimes-violent surge said in a federal lawsuit filed Friday the Department of Homeland Security illegally recorded them and revoked their status in the department’s trusted traveler programs. [Oklahoma Voice]
USDA union leaders rally against proposed DC downsizing: A group of current and former U.S. Department of Agriculture employees are calling on the Trump administration to halt the mandated relocation of more than 2,500 employees from its Washington, D.C., headquarters to five regional offices across the country. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Black members of Oklahoma Native American tribe file federal lawsuit to gain citizenship rights: Two descendants of Black people once enslaved by a Native American tribe are asking a federal court in Oklahoma to force tribal leaders to issue them citizenship cards as ordered a year ago by a tribal court. [AP via ICT]
Muscogee Nation opposes Inola smelter intended within reservation: The Muscogee National Council unanimously approved a resolution Saturday opposing aluminum smelters, including a large, controversial project intended for Inola. [KOSU]
Muscogee Nation opens new residential recovery center for tribal citizens: Muscogee Nation is opening a new $72 million residential treatment center that leaders say will strengthen the tribe’s focus on rehabilitation and holistic healthcare services. The 34,000-square-foot facility will provide inpatient treatment for tribal citizens recovering from addiction and behavioral health challenges. [KOSU]
Choctaw Nation partnership gives survivors access to Native American boarding school records: Living survivors of the Federal Indian Boarding School system can now request their student records through a new partnership between the Choctaw Nation and the University of Iowa. [News 9]
Voting and Election News
Administration asks US Supreme Court to uphold sweeping Trump order restricting vote-by-mail: The Trump administration on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt a district court ruling that blocked President Donald Trump’s broad March 31 executive order restricting vote-by-mail. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma voter registration deadline is coming up for August runoff election: If you aren’t yet registered to vote in Oklahoma, or if you haven’t updated your registration after moving to a new home, you have until Friday, July 31 to turn in a registration form. [The Oklahoman]
- You can check your voter registration and find out what’s on your ballot by going to the Oklahoma Voter Portal.
Election Roundup
- Gubernatorial candidates talk healthcare, taxes, and more at Agriculture Forum [KFOR]
- Republican lawmakers face off for party nomination to lead Oklahoma labor department [Oklahoma Voice]
- HD 81 runoff: Troy Talley, Rusty Rains emphasize economics, education [NonDoc]
- Democrat Jim Priest talks tariffs, bipartisan problem-solving ahead of Oklahoma Senate runoff [KOSU]
Education News
Revised social standards head to Oklahoma classrooms after court blocks Ryan Walters-era version: The Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked the standards that were drafted under former State Superintendent Ryan Walters for violating Oklahoma’s Open Meetings Act. Now, revised standards are headed to classrooms, but educators said students may not notice any major changes. [KOCO]
Tulsa Public School’s board sets October deadline for budget cut recommendations: With the district still facing a multi-million dollar shortfall, Tulsa Public Schools’ board of education has put Superintendent Ebony Johnson and her administration on the clock to present additional recommendations on how to address its projected operating deficit. [Tulsa World]
Justice System News
Jury trial for murder defendant Richard Glossip reset to December: The third murder trial for former death row inmate Richard Glossip has been reset to December. Glossip, 63, remains free on a $500,000 bond that was posted in May with help from celebrity Kim Kardashian. [The Oklahoman]
Moving inmates out of Tulsa municipal lockup ‘progressing rapidly,’ city says: At of the end of the day Monday, all but 11 inmates at the city jail had been transferred to the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center, with the remainder expected to be moved by the end of the week, the city said Monday. [Tulsa World]
Tulsa seeking public input regarding next police chief: A Community Listening Session will be held Aug. 4 to hear what Tulsans want to see in their next police chief, the city announced Monday. [Tulsa World]
Federal judge asked to bar retrial in 1984 murder case featured on Netflix: Former death row inmate Karl Allen Fontenot is asking a federal judge to bar state prosecutors from retrying him again for murder in a case so old that dozens of witnesses have died. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
PSO, OG&E sign on to Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge: Oklahoma’s two largest utility companies have signed a pledge pushed by President Donald Trump to ensure that average ratepayers don’t face higher bills because of the power needs of data centers and other “large-load” users of electricity. [Tulsa World]
While Tulsans search for relief from the heat, city councilors question why the only cooling shelters are downtown: The city has four cooling stations for Tulsans to seek safety from the heat. But all four are downtown as pointed out by at least two city councilors at the July 22 regular meeting. [Tulsa Flyer]
Economy & Business News
Oklahoma 9th-highest in nation’s business bankruptcy rate, report says: A new report shows that Oklahoma ranks 9th in the nation for the highest business bankruptcy rates. With constant economic pressure leading to an increase in small businesses filing for bankruptcy, the report showed just how much the economy is impacting small businesses nationwide. [KFOR]
Opinion: Oklahoma is helping shape the future of US energy: Energy producers must continue delivering affordable, reliable energy. At the same time, they need to meet higher environmental standards and keep up with unprecedented growth in energy demand. Doing both requires a greater focus on how the industry operates, maintains and ultimately retires the assets that are already part of our energy system. [Rusty Huston / The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Two years after closing, Black Wall Street Liquid Lounge makes it north Tulsa return [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Piedmont City Council delays vote on rezoning land for proposed data center [News 9]
Quote of the Day
“I’ve looked and looked and looked to try to move from here, but you’ve got to be kidding me about the rent. People want $1,800 for rent and $1,800 for a deposit. It’s ridiculous, so I just stay here.”
— Belinda Smith, a Cedar Lake renter who has lived without reliable running water for two years, on why she can’t afford to leave even as the local water crisis worsens. An unlicensed dam owned by a former state Senate leader has slowly drained the local lake the community depends on for its water supply. [Oklahoma Watch]
Number of the Day
$21.85
The hourly wage needed for an Oklahoman to afford a modest 2-bedroom rental at fair market price. [National Low Income Housing Coalition]
Policy Note
Housing needs by state: Oklahoma: Across Oklahoma, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low income households (ELI), whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income (AMI). Many of these households are severely cost burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing. Severely cost burdened poor households are more likely than other renters to sacrifice other necessities like healthy food and healthcare to pay the rent, and to experience unstable housing situations like evictions. [National Low Income Housing Coalition]
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