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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
Undocumented immigrants contribute $227M in Oklahoma taxes a year: Immigration policies have taken center stage in public debates this year, but much of the conversation has been driven by emotion, not data. A new in-depth national study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy aims to help change that by quantifying how much undocumented immigrants pay in taxes – both nationally and in each state. Here in Oklahoma, undocumented immigrants contributed $227.5 million in state and local taxes in 2022. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy & OK Policy]
State Government News
Witnesses allege Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett groped man: Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett groped a man during a drunken incident in a hotel lobby bar at a regulatory conference in Minnesota in June, according to documents obtained by The Oklahoman. The documents contained two witness accounts made to the Kansas Corporation Commission. The man was identified in her report as representing a company that “goes before” the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. [The Oklahoman]
Senator is legally allowed to attend closed meeting Wednesday, AG tells Ryan Walters: A state senator denied entry last month to an executive session during a State Board of Education meeting has sent a letter to state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters saying she intends to observe the executive session during the board meeting scheduled for Wednesday. Oklahoma’s top law-enforcement official has come down squarely on Boren’s side. [The Oklahoman]
Judge Dismisses Lawmakers’ Open Records Lawsuit: A monthslong open records dispute between Stephens County District Attorney Jason Hicks and two Oklahoma lawmakers was settled on July 18. Stephens County Judge Brent Russell granted the defendant’s motion for summary judgment, ruling that Hicks has produced all records requested by the plaintiffs and that there is insufficient evidence to prove otherwise. [Oklahoma Watch]
Federal Government News
Oklahoma Western District Court Among the Slowest in the Country, Data Shows: There are 94 district courts in the federal system, and the Western District of Oklahoma has the 12th highest number of motions pending over six months, data from the U.S. Court system shows. [Oklahoma Watch]
IRS announces tax relief for taxpayers in Oklahoma impacted by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding: The Internal Revenue Service announced today tax relief for individuals and businesses in Oklahoma that were affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding that began on May 19, 2024. These taxpayers now have until Nov. 1, 2024, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. [IRS]
Tribal Nations News
Oklahoma City Indian Clinic Empowers Native Youth Through Heritage and Health: Oklahoma City Indian Clinic is dedicated to fostering physical activity and cultural awareness among Native American youth. [Native News Online]
Opinion, Cherokee Nation Chief: Closing Gap in Health Care Disparities: A recent Tulsa World report revealed an unfortunate but all-too-real statistic: American Indians in Oklahoma die on average 17 years earlier than their non-Indigenous neighbors. While this finding is alarming, it comes as no surprise to the Cherokee Nation or to the nearly 40 other tribal nations in Oklahoma. [Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. / Native News Online]
Voting and Election News
Oklahomans’ political influence measured in dollars: While Oklahoma presidential votes may not count as much as some other states’, Oklahoma dollars do. A reminder of this was Friday’s Oklahoma City fundraiser for the Republican National Committee and GOP Presidential nominee Donald Trump. Attendees paid $5,000 to get in the door and $15,000 to have their picture taken with vice presidential nominee JD Vance. [Tulsa World]
- Political notebook: Trump surpasses $2.25 million in Oklahoma contributions [Tulsa World]
- Prominent Tulsans among hosts for J.D. Vance’s Oklahoma City fundraiser [Tulsa World]
Tulsa mayoral candidate Brent VanNorman explains remarks made at local churches: Mayoral candidate Brent VanNorman told worshipers at Sheridan Church on Sunday that “we need to get back” to the ways of the founding days of the country “when officials had to be Christians in many areas” and that his No. 1 qualification for the job is that he is “an unashamed follower of Jesus.” [Tulsa World]
Health News
Oklahoma Health Care Authority receives $2.5 million to enhance school-based health services: The Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) received a $2.5 million grant to enhance a program that provides Medicaid-billable services to students in school. The investment could help more students and families connect with local health care resources. [KOSU]
Oklahoma’s 988 received nearly twice as many calls in its second year: Calls to Oklahoma’s 988 Mental Health Lifeline shot up by 44% in its second full year of operation, a rise officials attribute to growing awareness of the helpline, continued mental health challenges, access to illegal substances and the reduction of stigma surrounding receiving support. [The Oklahoman]
Criminal Justice News
Studies will expose ‘horrific’ failures in Oklahoma prisons, legislator says: A lawmaker who has been an outspoken critic of the state’s prison system hopes that interim studies he has planned in the House of Representatives will expose “horrific” failures that have had deadly consequences. [Tulsa World]
Efforts to release prisoners from long sentences draw new interest, including in Oklahoma: A new Oklahoma law, which is set to go into effect soon, requires judges to consider whether domestic violence was a mitigating factor in a crime. [Oklahoma Voice]
‘Nothing good happening’: Former Rep. Dan Kirby sentenced to 41 months in prison: More than a year after he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the motorcycle wreck that caused the death of his girlfriend, Sheryl Bichsel, a federal judge sentenced former Oklahoma legislator and Eufaula City Councilman Dan Kirby to 41 months in federal prison today. [NonDoc]
- Former Tulsa legislator sentenced in federal involuntary manslaughter case [Tulsa World]
OK County jail has fifth death of 2024: The Oklahoma County jail on Monday had its fifth inmate death of 2024. Timothy Lee Hardin Jr., 21, of Oklahoma City, was found unresponsive on the floor of his cell during site checks around 6:30 a.m. Monday, the jail said in a news release. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Oklahoma likely to see fewer Section 8 subsidies as rent costs rise, official says: A budget shortfall in Oklahoma’s Section 8 program may be manageable this year, a state agency official says, but rising rent costs make it unlikely in coming years that federal funding will be sufficient to help the same number of families pay for housing. [Tulsa World]
Economy & Business News
Oklahoma sales tax holiday around the corner: Oklahomans will hit the stores and internet Friday through Sunday for a back-to-school sales tax holiday. [Oklahoma Voice]
- From OK Policy: Oklahoma’s sales tax holiday costs about $7 million in state revenue annually, and it has not been shown to promote economic growth of increase spending.
Education News
Nonprofit pitches free conservative civics lessons to Oklahoma educators at state event: Educators were offered a free, ready-to-use civics curriculum at a recent state-sponsored development conference, but a Tulsa World review of course videos found content aligning more with conservative political values than traditional academic standards. [Tulsa World]
ACLU, other groups support OU in lawsuit filed by white students alleging discrimination: Two nonprofit civil rights groups are supporting the University of Oklahoma’s request for dismissal of a federal lawsuit filed by three white OU students who claim the school denied them financial aid because of systemic discrimination that favors Black students. [The Oklahoman]
Bacone College bankruptcy fight continues after losing accreditation: Earlier this month, Bacone College filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to allow time to get its finances in order. Oklahoma’s oldest higher ed institution owes millions of dollars in debt to various creditors following mismanagement and inconsistent leadership. [KOSU]
Mayes County parent sues over Ryan Walters’ Bible-in-every-classroom mandate: A Locust Grove parent has filed a civil lawsuit over State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ demand that Oklahoma public schools incorporate the Bible into their curricula this coming school year. [Tulsa World]
Community News
Graves found below Oaklawn tree site as part of Tulsa Race Massacre search: Workers in Oaklawn Cemetery have found at least three and possibly four graves where a 30-year-old tree was removed two weeks ago, officials said Monday. [Tulsa World]
Billion-dollar weather disasters growing in frequency: Billion-dollar weather disasters have multiplied in frequency in Oklahoma and across the country since 1980, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [Tulsa World]
Jim Thorpe’s historical Oklahoma home sold back to family: The Oklahoma Historical Society announced Monday it has sold Jim Thorpe’s former home to his grandchildren through the Thorpe Family Foundation. The home is located in Yale and Thorpe bought it in 1917 and lived there until 1923. [KOSU]
Local Headlines
- Edmond warns Lake Arcadia visitors to keep an eye out for blue-green algae [KGOU]
- Guymon gets $67 million for water infrastructure, workforce development [KGOU]
- Oklahoma City Council to consider resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza [KOSU]
- $2 million slated for Tulsa Greenwood development [KOSU]
- OKPOP has 15 months to raise $18 million for museum to open [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“As our state leaders continue discussions about policies that impact immigrants, we must start by recognizing how deeply immigrants are interconnected in our communities broadly. For decades, undocumented immigrants have made Oklahoma their home, raised families, paid taxes, worked essential jobs, cared for our loved ones, and made our communities stronger.”
-Gabriela Ramirez-Perez, Immigration Policy Analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute, speaking about a new report demonstrating that undocumented immigrants pay state and local taxes [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy & OK Policy]
Number of the Day
$227 million
In Oklahoma, about 89,000 undocumented immigrants paid more than $227 million in state and local taxes during 2022. Of those tax contributions, $122 million (53.9 percent) were through sales and excise taxes, while $49 million (21.6 percent) were through property taxes, and $51 million (22.5 percent) were through personal or business income taxes. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
Policy Note
Tax Payments by Undocumented Immigrants: A new in-depth national study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy aims to help change that by quantifying how much undocumented immigrants pay in taxes – both nationally and in each state. Nationally, undocumented immigrants contributed $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022. Of this, $37.3 billion went to state and local governments. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
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