OKPOLICY.ORG
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
Oklahoma Supreme Court declines to pause new social studies standards: Oklahoma’s new academic standards for social studies are poised to take effect for the coming school year, as the state Supreme Court this week declined to pause their implementation. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma Supreme Court says controversial new social studies standards will go into effect this year [KOSU]
- Oklahoma Supreme Court rules on request to halt new social studies standards [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma Supreme Court denies stay of social studies standards implementation [Fox 23]
- Oklahoma Supreme Court declines to stay implementation of social studies standards [Tulsa World]
Federal agencies sue Oklahoma to stop in-state college tuition for unauthorized migrants, Drummond supports: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is suing his own state with the help of the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. Court filings show Drummond hopes to end in-state college tuition for Oklahomans in the country without a legal immigration status. [KOSU]
- DOJ sues Oklahoma over in-state tuition access for undocumented immigrants [Oklahoma Voice]
- Trump sues Oklahoma to stop undocumented immigrants from paying in-state tuition rates [The Oklahoman]
State Government News
Oklahoma House speaker says ‘bizarre accident’ likely caused explicit images on Walters’ TV: Oklahoma’s House speaker said Tuesday a “bizarre accident” likely caused images of nude women to appear on state Superintendent Ryan Walters’ office TV. Two law enforcement agencies said Tuesday that they are still investigating. [Oklahoma Voice]
- ‘I believe we now have answers’: Hilbert posits Jackie Chan film as explanation for Walters TV nudity [NonDoc]
- Report: Movie with nudity was playing on TV in the State Superintendent’s office during a recent meeting [KFOR]
- Ryan Walters’ TV may have been tuned into 1985 Jackie Chan movie, Oklahoma lawmaker says [The Oklahoman]
- House Speaker Hilbert says Walters TV incident likely ‘a bizarre accident’ [Tulsa World]
- Oklahoma House Speaker says review of TV incident vindicates Walters and board members [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
- OK House Speaker states Supt. Walters’ TV played movie’s explicit scene accidentally [Fox 23]
- Protesters to call for Ryan Walters’ impeachment at Oklahoma state Capitol on Saturday [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma AG calls out state auditor over continued delays in turnpike audit: The state’s Attorney General said Tuesday that he is frustrated that an investigative audit of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority that he requested more than two years ago hasn’t been completed. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority sets fall deadline for South Extension alignment: The OTA in May conducted two open house meetings to gather public input about the South Extension Turnpike (SET) alignment, which will run through Cleveland and McClain counties. [The Journal Record]
- Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to reveal revised southern extension plan by end of September [KFOR]
- Construction of new Oklahoma turnpike to begin in spring 2026 [The Oklahoman]
- See drone footage of where ACCESS Oklahoma toll road will be built (video) [The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
USDA approves Oklahoma application to ban candy and soda from SNAP: Oklahoma this week joined the list of states barring the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for items defined as candy or soft drinks. [Tulsa World]
- Oklahoma gets permission to ban ‘junk food’ from SNAP benefits [The Oklahoman]
- US farm agency allows six more states to bar some items from food aid [Reuters]
Trump administration moves to end veterans’ abortion access in cases of assault, incest and health: The Trump administration has taken its first step toward restricting access to abortions for veterans who are covered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ medical benefits, reversing a 2022 rule. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump pledges overhaul of school fitness tests: President Donald Trump is bringing back a physical fitness test to public schools after over a decade, but details of the new test, including timing and implementation, remain to be seen. Trump signed an executive order July 31 that reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump’s ‘truth seeking’ AI executive order is a complex, expensive policy, experts say: An executive order signed by President Donald Trump last week seeks to remove “ideological agendas” from artificial intelligence models sold to the federal government, but it’s not exactly clear how the policy would be enforced, nor how tech companies would test their models for these standards, technologists and policy experts say. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: In Oklahoma, U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas’ crowd goes mild ― and so does he: Apparently, no one in our congressional delegation is willing to say that they’re trying to push Trump in any direction he doesn’t want to go. Maybe the threat of retaliation is too dangerous to risk. [William C. Wertz / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
Requesting rehearing, Muscogee Citizenship Board calls Freedmen ruling a ‘constitutional crisis’: Saying it “creates a constitutional crisis,” the Citizenship Board of the Muscogee Nation is asking the Muscogee Nation Supreme Court to reconsider its recent decision that Freedmen descendants must be admitted as tribal citizens and that all of the nation’s “by blood” legal language is void ab initio, or from the beginning. [NonDoc]
- Muscogee Citizenship Board asks court for rehearing in Freedmen descendants case [Tulsa World]
‘Faces of Freedmen’ exhibit links descendants to ancestors: A new exhibit honoring the Freedmen of the Five Tribes offers a tribute to the past and a tool for descendants to reclaim their lineage. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Oklahoma tax case could affect tribes nationwide if brought to Supreme Court: Alicia Stroble is a Muscogee (Creek) citizen, employee and resident. So, she challenged the Oklahoma Tax Commission for an income tax exemption, hoping the court would rule in her favor. But that didn’t happen. And depending on her next steps, the ruling could extend beyond Oklahoma. [KOSU]
Tribal groups assert sovereignty as feds crack down on gender-affirming care: Already, tribal citizens and leaders say some people have had trouble accessing gender-affirming care in recent months, with some community members being denied hormone treatments or having their medications delayed, even in places where gender-affirming care remains legal. [ICT]
Tribal nation sounds alarm over potential legislation hindering its economic, trust land rights: The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians is sounding the alarm over a draft of Congressional language. UKB leaders say the language would terminate the tribe’s right to trust land as well as its basic economic development rights within its reservation. [KOSU]
Why OCU Law’s Tribal Sovereignty Institute executive director is honored by new role: The Tribal Sovereignty Institute, at OCU School of Law, aims to elevate the understanding of sovereignty and educate lawyers on Native American law, ultimately pursuing sovereignty initiatives beyond the legal realm through cultural preservation, language revitalization and economic development. [The Oklahoman]
- From OK Policy: Tribal-State Policy 101: What is Tribal sovereignty?
Opinion: The importance of the Voting Rights Act for Indian Country: Wednesday, August 6, is the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. For too long and even today, full and fair access to the ballot box is being kept from Native Americans and Alaska Natives across this country. [John Echohawk / ICT]
Education News
Lawmakers say proposed state report card changes would unfairly punish schools: Proposed changes to the way Oklahoma grades its schools are drawing criticism from lawmakers and educators who say they would punish schools for things they cannot control. [The Oklahoman]
- Public comment closes Friday for proposed ‘teacher effectiveness’ metric on Oklahoma A-F Report Card [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Oklahoma’s school cell phone ban is here. This is how each school district will implement it: For many Oklahoma students, parents and teachers preparing to return to school may include an extra step this year: Planning for school days without cell phones. [The Oklahoman]
- Do cell phone bans work? This is the research Oklahoma lawmakers saw before creating new law [The Oklahoman]
Health News
Medicaid Cuts Could Close Over Half of This State’s Rural Hospitals, Endangering Health Care Access: Nearly half of Oklahoma’s four million residents live in rural areas. And now, over half of Oklahoma’s rural hospitals are at risk of closing. The passage of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” will result in nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, and an estimated $6.3 billion in cuts in just Oklahoma, according to state health care leaders. [Investopedia]
Legionnaires’ disease cluster growing in NYC: What is it? Has it been reported in Oklahoma?: Known for causing sickness in confined areas and places that share water systems, Legionnaires’ has been known to cause mass illness in hotels, hospitals, prisons and housing blocks. In Oklahoma, outbreaks of the disease are rare, but health officials have responded to a handful of cases in recent years. [The Oklahoman]
Criminal Justice News
Short of funding for new Oklahoma County jail, commissioners plan phased construction approach: Oklahoma County commissioners are considering a phased approach to build a new jail, starting with an intake center, despite facing a significant funding shortfall. [KOCO]
Ex-NFL player Leshon Johnson convicted in massive dogfighting case in Oklahoma: A former NFL running back in Oklahoma has been convicted by a federal jury on six felony counts related to the largest number of dogs ever seized for a dogfighting and trafficking venture. Leshon Johnson, 54, has yet to be sentenced. After the multi-day trial, he surrendered 190 dogs to the government. [The Oklahoman]
Long Story Short: Predator Hunters’ Tactics Draw Fans, but Concern Police and Advocates (podcast): Keaton Ross and Valerie Scott uncover major delays in transporting inmates in Oklahoma’s county jails. And Haley Parsley investigates Oklahoma Predator Prevention, a vigilante group targeting alleged child predators online and the growing controversy surrounding their methods. [Oklahoma Watch]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Tulsa, OKC Resort to Hostile Architecture to Deter Homeless Encampments: Officials for both cities said the boulders are to push people experiencing homelessness towards housing or other resources to combat homelessness, but experts claim those developments are not an effective way to address the problem. [Oklahoma Watch]
- Here’s how the boulders ended up next to Tulsa’s downtown bus station [Tulsa World]
- From OK Policy: Homelessness in Oklahoma (Information & Resources)
Economy & Business News
OGE Energy earnings flourish under strong Oklahoma economy: In an upbeat second-quarter earnings presentation last week, OGE Energy Chief Executive Officer Sean Trauschke said his company remains on track to deliver financial performance in the top half of its guidance for 2025, citing Oklahoma’s robust economic strength as a major factor in the company’s success. [The Journal Record]
Southern Oklahoma hydrogen production facility proposal won’t happen: A proposed hydrogen production facility in Ardmore will not move forward. In a statement, a spokesperson for Woodside Energy, the company behind the would-be production facility, said it decided to exit the proposal because of ongoing challenges in the lower-carbon hydrogen industry. [KOSU]
Most beloved small business list names Oklahoma sites: As independent business owners continue to face economic challenges, it may comfort them to hear just how much they are appreciated. From bakeries to bars to bookstores, a new survey reveals 220 small businesses across America that locals love the most. [The Journal Record]
Local Headlines
- Protest for Gazan children outside Tulsa Jewish center draws criticism [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Putnam City superintendent to retire after 50 years in public education [Oklahoma Voice]
- Edmond Economic Development Authority names Heather McDowell as new executive director [The Journal Record]
Quote of the Day
“Eliminating harms or trying to help these people wasn’t served by putting rocks under the overpass. It was served by actually reaching out to them and helping them find services and homes that actually fit their needs.”
– Wanda Liebermann, a professor and architectural and urban historian at the University of Oklahoma, pushing back on Tulsa and Oklahoma City officials’ claims that boulders under overpasses help address homelessness, and noting that real solutions come from investments in services and affordable housing. [Oklahoma Watch]
Number of the Day
$7 billion
The projected cost of a sharp drop in international student enrollment this fall — with a 30–40% decline potentially shrinking total enrollment by 15% and eliminating over 60,000 jobs nationwide. [NASFA]
Policy Note
Who loses if US colleges lose international students?: International students contribute significantly to U.S. colleges through tuition revenue, research output, and local economic activity. A decline in international enrollment would hit smaller and private institutions the hardest — especially those in blue states — due to their financial dependence on nonresident tuition. Beyond campus budgets, entire communities risk losing jobs and spending tied to these students, making the issue one of both educational and economic consequence. [Brookings Institution]
You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
