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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
Law change in 2011 put power over public education effectively under governor’s control (Capitol Update): How did we reach a point where Superintendent Walters is issuing threats and edicts to the schools, district superintendents, and teachers? That’s not a hard question. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
Oklahoma News
What to know about raising Oklahoma’s minimum wage: As Oklahomans await word on when State Question 832 will appear on a ballot, 22 other U.S. states saw their minimum wage increase in 2024. If approved by voters, SQ 832 would gradually increase Oklahoma’s minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2029 and ensure the minimum wage keeps its value by making annual adjustments to meet the rising costs of living, if needed. [Journal Record]
- From OK Policy: SQ 832: Minimum Wage Increase Information and Resources | What you need to know about the minimum wage in Oklahoma
- Oklahoma minimum wage ballot measure campaign rakes in $1.34 million [Tulsa World]
- Petition to raise Oklahoma minimum wage received $1.84 million in first half of 2024 [KOSU]
State Government News
Is a tribal license sufficient to hunt, fish in Oklahoma? State says no: Historic confusion was again amplified after five Oklahoma tribes announced a cooperative agreement on July 12 to honor each other’s tribal hunting and fishing licenses on each of their respective tribal lands. Last week, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation fired back with its own statement that the state’s Title 29 laws still apply to everyone. [Oklahoma Ecology Project via Tulsa World]
Lawmaker concerned about cellphones in schools asks for extended Senate study: The chairman of the Senate Education Committee is hoping to gain support from his fellow lawmakers during an interim study on student cellphone usage in school. [Tulsa World]
Legislative intern spearheads Oklahoma House interim study on water contamination: The House’s Public Health Committee will hold an interim study looking into the reasons for the high levels of chromium-6 in certain areas of Oklahoma and how to reduce those levels. [The Oklahoman]
Political notebook: Stitt has a busy summer travel schedule: Gov. Kevin Stitt has been a busy guy the past few weeks. Besides the Republican National Convention, he spoke at the American Legislative Exchange Council’s annual meeting in Denver and attended the Farnborough Air Show in England. [Tulsa World]
Capitol Insider: State Board of Education accused of violating Open Meeting Act: The state school board held its July meeting on Wednesday. It was a rather routine meeting by recent standards, but Senator Mary Boren and the Attorney General’s office questioned whether the board violated the state Open Meeting Act – not once, but twice. [KGOU]
Opinion: Oklahoma’s medical marijuana ‘secret shopper’ program shouldn’t be totally opaque: It’s outrageous that we have a state agency that believes the word “secret” in “secret shoppers” means it can apparently operate a covert program with no public transparency or accountability. Yet, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority appears to be doing just that. [Janelle Stecklein / Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Like ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,’ David Greenwell tries to make a difference: According to the agenda for the Corporation Commission’s July 23 meeting, the former chairman of the Oklahoma Accountancy Board was supposed to give a 10-minute presentation to the commissioners about the problematic findings and take questions. But instead, commission Chairman Todd Hiett and various commission and utility attorneys spent 35 minutes arguing that Greenwell’s presentation would be “procedurally inappropriate” and he should not be allowed to speak. [Sody McCampbell Clements / The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
Mullin says some but not all Jan. 6 rioters deserve presidential pardons: U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin does not think all rioters who attacked police on Jan. 6, 2021, should be pardoned, he said Sunday, but he stopped just short of saying former President Donald Trump is of the same opinion. [Tulsa World]
D.C. Digest: Lankford, Mullin have lots of questions, get few answers: U.S. Sens. James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin spent quite a bit of time last week asking questions and apparently not getting many satisfactory answers about the Secret Service’s performance leading up to the attempted assassination of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. [Tulsa World]
Tribal Nations News
How Tribal Nations Are Reclaiming Oklahoma: In McGirt v. Oklahoma, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a nineteenth-century treaty between the Muscogee Creek Nation and the U.S. was still in effect. The 5–4 decision ultimately resulted in the restoration of land to eight tribes and the conclusion that nearly half of Oklahoma, including most of the city of Tulsa, seventy miles northwest of Tahlequah, was tribal territory. [The New Yorker]
Native American public health officials are stuck in data blind spot: It’s not easy to make public health decisions without access to good data. And epidemiologists and public health workers for Native American communities say they’re often in the dark because state and federal agencies restrict their access to the latest numbers. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma tribes continue repatriation efforts with new NAGPRA guidelines: New guidelines for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act mean Oklahoma tribal nations are renewing efforts to reclaim cultural items. [KGOU]
Interior Department: Many Indigenous children suffered abuse at Indian boarding schools: The U.S. Department of the Interior’s three-year investigation into federally funded Indian boarding schools has reaffirmed in a second and final report that many Native American children in the institutions suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse. [NonDoc]
Kiowa language class offered in southwest Oklahoma school district aims to strengthen community: High school students in the Lawton Public School District can enroll in an entry-level Kiowa language class, beginning in the fall. The class will be taught by Kiowa educator Carlo Chalepah and will count as a world language credit. [KOSU]
Voting and Election News
Absentee ballot rejections jump as election boards become more exacting: Oklahoma absentee voters beware. County election boards have become more inclined to disqualify mail-in ballots. For the June 18 primaries, for instance, Tulsa County disallowed 8.4% of mail-in ballots, compared to 1.3% in 2020. Statewide, rejections rose from 1.8% four years ago to 6.5% in June. [Tulsa World]
Housing, police and Ryan Walters: Mayoral candidates address key issues: Mayoral candidates Karen Keith, Monroe Nichols, Brent VanNorman, John Jolley and Casey Bradford discussed their visions for the city at a panel Thursday night at the University of Tulsa. [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Child well-being on the ballot in Tulsa Mayoral Election [The Black Wall Street Times]
- The Frontier will fact-check the Tulsa mayoral debate [The Frontier]
- Should Tulsa Police be used to remove undocumented immigrants? We ask the mayor candidates [Tulsa World]
Health News
Opioid settlement funds set for distribution to nearly 40 Oklahoma cities, counties: The Attorney General’s Office is set to distribute over $5 million in settlement funds to nearly 40 cities and counties across the state, in an effort to stall and stop the opioid epidemic. These funds come from the Opioid Distributor Settlement. [KOSU]
Oklahoma Crisis Pregnancy Centers See Big State Funding Boost: Oklahoma lawmakers significantly boosted funding for crisis pregnancy centers despite years of complaints a vendor running the program was too slow to reimburse the mostly religious-affiliated nonprofits that counsel against abortion. [Oklahoma Watch]
In Oklahoma, laws haven’t kept up with trendy medical spa treatments: State regulators have struggled to keep up as the medical spa industry has grown and more people seek trendy cosmetic procedures like microneedling, laser treatments and Botox. Oklahoma medical boards passed new guidelines this year on who can perform specific treatments based on existing state laws. [The Frontier]
Telehealth booths in Oklahoma libraries aim to address rural health and internet issues: Telehealth booths are now available in select Oklahoma towns where you can get checked in on your health, and you can do so all by just going to your local library. [FOX25]
$170 million expansion of OSU Med Center next phase in downtown Tulsa health care hub: Construction is expected to begin early next year on a $170 million expansion of downtown Tulsa’s Oklahoma State University Medical Center, hospital officials say. [Tulsa World]
Criminal Justice News
Death row inmate expected to ask for clemency ahead of scheduled execution: Oklahoma County convicted killer Emmanuel A. Littlejohn on Wednesday is expected to ask the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board to recommend clemency. Littlejohn, 52, is set to die Sept. 26 for the 1992 shooting death of Kenny Meers, 31, during a convenience store robbery. [Oklahoma Voice]
Lawsuit: Behenna violated Open Records Act after police-shooting case dismissals: NonDoc has filed a lawsuit seeking the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office contract with an expert who provided a report after OKCPD officers shot and killed 15-year-old Stavian Rodriguez in November 2020. It is also seeking the entirety of the expert’s referenced reports. [NonDoc]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
OKC homeless shelters are at capacity but the solution isn’t more beds, organizers say. It’s housing: Nonprofits offer emergency assistance to the city’s homeless, but space is an ongoing issue. According to the Point in Time report, emergency shelters were at 103% capacity, permanent supportive housing at 99%, and transitional housing at 90%. [The Oklahoman]
Meet Tulsa’s homeless outreach team dedicated to reducing 911 burden downtown: Tulsa Fire Department’s ART-2 team is a unit dedicated to decreasing the high usage of the 911 system in downtown Tulsa. Team members conduct wellness checks and provide outreach services and community education in downtown Tulsa within the Inner Dispersal Loop. [Tulsa World]
Opinion: Oklahoma state parks are a catalyst for economic growth in rural communities: Oklahoma state parks are more than just scenic retreats; they are vital economic engines for communities, particularly in rural areas. These parks serve as essential economic drivers, supporting local businesses, creating jobs and sustaining communities. The significant impact of the parks cannot be overlooked, alongside the crucial need to preserve these valuable assets for future generations. [Shelley Zumwalt / The Oklahoman]
Economy & Business News
Barnsdall’s biggest employer says it won’t rebuild in wake of May tornado: A tornado tore through Barnsdall in May, killing 2 people, injuring 33 and leaving a trail of destroyed buildings. Among them was the NuCera Solutions chemical refinery, which made specialty polymers for adhesives, cosmetics and other materials. NuCera’s owner, Chase Corporation, had previously announced plans to rebuild and reopen the plant. [KOSU]
Why Oklahoma Native Americans are opposing a nickel refinery plant in Lawton: Westwin Elements is forging ahead with its controversial plant that will use cobalt to refine nickel and other chemical elements, in Lawton. The plant has faced organized opposition by Westwin Resistance, led by a Native American-led grassroots group, that says it threatens tribal sovereignty, residents’ health and the environment. [The Oklahoman]
Funders of defunct Sellout Crowd media startup sue over business debt: The financial backers of the failed Oklahoma sports media startup Sellout Crowd claim the website’s founders owe them more than $600,000 in unpaid principal and interest payments, according to a lawsuit filed in Cleveland County court. [The Frontier]
New rules, moratorium affect Oklahoma medical marijuana businesses: More than a dozen new rules affecting the state’s medical marijuana industry that went into effect in July should help to promote stability and profitability, the founder of the Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Association said. [Tulsa World]
Education News
Court documents: Ryan Walters seeking to limit discovery in wrongful-termination lawsuit: The new deputy general counsel for the Oklahoma State Department of Education has asked a federal judge for a protective order in an attempt to limit the amount of information being sought in the discovery phase of a wrongful-termination lawsuit filed by a former employee against the agency and state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters. [The Oklahoman]
Amid deepening teacher shortage, Tulsa schools to resort to hiring uncertified candidates: Amid a deepening statewide teacher shortage, Tulsa Public Schools will be allowed to resort to hiring some noncertified candidates without four-year college degrees to fill some of its 130 still-vacant teaching positions. [Tulsa World]
OK Supreme Court declines to stay ruling that St. Isidore contract with state be rescinded: Without a comment from the majority, the Oklahoma Supreme Court declined on Monday to stay its ruling that St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School’s contract with the Statewide Charter School Board must be rescinded. [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma Catholic leaders lose bid for more time to appeal religious charter school ruling [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma schools report persistent pandemic-era issues as national data shows lagging achievement: As national data shows the academic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, Oklahoma districts report stubborn challenges that worsened during the global crisis: Oklahoma schools report persistent pandemic-era issues as national data shows lagging achievement. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma CareerTech director optimistic about growth, direction: A new state law that modifies high school graduation requirements should stoke interest in career education and training and accelerate rising enrollments on CareerTech campuses, State Director Brent Haken believes. [Tulsa World]
Some educators reject Walters’ call to measure ‘burden’ of undocumented immigration on Oklahoma schools: State Superintendent Ryan Walters wants Oklahoma school districts to measure the “cost and burden” of undocumented immigration on their schools, but district leaders are pushing back. [KOSU]
- OK Policy Statement: Statement: All children have the fundamental right to an education
- OKCPS Superintendent Responds To State Education Directives, Immigration & Bible Policy [News9]
Some Oklahoma university students can now earn college credit for completing OKCPD academy: Through a new partnership with a goal of meeting workforce needs, students at the University of Central Oklahoma can now receive college credit while completing the Oklahoma City Police Department’s academy. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: With four degrees in one family, our family has had a remarkable graduation year: With four degrees in one family, our family has had a remarkable graduation year. Some might have read these first few sentences and said immediately, “School is too expensive,” or, “I’m too old to go back to school.” Before you give up and admit defeat, give me a moment to share our narrative and hopefully encourage you to keep dreaming.
[Sharri L. Coleman / The Oklahoman]
Community News
Oklahoma farmers will receive more than $100 million in compensation following discrimination: During the 20th century alone, one study found Black farmers lost millions of acres of land valuing about $326 billion. This is in part because of discriminatory lending practices in USDA. [KOSU]
$797.4M grant could be ‘silver bullet’ for rural broadband access: Oklahoma will use $797.4 million in federal grant funding to expand broadband internet access in the state. The Oklahoma Broadband Office is now on the clock, with one year to complete the process and award eligible internet service providers. [Journal Record]
- Oklahoma set to receive $797 million in federal funds for improved internet access [The Oklahoman]
Barbershop books program encourages child literacy: The literacy partnership is an initiative between My Brother’s Keeper, an organization focused on improving outcomes for boys and young men of color, and Reading Partners, a Tulsa nonprofit that helps kids improve their reading skills. [Tulsa World]
Local Headlines
- Oklahoma cannabis officials shut down Ardmore farm [KGOU]
- As Lawton works to fix its wastewater treatment plant, officials find fishkill downstream [KGOU]
- Cleveland County sheriff’s request for private counsel amid state audit was rejected [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“Shelter doesn’t end homelessness, right? Housing ends homelessness.”
-Meghan Mueller, CEO of Homeless Alliance, speaking about how emergency assistance alleviates symptoms but doesn’t solve homelessness. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
18
In 2022, there was an 18 percentage point gap in nationwide voter turnout between white voters and voters of color. This gap has increased more rapidly in areas that were previously covered by the Voting Rights Act, which required federal oversight to prevent discriminatory voting changes before a 2013 Supreme Court decision. [Brennan Center for Justice] | [Full Report]
Policy Note
Restoring the Voting Rights Act with the John Lewis Act: Fifty-nine years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, undoing the barriers of the Jim Crow era and opening up important voting opportunities for communities of color. But in the last decade, the Supreme Court has relentlessly weakened this landmark achievement of the civil rights movement. [Brennan Center for Justice]
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