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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
DHS dealing with long wait times, federal law causing “bureaucratic chaos”: Trying to get on the phone or in a face to face meeting with the Department of Human Services hasn’t been an easy task recently. KFOR went to DHS two times this week in Oklahoma County and saw the long lines out front.Most all those people waiting on hold or waiting in line right now are seeking help with SNAP benefits. [KFOR]
- Oklahoma made accessing SNAP more difficult. Families are struggling [The Oklahoman]
- From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: SNAP Tracker: People Are Losing Food Assistance as the Harmful 2025 Republican Reconciliation Law Is Implemented
Opinion: Is Oklahoma sacrificing its water for industry?: The news in Oklahoma is full of opportunities being offered to our state in the way of 49 data centers currently active or under construction, an aluminum smelter project in Inola, and the possibility of a nuclear power facility. They all tout great things for the state, but do not be fooled. Every one of these opportunities is shortsighted and will cause irreparable harm to our state’s environment. [Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn / The Oklahoman]
State Government News
This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Drummond on Fauci, Inola aluminum smelter, Broken Arrow mosque and more (podcast): Panelists talk about Attorney General Gentner Drummond calling on his office to investigate whether Dr. Anthony Fauci broke Oklahoma law during the COVID-19 pandemic, the final two Republican candidates for governor squaring off in the final debate before the primary runoff and a Republican candidate for state superintendent getting reprimanded from Little Axe Public Schools. The trio also discuss an Inola lawmaker criticizing the House Speaker for denying his request on an interim study regarding aluminum smelter operations and the Islamic Society of Tulsa suing Broken Arrow after city officials voted against rezoning for the organization to build a mosque. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
Trump administration threatens to gut Head Start rules: The Trump administration appears poised to gut the central policies that shape Head Start, a popular and long-established early childhood education program that serves the country’s neediest children. The Department of Health and Human Services announced the changes Thursday. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
‘We’re not broke’: Osage Nation Congress says state of emergency does not reflect reality: Osage Nation Congress members say they’re in the dark after the tribe’s executive branch decided to close its visitors center, language immersion school and Harvest Land farm. [KOSU]
- Lawmakers question basis for Tillman’s State of Emergency [Osage News]
Cherokee Nation announces ban on data center construction on tribally owned land: Citing the findings of a task force commissioned earlier this year, the Cherokee Nation announced Wednesday that it will ban the construction of data centers on land within its reservation that is held in trust or tribally owned. [Tulsa World]
8 Northeast Oklahoma tribes enact wildlife codes, sign reciprocal licensing agreement: Eight northeastern Oklahoma tribes signed an agreement earlier this week to govern hunting, fishing and trapping on their reservations. The compact allows members of all eight tribes to hunt and fish across much of Ottawa County, in the far northeast corner of the state, and it sets up a framework for tracking and managing wildlife in the area. [KOSU]
Voting and Election News
‘My fault’: Robert Franklin under fire for 2014 incident at special needs camp: Republican state superintendent candidate Robert Franklin grabbed a 12-year-old special needs child with enough force to leave long scratches on the sides of his head at a camp in 2014, a revelation that has prompted opponent James Taylor to call for his withdrawal ahead of the Aug. 25 runoff. [NonDoc]
- Educators face off in GOP race for Oklahoma superintendent [Oklahoma Voice]
Election Roundup
- Tulsa District 2: Anthony Archie challenged by Aaron Bisogno ‘to give a choice’ [NonDoc]
- District 2 City Council candidates Archie, Bisogno answer questions at community forum [Tulsa World]
- Meet the three candidates running to fill the open Tulsa City Council District 9 seat [Tulsa Flyer]
Education News
Oklahoma education turnaround is key to state’s economy, panel says: Some of the biggest leaders and stakeholders in Oklahoma education agree that industries, schools and businesses must align and collaborate to boost the state’s education outcomes, but politics often become a major factor in that equation. [The Oklahoman]
Health News
Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños in 27 states, including Oklahoma: Salmonella infection cases in the United States are on the rise amidst various recalls around the country. [The Oklahoman]
Justice System News
Former Oklahoma DHS employee faces 5 felony counts after allegedly stealing millions from low-income assistance program: A former Oklahoma Department of Human Services employee accused of stealing more than $2 million from a program designed to help low-income Oklahomans pay their heating and water bills now faces five separate felony counts—up from the single embezzlement charge he faced when News 4 first reported his arrest in May. [KFOR]
Oklahoma inmates find purpose packing meals for kids: Inmates at several Oklahoma prisons recently helped a nonprofit and a local church assemble meals destined for hungry children. [The Oklahoman]
Economy & Business News
Data centers are coming to Oklahoma. Leaders at a recent Tulsa forum advise turning the challenge into an opportunity: State lawmakers, policy experts, and residents of Tulsa met at a forum Sunday to talk about the influx of AI data centers in Oklahoma – and who really pays the cost. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Local Headlines
- Drought conditions expand rapidly across Oklahoma [KGOU]
- Sales tax for new Oklahoma County jail takes one step forward [KOSU]
- Stillwater wire manufacturing facility to close this fall [KOSU]
- Norman extends storm debris pickup through August [KGOU]
Quote of the Day
“I feel like I’m begging; I feel like there is no help. There is frustration on both ends; the workers are frustrated, too.”
-Marketta Butler, speaking about her experience trying to get food assistance for her family, which includes five children. Her SNAP benefits ended nearly a month ago, but several calls and two visits to the state DHS office had been unsuccessful. Oklahomans seeking food assistance are facing hours-long lines and phone call queues, if they can get through at all. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
17.77%
SNAP food assistance participation in Oklahoma dropped by 17.77% (more than 120,000 people) between July 2025 and April 2026, which was the nation’s fourth largest decrease during that time period. About 1 in 7 Oklahomans rely on SNAP food assistance. Last year’s federal megabill H.R. 1 made deep cuts to federal funding for food assistance while increasing requirements for participation. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
Policy Note
SNAP Cuts Mitigation Hub: Responding to H.R. 1: The harmful Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provisions in the budget reconciliation law (H.R. 1) passed in July threaten to undermine decades of progress in reducing hunger in America, disrupt the food system, strip food away from millions of people, burden already strained state budgets, and threaten the economy. [Food Research and Action Center]
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