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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
Some data centers are building their own power plants. In Oklahoma, most want to plug into the grid: Oklahoma passed a law last year allowing energy-hungry facilities to build their own power. But as data center announcements sprout up across Oklahoma, most include plans to work with local utilities. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KOSU]
Opinion: Oklahoma offers property tax breaks to businesses. Now lawmakers want to change the rules: Imagine ordering the most expensive cut of steak at a restaurant and telling the waitress that you’ll pay. But when she brings the bill, you balk over the price and attempt to negotiate it. It sounds completely ridiculous doesn’t it? Yet that’s exactly what lawmakers are attempting to do with State Question 844, and they want voters to give them permission to do it later this month. [Janelle Stecklein / Oklahoma Voice]
- From OK Policy: SQ 844 Fact Sheet | SQ 844 Explainer Video
State Government News
Capitol Insider: How does Oklahoma rate in economic development?: CNBC recently came out with its annual report, America’s Top States for Business. Oklahoma was ranked 39th while Ohio took the top spot and Texas ranked fourth. What are CNBC’s methods behind the rankings and what accounts for Oklahoma’s low comparative ranking? [KGOU]
- Oklahoma lands in bottom half of ‘America’s Top States for Business’ list [KFOR]
- From OK Policy via The Journal Record: Tax cuts are a workforce problem
Political notebook: Swiss firm largest shareholder of smelter’s American partner: Among the reasons cited by opponents of the proposed $4 billion aluminum smelter at Inola is Dubai’s and Abu Dhabi’s 60% ownership. But news reports indicate the largest shareholder in Century Aluminum, the Chicago-based 40% junior partner, is Swiss multinational Glencore. [Tulsa World]
Federal Government News
Trump again tries to curb birthright citizenship, following Supreme Court loss: President Donald Trump on Thursday signed two executive orders in his second attempt to deny citizenship to babies born to noncitizens, following the Supreme Court’s defeat this summer of an earlier order to redefine birthright citizenship. [Oklahoma Voice]
Farm bill proposal fails in US Senate ag committee over SNAP error rate issue: Farm bill progress stalled Thursday as the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee failed to move forward its version of the omnibus legislation due to a conflict over when states will shoulder a share of federal nutrition assistance costs. [Oklahoma Voice]
- From OK Policy: What’s That? Error Rates
Oklahoma leaders ask federal lawmakers to protect rural mail delivery: As the U.S. Senate considers nominees for the U.S. Postal Service leadership, Oklahoma officials are urging Congress to protect rural mail delivery. [KOSU]
Grant finale? U.S. overhaul seen to hurt nonprofts, squelch research: A proposed overhaul would centralize federal grant funding through the Office of Management and Budget. Critics fear the changes would politicize funding and disrupt research, education, and community services. Oklahoma universities, nonprofits, and scientists have expressed concern over the potential negative impacts. [The Oklahoman]
D.C. Digest: Lankford wants states to count faster: U.S. Sen. James Lankford and Utah’s Mike Lee are pushing for federal legislation that would not allow federal election ballots to be received after election day. Their proposal is a response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling that nothing in federal law prevents states from accepting and counting ballots after election day as long as they are submitted or mailed before. [Tulsa World]
Tribal Nations News
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Hoskin calls for tribal input in development of Inola smelter: Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. issued a statement expressing concern over a proposed aluminum smelter near the Cherokee reservation. Hoskin also called on government regulators and the smelter’s private developers to consult with the Cherokee Nation. [KOSU]
Cherokee Nation bans hyperscale data centers on tribally owned, trust lands: The Cherokee Nation issued a ban on hyperscale data center development for tribally owned and trust land on Wednesday. Cherokee Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. wrote that the Tahlequah-based tribe, which has the most enrolled tribal members in the U.S., will protect citizens from threats to the environment and culture. [KOSU]
Osage Nation Congress, chief issue dueling statements over Osage Nation finances: Amid a State of Emergency declaration regarding the Osage Nation’s finances issued by Principal Chief Joe Tillman, the executive and legislative branches each issued follow-up statements on Friday, Aug. 7. Both branches noted the Nation has good standing and unspent funding to be used toward other endeavors. [Osage News]
- Osage legislature refutes state of emergency claim [Tulsa World]
- Osage Nation parents seek solutions after sudden immersion school closure [KTUL]
Top U.S. housing official met with the state’s tribal leaders. What they discussed: Funding and regulatory issues are making it more difficult for tribal nations to expand housing in Oklahoma, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner said after meeting with tribal leaders from across the state. [The Oklahoman]
- HUD secretary on Oklahoma affordability, tribal homeownership, youth homelessness [News 9]
Comanche Nation receives $1.5M grant to repair tribal housing: The Comanche Nation Housing Authority has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support housing rehabilitation projects for Comanche families in southwest Oklahoma. [The Journal Record]
Voting and Election News
Drummond to release drug test ahead of Oklahoma’s GOP primary: Gentner Drummond said he will release copies of his financial and health records to the public after being challenged to do so by a debate moderator. The Republican gubernatorial candidate, who serves as Oklahoma’s attorney general, also told Oklahoma Voice during an interview Thursday that he plans to go a step further and also release results of a drug test. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma’s GOP candidates for governor disagree on taxpayer funding for religious schools [KOSU]
- Drummond says he’ll do what’s right, even if it’s not always popular [Tulsa World]
- Mazzei trying to complete his ‘zero income tax’ mission [Tulsa World]
- Trump-backed aluminum smelter divides Oklahoma GOP governor race [Reuters via The Journal Record]
Election Roundup
- Deadline to request absentee ballot is 5 p.m. today [Tulsa World]
- Voter guide for Oklahomans ahead of Aug. 25 election [Tulsa World]
- Voter Guide: What to know about Oklahoma’s primary runoff election [KOCO]
- Hear directly from Republican governor, state superintendent candidates at free forum [Tulsa Flyer]
- Incumbent Prieto, challenger Forst in Tulsa County state Senate runoff [Tulsa World]
- SD 17 runoff: Justin Wood, Abby Thompson seek GOP nod in open Shawnee seat [NonDoc]
- Tulsa District 7: Lori Decter Wright faces challenge from Dave Perry, Kenny Wogoman [NonDoc]
- Tulsa City Council District 2: Archie and Bisogno disagree on homelessness policy, Flock Safety use and proposed hotel tax hike [Tulsa Flyer]
- Voters can hear from District 9 City Council candidate at forum tonight [Tulsa World]
Education News
New report reveals Oklahoma’s average teacher pay among worst in country: Oklahoma teachers are some of the lowest earners among educators in the country, according to a new study, underscoring an issue that has long plagued the state as it has stagnated near the bottom of national education rankings. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma State Testing Program results show familiar struggles in reading, math: Figures released this week by the Oklahoma State Department of Education indicate that statewide scores on the spring 2026 edition of the Oklahoma State Testing Program remained largely flat compared to a year ago. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma cell phone ban raises bigger questions about tech in schools: Oklahoma’s classroom cell phone ban has reduced distractions, improved student engagement and decreased behavioral issues across the state. [The Oklahoman]
- No phones, more fights. Tulsa Public Schools is trying to help students better resolve conflict [Tulsa Flyer]
Health News
Tulsans on Medicare could see a $10 increase to their premiums for prescriptions: A temporary subsidy that helped Tulsans on Medicare afford prescription drugs is going away. This means Part D premiums could get about $10 more expensive on average, according to the Oklahoma Insurance Department. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
Justice System News
Felony Murder Rule in Oklahoma Can Send Children to Jail for Murders They Didn’t Personally Commit: When a child is charged with first-degree murder in Oklahoma, the child is treated as an adult if they are above a certain age. That certain age is 13. Children facing adult charges can be housed in adult facilities. In 2025, 31 people were serving Oklahoma prison sentences for crimes committed before they turned 18, according to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. [Oklahoma Watch]
Lawmakers scrutinize Oklahoma’s pretrial system after concerns over unconstitutional bail hearings: Interim studies will examine whether courts are providing constitutionally required bail hearings and whether the state has enough resources to expand pretrial release programs. [The Frontier]
Woman says she was abused, forced to work as child at Teen Challenge: Teen Challenge advertises its Christ-centered programs meant to help young people struggling with addiction and other issues through residential treatment and faith-based supports. But lawsuits filed in Oklahoma and other states are raising questions about whether some participants experienced abuse, neglect and exploitation instead. [The Oklahoman]
Judge: OK County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III must get inmates to court: Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III must keep getting jail inmates to court and back, at least for now, after a judge ruled on related matters. [The Oklahoman]
Legal roundup: Riots, caskets and Toby Keith’s burgled Bud Lights: This legal roundup contains updates on several cases and court matters across the state, including a prison operator facing disturbing allegations of systemic abuse, the potential end of 20-year arguments over chicken litter, an upheld conviction for a man who stole Bud Lights from Toby Keith’s farm and a prominent tourist town suing over misallocated tax revenue. [NonDoc]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Governor Stitt’s homeless encampment crackdown keeps clearing people out. They keep coming back: A Norman homeless encampment cleared by Governor Kevin Stitt’s Operation SAFE initiative just months ago is fully back—and the people living in and around it say the cycle of clearing and returning will never end without real solutions. [KFOR]
- From OK Policy: Bulldozers won’t solve homelessness
Opinion: Growing Up in Peru, I Thought I Knew Poverty. America Surprised Me: The people I met and the stories they told convinced me their poverty was more complicated than it appeared: the young people in deindustrialized towns who told us they felt left behind and terrified about their futures, the woman in Arkansas trying to raise six children on $13.40 an hour, the grandmother in eastern Kentucky who told me that I wouldn’t find a single family in her town whose lives hadn’t been touched by addiction — a sentiment I heard again and again as we drove through similar towns in Arkansas and Oklahoma. [Brunella Tipismana / New York Times]
Economy & Business News
Tulsa company would play key role if state gets nuclear industry innovation campus: A proposal to put Oklahoma at the center of a burst of new activity in the nuclear energy industry would draw heavily on contributions from a Tulsa company, Occlusion Nuclear Solutions, according to the state’s plan. [Tulsa World]
Community News
‘Who Is My Neighbor?’ Local group educates crowd at immigration forum: A group of several Oklahoma City churches, individuals and organizations, recently held an event to give immigrants an opportunity to share their stories, educate the community about immigration in the U.S., and dispel many of the myths that surround the topic. [The Oklahoman]
As Oklahoma childcare costs rise, Shawnee nonprofit supports families: Legacy Parenting Center in Shawnee is offering free education, mentorship and childcare supplies to families in Pottawatomie County, regardless of income. The organization is seeing rapid growth at the same time childcare costs are skyrocketing in Oklahoma. [KOSU]
Local Headlines
- Tulsa native Laura Latta tapped to lead mayor’s youth office [Tulsa Flyer]
- Oklahoma City keeps downtown streetcar rides free for good [The Oklahoman]
- Could a film studio replace the Oklahoma County Jail? Plan released [The Oklahoman]
- Community helps Shawnee monastery pay for AC fix, bringing relief [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“Especially if you’re coming from the prison system or mental health facilities or something like that, it’s just really hard.”
-Amber Pitman, who lives in one of the homeless encampments that was cleared during the governor’s initiative a few months ago. Many of the people who had been living there returned shortly afterwards because they had no other place to go. Pitman said it’s hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps in a world that doesn’t trust you to have any. [KFOR]
Number of the Day
1.1 million
The number of people who were served by homeless response workers nationwide in 2024 — a 12% increase from 2023. [National Alliance to End Homelessness]
Policy Note
Trump Policies Would Worsen Homelessness, Attack Basic Freedoms of People Who Can’t Afford Rent: Recent federal policy proposals would reduce housing assistance while making housing less affordable, increasing the risk that more people fall into homelessness. At the same time, some policies shift toward more punitive approaches — such as restricting where unhoused people can live or conditioning aid — rather than expanding access to stable housing and services. This combination is expected to strain local systems, increase homelessness, and disproportionately harm communities of color who already face higher housing instability. More broadly, these changes raise concerns about limiting the basic rights and freedoms of people who cannot afford housing, while failing to address the root causes of homelessness like high housing costs and lack of support. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
- From OK Policy: Homelessness in Oklahoma – Information and Resources
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