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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
After DOJ Complaint, Oklahoma Moves to End In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants: The suit alleges non-equal treatment because noncitizens are able to access in-state tuition — generally thousands of dollars cheaper than paying the out-of-state rate — while U.S. students from other states are not. The state agreed to end the policy after the complaint was filed. [Oklahoma Watch]
State Government News
Stitt celebrates several new laws as ‘best’ of 2025, including 3 impacting LGBTQ+ people: Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt is celebrating a slate of new laws for advancing the state’s conservative agenda, which he credits for Oklahoma’s population growth. [The Oklahoman]
Internet outage hits Oklahoma state agencies: What we know so far: Several state agencies temporarily closed their offices to the public, delayed services or altered operations because of a “statewide network outage.” A range of agencies, from Service Oklahoma to the Construction Industries Board, started alerting Oklahomans to the issues on Tuesday, Aug. 12. The internet outage spanned several hours. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma Senate committee hears concerns about scenic rivers: In the first interim study of 2025, Oklahoma lawmakers considered what measures may be needed to protect the state’s scenic rivers. [The Journal Record]
Oklahoma lawmakers listen to municipal leaders’ concerns over privately-owned unoccupied properties: Oklahoma lawmakers are trying to figure out what to do about unoccupied and dilapidated private properties across the state. About a dozen representatives of small towns visited the State Capitol on Tuesday to make the case for a swift solution. [KOSU]
Tulsa attorney out as counsel to State Board of Education amid power struggles: A Tulsa-based law firm has withdrawn as general counsel to the Oklahoma State Board of Education amid ongoing conflicts between recent gubernatorial appointees to the board and the chairman of the board, State Superintendent Ryan Walters. [Tulsa World]
- Law firm representing Oklahoma State Board of Education is withdrawing from that role [The Oklahoman]
Former lawmaker, OKC advocate Deborah Blackburn dies at 74: Debbie Blackburn, an Oklahoma publisher, activist and former legislator, died Sunday at 74 years old. She was elected and represented Oklahoma City’s House District 88 from 1995 until she reached her term limit in 2008. [KOSU]
- Former Oklahoma Rep. Debbie Blackburn, well-known historical preservationist, dies at 74 [The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
The hidden costs of cutting Medicaid: Health care is different from other goods, like movie tickets, cocktails, or cars. If people can’t pay for health care, they don’t suddenly stop needing it. So, where do people get their health care if they don’t have health insurance? [NPR via KGOU]
Judge orders White House budget office to reveal information about spending decisions: The White House budget office has until Friday to republish a website detailing the pace at which it plans to spend money approved by Congress, following a federal court ruling. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump taps economist from far-right foundation to head agency that tracks jobs numbers: President Donald Trump nominated conservative economist E.J. Antoni to fill the top spot at the Bureau of Labor Statistics after abruptly firing the previous statistician following a disappointing jobs report earlier this month. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump aims to move DC homeless ‘far from the Capital’: The Trump administration announced a sweeping new policy on Sunday aimed at clearing homeless individuals from the nation’s capital. The initiative, part of a broader push to address crime and beautify Washington, involves the immediate relocation of the city’s homeless population to unspecified facilities “far from the Capital.” [The Black Wall Street Times]
Opinion: By banning these 22 words, the federal government rejects someone’s liberty: Who do we want to be, as a very diverse nation of people with unique histories and identities and also shared history and identity? And how does the banning of words help us toward “a more perfect union” in any way? [Noel J. Jacobs / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
Is the Summer EBT program provided by tribal nations available to both non-native and native students?: Yes. The Summer EBT program, which combats child hunger during the summer break by providing families with $120 in grocery benefits per eligible child, is available to both Native American and non-Native students who meet the eligibility requirements. [Oklahoma Watch]
Opinion: Native Power Threatened as Voting Rights Act turns 60: While Native Americans had technically gained U.S. citizenship (and thus the right to vote) in 1924 through the Indian Citizenship Act, many Native Americans could not vote because of barriers imposed by state and local governments. Sixty years later, efforts continue to silence the votes of Native Americans, African Americans and Hispanics. [Levi Rickert / Native News Online]
Education News
Lawmakers urge focus on education as school year begins amid OSDE controversies: As Oklahoma students head back to school, political leaders are encouraging the public to focus on supporting students and educators rather than the controversies surrounding the Oklahoma State Department of Education. [News 9]
Nonprofit pilot program brings teachers from Mexico to fill Oklahoma teacher shortage: A new teacher pipeline program is utilizing international connections to bring some relief to Oklahoma’s teacher shortage crisis. Three teachers from Puebla, Mexico, are teaching at Santa Fe South Schools for the 2025-2026 school year as part of Fuel OKC’s Oklahoma Teacher Pathway program, which addresses teacher vacancies. [News 9]
- Oklahoma faces sub shortage—Here’s how you can help in OKC metro schools [News 9]
Amid scrutiny, American Virtual Academy says it’s still trying to open for Oklahoma students: An Arizona online school touted by state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters continues to tell Oklahoma parents it expects to be able to participate in the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program, despite being rejected by the Oklahoma Tax Commission. [The Oklahoman]
A university in Green Country is focusing on AI with new degree program: Northeastern State University announced Thursday it would offer a new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics for the coming fall semester. The degree is a modification of existing curriculum for business students. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Oklahoma welcomes students, but not their cellphones, back to school: As Oklahoma students return to school in the coming days, they’ll have backpacks on, pencils and laptops ready, and their cellphones out of sight. For the next year, state law requires all Oklahoma public schools to ban student use of cellphones and personal electronic devices for the entire school day. [Oklahoma Voice]
Criminal Justice News
Report updates progress of criminal justice reform measures: Anew report claims that judicial reform enacted by state voters in 2016 has saved more than $200 million in diverted correctional costs but that more needs to be done to get more counties to participate in mental health and substance abuse treatment. [Tulsa World]
Watonga psychiatrist to pay state $170K after allegedly submitting false claims to SoonerCare: The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office said that Dr. Richard Zielinski agreed to pay $173,143 to the state to settle a lawsuit for allegedly making false claims to the Oklahoma Medicaid program. [KOCO]
Kay County Commissioner Shane Jones has ‘no comment’ on cattle theft indictment: With their beef over alleged cattle theft making headlines across Oklahoma for two weeks, neither indicted Kay County Commissioner Shane Jones nor accuser Newkirk Public Schools Board of Education member Jeff Schieber had much to say about the curious case after their respective meetings Monday. [NonDoc]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Tulsa to put $6 million toward homelessness as resident frustrations mount: Tulsa residents’ frustrations with what they view as the city’s slow response to a growing unhoused population is starting to reach a boiling point. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
Long Story Short: Tulsa, OKC Resort to Hostile Architecture to Deter Homeless Encampments (podcast): Jake Ramsey on the use of hostile architecture in Tulsa and Oklahoma City to deter homeless encampments across the metro areas. Elizabeth Caldwell discusses a tax credit that was supposed to make housing more affordable. [Oklahoma Watch]
Community News
Opinion: I don’t understand what’s happening to the people I once called friends: How do I forgive those who so visibly support actions that cause so much damage and suffering to so many people? Damage that is just getting started, with an extent of unknowable magnitude. How do I accept people who choose to ignore or destroy our very core of “Liberty and Justice for ALL”? [Ron Stratton / The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- ‘Campus corner’ concept approved near UCO, more mixed-use development on Edmond’s horizon [NonDoc]
- Moore voters approve charter amendments, Mid-America Technology Center bond issue soundly rejected [KOSU]
- OKC Council approves Scheels incentive, retailer to open $100M store [The Journal Record]
- Tax credits approved for conversion of historic Cotton Exchange Building into apartments [The Oklahoman]
- Jim Norick Arena implosion ends Oklahoma City’s Big House era [The Journal Record]
- Survey gauging Tulsans’ interest in possible sales tax hike not city funded, Nichols says [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“I’m a little disappointed that we’re not talking about kids and education and our wonderful teachers who are every day going to the schools to try to help bring our state up forward. We’re talking about some silly thing… whether or not the superintendent [is] vindicated or not vindicated.”
– Sen. Paul Rosino (Oklahoma City) expressing disappointment that public attention has shifted to the controversies surrounding the Oklahoma State Department of Education and away from classrooms and supporting students and educators. [News 9]
Number of the Day
77%
The percent decline in youth confinement from 1995 to 2023, reflecting a drop in overall youth arrests, but not a more equitable system. By 2022, youth referred to court still faced nearly identical odds of confinement as in 2005. Minor offenses often led to detention, with racial disparities unchanged. [Annie E. Casey Foundation]
Policy Note
Why Are We Backsliding on Juvenile Justice?: Over the past few decades, juvenile justice reforms focused on rehabilitation and evidence-based approaches led to major declines in youth incarceration and crime. But recent shifts—fueled by fear-based narratives and political pressure—are reversing those gains, with states increasingly returning to punitive policies that are less effective and more harmful to youth. This backslide threatens to undo years of progress in creating a more just and data-driven juvenile justice system. [Governing]
- From OK Policy: Reimagining Youth Justice in Oklahoma: A Landscape Report of the Youth Justice System and Recommendations for Reform
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