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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
Housing is out of reach for working Oklahomans, seniors and people with disabilities: The gap between wages and rent in Oklahoma continues to widen. For Oklahomans earning minimum wage — and for many seniors and people with disabilities — affording rent is nearly impossible. Without bold action from lawmakers, more Oklahomans will be forced to choose between housing, health care, food, and other essentials. [Sabine Brown / OK Policy]
Oklahoma News
Proposed HUD Timeline Puts Working Families At Risk Of Eviction: A newly proposed two-year time limit on rental assistance from the federal government puts 32,300 Oklahomans, 18,400 of whom are children, at risk of eviction and homelessness. The federal government holds that Housing and Urban Development is supposed to be a temporary fix, not a permanent solution. However, housing experts in Oklahoma claim the proposed timeline does not adequately address the housing crisis. [Oklahoma Watch]
Amid growing food insecurity, Oklahomans brace for SNAP cuts: In Oklahoma, more than 15 percent of households are food insecure, meaning they have limited access to adequate nutrition. With 59 percent of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, many people are one bad break away from experiencing uncertainty regarding where they will find their next meal. [NonDoc]
State Government News
Cost-cutting efforts target public health, labeling some programs as wasteful: State and federal officials have targeted public health programs in efforts to trim what they call wasteful spending, focusing on pandemic-era funding that remained unused. But health care advocates have pushed back, pointing to Oklahoma’s low public health rankings and questioning why the state wasn’t able to find some use for the funds. [The Frontier]
- Opinion: In Oklahoma, Medicaid can be a springboard to wellness, opportunity [Oklahoma Health Care Authority CEO Ellen Buettner / The Oklahoman]
- From OK Policy: Statement: DOGE-OK recommends health care cuts that are harmful, counterintuitive
Water, water policy remain big issues in Oklahoma: Like they have many times in the past, the Republican-controlled Oklahoma Legislature is taking yet another look at water and water policy issues in Oklahoma. Last week, during an interim study at the state Capitol, a Senate committee spent most of the morning examining how to protect rivers such as the Kiamichi from overuse and how to ensure that water quality in the Sooner State remains high. [Southwest Ledger]
- Endangered fish could be reintroduced to Oklahoma after years of river restoration [KOSU]
Lieutenant Governor Pinnell promotes Oklahoma at 2025 Taiwan Expo: Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell attended the 2025 Taiwan Expo last week in Dallas. He was there to learn about Taiwanese companies exploring opportunities to expand into the U.S. Taiwan is one of Oklahoma’s key international partners. [7 News]
Federal Government News
U.S. Ed Sec. McMahon touts Trump reforms in Oklahoma visit; Walters left off the agenda: U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon touted school choice and workforce development in Oklahoma as she made the state the latest stop on what she says will be a tour of all 50 states with the announced goal to “return education to the states.” [The Oklahoman]
- U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon visits OKC charter school, state Capitol [Oklahoma Voice]
- Why was the US education secretary in Oklahoma amid a push to disband her department? [KOCO]
- EXCLUSIVE: Interview with US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, Governor Kevin Stitt [News 9]
Does Oklahoma rely on states such as California for federal tax dollars that fund education and healthcare?: Yes. Oklahoma relies on federal funding for its public programs, and of the $4.67 trillion in taxes collected by the federal government in fiscal year 2023, 12.2% came from California–one of the minority of states that sent more funds to the government than it received. [Oklahoma Watch]
- From OK Policy: The myth of Oklahoma’s fiscal self-reliance (Policy Matters)
Six GOP states send more than 1,000 National Guard to D.C. for Trump crackdown: Six Republican governors are sending more than 1,000 National Guard members to the District of Columbia after President Donald Trump last week activated 800 members from the district’s Guard as part of his federal takeover of the nation’s capital. A spokesperson for Gov. Kevin Stitt said there are no current plans for a deployment of National Guard troops from the state. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump administration vows to ‘come after’ sanctuary states and cities, despite court setbacks: The Trump administration is attempting to force more cooperation with immigration arrests. But it suffered a serious court reversal on July 25, when a federal judge dismissed a sanctuary policies case against Illinois, Chicago and Cook County. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma is a ‘blueprint’ for biotechnology partnerships, federal commission says: Oklahoma is a “blueprint” for Washington, D.C. of how to implement public-private partnerships in biotechnology, said a federal official who has been tasked with reviewing advancements in the industry. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Why Oklahoma is critical in the biotech race with China [The Journal Record]
Voting and Election News
Erica Watkins to run as Democrat for Congress in Oklahoma’s First District: Erica Watkins, the Executive Director of We’re Oklahoma Education, or wOKe, says that she is launching her campaign to run as the Democratic candidate for Congress in Oklahoma’s First District. [Fox 23]
Like most other states, should Oklahoma’s state superintendent be appointed by the governor?: Governor Kevin Stitt raised questions about Oklahoma’s process for selecting a state superintendent amid growing tensions with current Superintendent Ryan Walters. Oklahoma is just one of 12 states where a state superintendent is elected. [KOCO]
Education News
Oklahoma will test some incoming teachers with ‘America-first’ exam: Teachers from New York and California who apply to teach in Oklahoma will now have to answer questions meant to screen out “woke indoctrinators” with left-wing views — the latest attempt by Oklahoma officials to push the state’s education system rightward. [The Washington Post]
- Oklahoma ideology test for out-of-state teachers draws criticism [AP via The Journal Record]
- Oklahoma to test teachers coming from California, New York with America First Assessment [KOCO]
- Sample questions released from test required for teachers from California and New York [News on 6]
- Oklahoma’s America First ‘woke’ test for teachers to roll out soon: What you need to know (video) [The Oklahoman]
As U.S. college enrollment ‘cliff’ looms, Oklahoma should be OK, state chancellor says: Colleges and universities across the country have been enrolling fewer students in recent years, and an enrollment “cliff” is looming, a result of fewer babies being born since around the time of the Great Recession. But the outlook seems OK for Oklahoma. [Tulsa World]
What is the best high school in Oklahoma? US News lists these as among the best in nation: Back-to-school season is in full swing, and for students at three Oklahoma City schools, they’re attending classes at one of the top 500 schools in the nation, according to a new list. [The Oklahoman]
Health News
New cancer center in Norman celebrates grand opening, mission to serve more Oklahomans: Access to advanced cancer care is expanding in Norman and south-central Oklahoma with the grand opening of OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center at Norman Regional. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Walmart recalls frozen shrimp over potential radioactive contamination: Walmart has recalled frozen, raw shrimp sold in 13 states because federal health officials say it could have potential radioactive contamination. The risk from the recalled shrimp is “quite low,” said Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University. [AP via Tulsa World]
Criminal Justice News
OK County jail trustee Rev. Scobey quarrels with admin over costs, lengths of stay in jail: Hearing the cost of booking homeless people into the Oklahoma County Detention Center sent jail trustee Rev. Derrick Scobey into a 45-minute discourse with jail administrators, at times heated, at this week’s meeting of the County Criminal Justice Authority. [The Oklahoman]
- Data: OCDC inmates routinely having to wait days for release after bonds approved [KFOR]
Oklahoma attorney general deploys state officers to patrol Okemah amid city police force reductions: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond ordered state officers to take over policing in Okemah Monday, after city officials fired the local police chief and several members of the force resigned. [KOSU]
Former Choctaw High School choir teacher sentenced to prison for sex crimes: A former choir teacher at Choctaw High School has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for having a sexual relationship with a student that lasted more than a year. [The Oklahoman]
Long Story Short: CoreCivic Advertises Jobs at Vacant Prisons in Watonga and Sayre (podcast): Keaton Ross reported on CoreCivic, a private prison company, advertising detention officer jobs at two long-vacant prisons in Watonga and Sayre. [Oklahoma Watch]
- From OK Policy: Oklahoma shouldn’t allow private prisons to reopen as immigration detention centers. Here are 6 reasons why.
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Oklahoma hospitals and clinics provide over 1.2M pounds of food to patients: These efforts, delivered through 55 hospital– and clinic-based food pantries, address one of the most pressing challenges affecting Oklahomans today: food insecurity. [The Journal Record]
Economy & Business News
Google’s data center expansion takes capital investment in Oklahoma to record high for 2025: The Oklahoma Department of Commerce is looking at an all-time record being set for new capital investment in Oklahoma with the recent announcement by Google putting the figure at over $13.7 billion — and the year isn’t over. [The Oklahoman]
Community News
Crowdfunding campaign aims to deliver house to 1921 Race Massacre survivor: A grassroots campaign launched Thursday hopes to secure $1 million to go toward a home for one of the remaining two 1921 Race Massacre survivors. Dubbed “A Home to Inherit,” its goal is to raise cash to either purchase or build a permanent home for 111-year-old Viola Ford Fletcher. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Pathway to Hope Public Art Trail dedicated along I-244: Overpasses make unlikely art galleries, but six of them opened on the north leg of downtown’s Inner Dispersal Loop on Tuesday. Each highlights an element of the historic neighborhood’s culture. [Tulsa World]
Native plant grant transforms Oklahoma yards into wildlife habitats: A new program between conservation organizations resulted in 33 projects showcasing native plants. The projects sprouted up in yards, farms, parks and apartment courtyards. Recipients were reimbursed up to $525 for each 100 square feet of native habitat planted. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Opinion, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt: I’m a Red-State Mayor Who Knows the Value of Diversity: As residents of a purple city in a red state, we’ve been hearing a lot of rhetoric that portrays the drive for equal opportunity as a form of reverse discrimination, that says we should not celebrate greater diversity as evidence that we have expanded opportunity, or even that we should not support Pride or other celebrations of our residents’ unique identities. To cast equal opportunity as a threat rather than a goal is to move backward. [David Holt / The New York Times]
Local Headlines
- Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols announces creation of Office of Health and Well-Being [Tulsa World]
- ‘We’re impacted’: Small businesses concerned over Scheels coming to OKC [KFOR]
- Pioneer Library System sues City of Norman over mold-damaged library [KGOU]
Quote of the Day
“We don’t have a problem of people not working enough, we have a problem of rents rising faster than wages.”
– Sabine Brown, Housing Senior Policy Analyst at the Oklahoma Policy Institute, emphasizing that working families remain at risk of eviction and homelessness as federal rental assistance cuts fail to address the state’s underlying affordability crisis. [OK Policy]
Number of the Day
116
The number of hours per week a minimum-wage worker in Oklahoma would need to work to afford a modest two-bedroom rental home. This means holding nearly three full-time jobs just to cover rent — before accounting for other basic living expenses. [National Low Income Housing Coalition]
Policy Note
Minimum Wages and Housing Security in Oklahoma: Raising Oklahoma’s minimum wage to $15 per hour could lift up to 40,000 households out of cost-burdened rent levels and reduce severe cost burdens for another 32,000. This change is also projected to prevent up to 550 people from experiencing homelessness each year, easing pressure on shelter systems and emergency services while lowering public costs through fewer emergency room visits and reduced shelter use. [Scioto Analysis]
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