OKPOLICY.ORG
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
Norman encampment cleared again amid broader homelessness crisis (Capitol Update): Arrests and jail appear to offer only temporary relief for local property owners affected by homelessness, while adding strain to the jail and court system. When people are arrested, they must be charged, appear in court, and move through a system that was not designed to address homelessness. Without help and resources, they are likely to become homeless again. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
- From OK Policy: Bulldozers won’t solve homelessness
State Government News
Oklahoma State Auditor Flags $25 Million in Questionable Federal Spending Across Three Agencies: Byrd and her staff examine all of Oklahoma’s federal grant programs with expenditures greater than $30 million and report their findings in a single federal audit every year. [Oklahoma Watch]
- Auditor calls for action as Oklahoma faces refund risk over $24.8M questioned costs [Fox 25]
- Oklahoma audit finds $25 million in questioned costs, highlights oversight issues [KOCO]
Ex-vendor sues Oklahoma ethics board over ethics system replacement, seeks $6M in damages: A Texas company countersued the state Ethics Commission on Tuesday, alleging it suffered $6 million in losses after the agency ended a contract to replace the state’s campaign finance system. [Oklahoma Voice]
Federal Government News
Trump administration plans $100,000 visa fee for high-skill foreign workers: The Department of Homeland Security is planning to drastically increase the fee for hiring high-skilled foreign workers within the United States to $100,000, according to a preview of a proposed rule published Monday. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Kiowa Tribe plans to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells on its land: In western Oklahoma, the Kiowa Tribe is preparing to plug potentially dozens of abandoned oil and gas wells and remediate the surrounding sites. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Voting and Election News
Oklahoma election updates: What’s on the ballot, state questions, polling locations: Oklahomans cast their ballots in several races today, from the top state office to the superintendent of public instruction and even the state’s voter ID laws. [The Oklahoman]
- Statewide Runoff Elections Today [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Today is election day in Oklahoma for partisan runoffs, state questions and more [KOSU]
- It’s Election Day in Oklahoma: Here’s a basic guide to what’s on the ballot [Tulsa World]
- It’s Election Day, and every voter has something to decide on the Aug. 25 ballot [Tulsa Flyer]
- From OK Policy: What’s on the ballot for the August 25, 2026 elections in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma GOP Party’s unprecedented decision to endorse ahead of partisan primary panned: The Oklahoma Republican Party State Committee’s decision to endorse three statewide candidates days before the primary runoff has inflamed some party stalwarts, who argued it’s an unprecedented attempt to try to influence the outcome. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma GOP endorses Mazzei, some Republicans push back [KOSU]
- Oklahoma GOP state committee backs Mike Mazzei for governor [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma GOP moves to endorse 3 candidates ahead of Tuesday runoffs [Fox 25]
Election Roundup
- Voters across Oklahoma set to vote on State Question 844, what impact would it have? [KOCO]
- Oklahoma already requires voter ID. So what would State Question 846 change? [KOCO]
- Bitter Oklahoma governor’s runoff tests Trump’s endorsement power [The Hill]
- Oklahoma GOP runoff features race to replace controversial governor [ICT]
- Drummond, Mazzei make final pitches in Oklahoma GOP governor race [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma Gov. candidates Drummond vs Mazzei on Taxes, Tribes, and Education: Runoff election guide [News 9]
- More than 175 Oklahoma superintendents endorse Franklin for state superintendent [Fox 25]
Opinion: Black communities shouldn’t fear PACs. We should understand them.: Political action committees can raise legitimate concerns about money and influence. But they can also give Black communities another tool for building political power, if we understand how they work. [Nehemiah Frank / The Black Wall Street Times]
Education News
Oklahoma schools must create after-school programs to keep third meal funding: Oklahoma schools are required to establish afterschool programs by Oct. 1 to retain federal funding for a third meal, a move some superintendents say is difficult to implement quickly. [KOCO]
- Oklahoma lawmakers challenge education department over third meal funding cut [KOCO]
Weeks after school’s closure, private student records remain in empty building: Confidential student records are sitting in a vacated building nearly eight weeks after a charter school permanently closed its doors, officials from the state and the school said, though both sides disagree on who is at fault. [Oklahoma Voice]
Justice System News
Tulsa prosecutors warn of online risks as child sex crime sweep nets 38 charges: Federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement officials offered cybersafety tips for parents Monday as they unveiled their latest efforts to combat child exploitation and monitor registered sex offenders. [Tulsa World]
Vote delayed on jail trust bylaws: A meeting of the Oklahoma County Jail Trust on Monday involved a dispute over proposed new bylaws, leading trust members to delay a vote on the measure by 30 days. [KFOR]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Homeowner’s wildfire damage claim with OG&E remains unsolved nearly a year later: Nearly 11 months after filing a damage claim with Oklahoma Gas & Electric for a wildfire that destroyed more than 2,200 trees on his property, Chandler area resident Robert Beckham still doesn’t know if the utility company accepts responsibility or what damage it’s willing to pay for. [The Oklahoman]
Filings cite State Farm touting $1.4B savings as Oklahoma policyholders sue over payouts: New court filings in a case against State Farm are providing a fresh look at how State Farm handled claims. [Fox 25]
Can Oklahoma utilities cut your power when it’s too hot? What state law says: There are state laws that protect residential customers from shutoffs during extreme weather. [The Oklahoman]
PSO’s temporary $11 hike could last longer, but there is movement on the utility’s pending rate case: It’ll likely be a couple more months before Oklahoma residents see relief on their electric bills — and even that’s not guaranteed. [Tulsa Flyer]
Economy & Business News
Oklahoma cattlemen criticize beef import decision: Oklahoma ranchers are reeling following a decision by President Donald Trump to allow beef to be imported and sold 25% below market. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma farmers express concerns about foreign beef imports [KFOR]
- OKC business Cusack Meats to close temporarily due to beef prices [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma Cattlemen warn tariff pause now could slow herd rebuilding despite Trump’s plan [Fox 25]
Cox is becoming Spectrum: What the acquisition means for Oklahoma customers: Trucks with cable installers and line repair crews with the Cox Communications logo seen nearly everywhere in Oklahoma will soon have a new image: Spectrum. But it will still be Cox in corporate name. [Tulsa World]
A Better Way Norman set to close due to lack of funding: A year after its launch, a supportive employment program in Norman is closing. A Better Way Norman is shutting down at the end of August. The two-week program offers work cleaning up public spaces and connection to employment, housing, mental health and substance abuse services. [KGOU]
Community News
Kid Gov. Katelyn Talley: ‘Conflicts and finding solutions are a big part of leadership’: Led locally by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, the Kid Governor civics program teaches fifth graders about state government, leadership and the voting process by allowing them to participate in a real election. [NonDoc]
How did one Oklahoma family help 250 Vietnamese refugees to start over after the fall of Saigon?: In 1975, as Saigon fell and tens of thousands of Vietnamese fled, a family in the small western Oklahoma town of Clinton opened their doors – and their community – to help resettle around 250 refugees. [KGOU]
Local Headlines
- Ambitious downtown development project would bring soccer stadium, link neighborhoods [Tulsa World]
- People of Hope Museum will bring stories of kindness, service to OKC [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“If voters approve this, nothing immediately changes. What voters are voting on is to give the legislature the authority to change the constitution. The legislature was not specific in the language in how they want to change the methodology of the reimbursement. All they say is they want to change the reimbursement methodology.”
— Aanahita Irani Ervin, fiscal policy analyst for OK Policy, explaining the implications of State Question 844, on statewide ballots today, August 25. Both state questions being decided in the August Runoff ask voters to approve changes to the Constitution without knowing how those changes will be implemented in the future. Instead, they leave key details to be determined later by the Legislature. [KOCO]
- From OK Policy: Vote no on SQ 844 and SQ 846: Protect Oklahoma’s Constitution
Number of the Day
26%
The overall turnout rate of eligible voters in Oklahoma’s June Primary Election this year. The 2022 midterm general election turnout was 39.6%. [Oklahoma Voice] | [Ballotpedia]
Policy Note
Voter Turnout in The United States: Voter turnout in the United States is much lower than in other countries, hovering around 60% in presidential elections and 40% in midterm election years. Turnout soars to 90% in countries with mandatory voting and reaches around 70% overall in developed countries. [FairVote]
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