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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
Oklahoma’s county jails face rising insurance and liability pressures (Capitol Update): Last week, Senator David Bullard, R-Durant, sponsored an interesting and important interim study on insurance rates for county jails before the Senate Local and County Government Committee, chaired by Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain. The study featured testimony from several county commissioners whose jail liability insurance had become unavailable in satisfactory amounts either due to the increased cost of premiums, reduction of coverage by the insurance companies, or exclusions to the counties’ general liability insurance. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
State Government News
Oklahoma to return $225 million in broadband expansion funds, raising concern over rural internet access: Oklahoma plans to return $225 million in federal broadband funds after shifting to lower-cost wireless solutions under a new federal directive, a move officials say will cut costs while critics warn it will leave many rural residents with inferior service and send Oklahoma tax dollars to other states. [KFOR]
Turmoil plagues Oklahoma horse racing regulatory board: The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission on Tuesday is expected to discuss finding a replacement for its executive director, who resigned last week. John Chancey’s resignation follows months of turmoil at the small state agency, which regulates horse racing and gaming, under the oversight of its nine-member governing board. The agency is facing an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation probe, an external financial forensic audit and recently had at least three Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints filed against it. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma Democrats announce second round of public ‘Capitol Conversations’: Democrats in the Oklahoma legislature are inviting the public to participate in conversations with lawmakers about key policy initiatives. Here are some details about the multi-day series of discussions and the planned topics. [KGOU]
Oklahoma TSET investment board likely violated ‘spirit’ of transparency law, experts say: A state investment board’s vote to challenge several companies’ policies at minimum violated the “spirit” of Oklahoma’s open meetings law, two government transparency experts said. While Leslie Briggs and Joey Senat, who specialize in Oklahoma’s Open Meeting Act, said it would be up to a court to decide if a state law was violated last week, they said the meeting agenda for the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust’s board of investors didn’t provide enough information for the public to understand the planned vote or which companies would be impacted. [Oklahoma Voice]
Federal Government News
Trump creates ‘quick reaction force’ out of state Guard troops for law enforcement: President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday directing state National Guard units to be ready to assist local, state and federal law enforcement, a potential step toward a dramatic expansion of Trump’s use of military personnel for domestic policing. [Oklahoma Voice]
- More on Trump’s executive order calling for a ‘specialized unit’ of National Guard [NPR via KGOU]
Pentagon approves National Guard to carry weapons in D.C. as federal takeover extends: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized the thousands of National Guard troops deployed to the District of Columbia to carry their weapons as they patrol the city, the Pentagon said Friday. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump signs orders targeting cashless bail, flag burning: President Trump on Monday signed a series of executive orders aimed at further cracking down on crime in the nation’s capital and other parts of the country, including one order targeting cashless bail policies and another seeking to crack down on those who desecrate the American flag. [The Hill]
- President Trump signs executive order targeting people who burn the American flag (audio) [NPR via KOSU]
- Trump signs EO directing DOJ to prosecute American flag burners [The Black Wall Street Times]
ICE detains Kilmar Abrego Garcia again. And, Trump seeks to fire Fed governor: Immigration authorities yesterday morning took Kilmar Abrego Garcia into federal custody, where he is waiting to find out how long he will remain in the U.S. The Maryland man was wrongfully deported to El Salvador in March and later returned to the U.S. The U.S. government now says it will deport Abrego Garcia again — this time to Uganda. [NPR via KGOU]
Trump battles with US Senate Judiciary’s Grassley over home-state picks for judges: President Donald Trump and Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley are sparring on social media over whether the Judiciary Committee chairman should abandon a century-old tradition that allows senators to block the advancement of judicial nominees who would serve in the senators’ home states. [Oklahoma Voice]
Gov. Wes Moore and Pres. Trump trade barbs over bridge, crime: Tensions have escalated between President Donald Trump and Maryland Governor Wes Moore over the funding for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The dispute stems from a broader political disagreement over public safety and the deployment of federal troops. It has culminated with Trump threatening to withhold federal funding. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Ethanol boosters say E30 and marketing to youth point the way for corn fuel’s future: The Trump administration issued an executive order in April allowing nationwide, year-round sales of E15, despite concerns that it worsens air pollution in some areas during the summer. The next administration could rescind it, so some farm-state lawmakers are pushing to codify E15 availability. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: As Trump takes over cities with military, where’s the conservative outrage?: For years, conservatives have warned about federal overreach that could lead to a violent standoff, particularly if a president weaponizes the national military against the American people. So here we are. President Donald Trump is doing exactly what was feared, and conservatives are totally fine with it. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Tribal Nations News
Muscogee Nation tribal council pauses resolution involving Cherokee jurisdictional fight: The Muscogee National Council is choosing to remain neutral in the jurisdictional fight between the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, after the council voted 9-4 to postpone Tribal Resolution 25-079 indefinitely. [OPMX via KGOU]
Education News
Norman schools’ new substance abuse plan cuts infractions 40%: A new approach to addressing substance abuse issues among students in Norman Public Schools has proven successful, with a 40% drop in drug and alcohol infractions during the 2024-2025 school year. The new policy came as student drug issues spiked after the COVID-19 pandemic. [The Journal Record]
Criminal Justice News
As Oklahoma Prisons Embrace AI, Critics Warn of Risks: Department of Corrections Executive Director Steven Harpe said he sees artificial intelligence as the future, with Oklahoma uniquely positioned to incorporate it into public safety initiatives. Critics questioned the reliability of the technology and said the effort could shift focus from other agency goals like boosting staff recruitment. [Oklahoma Watch]
Do tougher penalties for minors accused of crimes lower youth crime? (audio): The Trump administration has called to stiffen penalties for minors accused of crimes in D.C. Does that lower youth crime? NPR’s Michel Martin speaks with juvenile justice expert Vincent Schiraldi. [NPR via KGOU]
- From OK Policy: Reimagining Youth Justice in Oklahoma
Dual detention: How the Oklahoma County jail will operate from two locations: It might sound unusual, maybe even dangerous, to book people into jail in one place and incarcerate them in another, miles away. That’s Oklahoma County’s $216 million plan for making its jail more humane and less expensive. But the chief architect said it’s not unheard of. [The Oklahoman]
Wagoner man gets five years for his role in nationwide catalytic converter theft ring: A Wagoner man who was a key player in a nationwide catalytic converter theft operation was sentenced to prison on Monday. U.S. District Judge Sara Hill ordered Tyler James Curtis, 29, to serve 57 months, or nearly five years, in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after he admitted to conspiracy to commit money laundering. [Tulsa World]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Tulsa must dramatically boost its housing supply over the next decade, experts say: More than two dozen area lawmakers and Tulsa City Councilors met during a special meeting Monday at City Hall. Mayor Monroe Nichols continues moving to increase the city’s housing supply, but housing experts told councilors and lawmakers more needs to be done. [The Frontier]
- From OK Policy: Oklahoma’s housing supply is falling further behind
‘Solar For All’ would have powered emergency housing in a Midwest town. Then the EPA cut the funds: The Solar for All program was established by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act with the goal of expanding solar to municipal public power agencies, multi-family housing developments and single-family homes. The program was specifically focused on reaching low-income households and communities. But on Aug. 7, as part of the current administration’s continued efforts to rescind funding for clean energy projects, organizations across the country received a notice of termination. [Harvest Public Media via KOSU]
Economy & Business News
Companies scale back hiring as they brace for recession: A new poll reveals 80% of U.S. hiring managers are bracing for a recession, and nearly half of them expect it within the next year. Only 6% of the 1,000 respondents say a recession wouldn’t impact their organization, and 60% anticipate a major or moderate effect. [The Journal Record]
Homeowners association sues Google over planned data center in Stillwater: A longtime neighborhood association in Stillwater is suing Tulsa construction companies and Google over the tech giant’s plans to build a new multibillion-dollar data center next door. The lawsuit — filed in Payne County District Court by the Park View Estates Homeowners Association — seeks remediation and undisclosed financial compensation for damaging its ponds, waterways and wildlife. [Tulsa World]
Community News
‘Preserve this history’: Dusk ‘Til Dawn festival plays on after Selby Minner murder: The 35th annual Dusk ‘Til Dawn Blues Festival returns this weekend at the Down Home Blues Club, but this year’s three days of celebration in one of Oklahoma’s original all-Black towns will be somewhat somber as musicians and music lovers mourn the woman who made it all possible: Selby Minner. [NonDoc]
New Gallup poll shows 64% believe racism is widespread in U.S.: Recent polling by Gallup indicates 64% of Americans believe that racism against Black people is widespread in the United States. This finding remains consistent with data from previous years, showing a steady majority of the public acknowledges the persistence of racial discrimination. The poll highlights a significant divide in perceptions, particularly along racial and political lines, underscoring the different lived experiences and viewpoints across the country. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Local Headlines
- Three significant developments are in the works in Edmond. What are they? [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“If we want to be competitive in all the things we’re offering as a state, we need to have housing supply that meets the needs of individuals and of the employers we’re hoping to bring to the state.”
– Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, addressing Oklahoma’s housing shortage. In Tulsa alone, more than 1,000 new homes are needed to meet demand — a problem mirrored across the state. [The Frontier]
Number of the Day
4.5 million
The estimated shortage of homes in the U.S. housing market. This severe gap between supply and demand has fueled rising prices, limited workforce mobility, and created widespread economic and social challenges. [U.S. Chamber of Commerce]
Policy Note
The US Needs More Homes. The States Have Some Ideas: States increasingly see value in pairing regulatory reforms with modern construction technology — such as 3D printing and off-site building methods — as a scalable solution to housing shortages. Policy updates that ease zoning restrictions, streamline permitting, and encourage “missing middle” housing types (like duplexes, triplexes, and accessory dwelling units) are gaining traction for their ability to boost affordability and supply. Some states are also exploring financing mechanisms and incentives to help localities adopt these more efficient building practices. [National Conference of State Legislatures]
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