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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
The Future of Democracy Rests in the Oklahoma Supreme Court (SB 1027): This past session, the Oklahoma Legislature passed Senate Bill 1027, which imposes sweeping restrictions on the initiative petition process. In June, concerned Oklahomans filed two lawsuits with the Oklahoma Supreme Court to challenge this bill. These lawsuits are critical steps to protect Oklahomans’ constitutional right to the initiative petition. The Supreme Court must act with haste to strike down SB 1027 as a blatantly unconstitutional limit on free speech and democracy. Any Oklahoman who values democracy should care about the outcomes of these cases and support the overturning of SB 1027. [Cole Allen / OK Policy]
State Government News
Rep. Ty Burns resigning 48 hours after guilty pleas: Amid calls by Gov. Kevin Stitt, Democratic legislative leaders and the chairwoman of the Oklahoma Republican Party that he relinquish his House District 35 seat, Rep. Ty Burns announced his resignation today, two days after he pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for domestic abuse and assault. Burns, a decorated military veteran who was first elected to HD 35 in 2018, said in his resignation letter to Stitt that it was “in the best interest” of his family and constituents to step down. [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma Rep. Ty Burns to resign after pleading guilty to domestic abuse [The Oklahoman]
- What court records reveal about an Oklahoma lawmaker who pleaded guilty to domestic abuse [News 9]
- Stitt tasked with calling a special election to fill seat after lawmaker resigns [KFOR]
- Opinion: Does Oklahoma’s GOP legislative brotherhood protect abusers in their own ranks? [Christy Taylor / The Oklahoman]
What is in Oklahoma’s ‘woke’ teacher test? New PragerU ad lists 34 questions: A full-page advertisement in the New York Times shows what PragerU says is the entirety of Oklahoma’s so-called “woke” test for teachers from left-leaning states. PragerU, a politically conservative nonprofit, also paid for a front page ad about the test. Both ads ran in the paper’s Sunday, Aug. 31, edition, touting the organization’s development of the test “for the State of Oklahoma at the request of its Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters.” The Oklahoma State Department of Education has repeatedly refused to release a copy of the test, which has brought national attention to Walters’ conservative schools agenda. [The Oklahoman]
- PragerU test for new Oklahoma teachers impossible to fail [KFOR]
- New look at “woke” test some incoming teachers might have to take [KFOR]
- PragerU unveils all 34 questions on its ‘America First’ test [KTUL]
- All questions revealed from PragerU test for new Oklahoma teachers [Tulsa World]
Canceled board meetings beg the question: Who runs education in Oklahoma?: The Oklahoma State Board of Education is required by law to conduct a regular meeting every month, but three times in the last 10 months, that has not happened. Two of those cancellations have come as tensions have steadily risen between state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters and four new board members appointed by Walters’ fellow Republican, Gov. Kevin Stitt. The board’s move on Thursday, Aug. 28, to essentially go over Walters’ head and call a special meeting for Sept. 3 has upped the political ante. [The Oklahoman]
- “Not playing games” OSBE members demand Supt. Walters post meeting [KFOR]
- Oklahoma State Board of Education members call special meeting after conflict over attorney [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
- Stitt appointees find workaround to set special meeting of state Board of Education [Tulsa World]
- Impeachment of Supt. Walters a major topic at Capitol Education Forum Thursday [KFOR]
- Capitol forum exposes frustration with education and State Superintendent Ryan Walters [Tulsa World]
Report calls for reform of Oklahoma civil court fee procedures: A new report is calling for reform of district court procedures to make it easier for the poor to access state civil courts. While all Oklahomans are guaranteed access to the state courts regardless of their ability to pay, the reality is few poor are granted fee waivers in civil cases due to a range of issues plaguing the process, according to the report “Priced Out of Justice – An Examination of civil fee waivers in Oklahoma District Courts.” [Tulsa World]
Thousands of State Employees Still Working Remotely: More than 8,500 state employees are working remotely at least some of the time, with the arrangement mostly from a lack of space at agencies. The Office of Management and Enterprise Services compiled the latest numbers after a December executive order issued by Gov. Kevin Stitt mandating a return to the office for state employees. [Oklahoma Watch]
‘A disaster if they don’t have races’: Jockey pay dispute with thoroughbred owners down to the wire: Negotiations about how much to pay jockeys in thoroughbred contests are threatening to scratch post-Labor Day races at Remington Park, a tense development leaving industry leaders with a sour celebration of horse racing’s 40th anniversary weekend in Oklahoma. [NonDoc]
Department of Corrections Director Announces Resignation: Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Steven Harpe, one of the highest paid officials in state government, will step down on Sept. 30 to take a private sector job. In October 2022, Gov. Stitt appointed Harpe executive director of the Department of Corrections, despite him having no law enforcement or corrections background. [Oklahoma Watch]
New program offering free childcare to address workforce shortage: There’s a new statewide program that’s aimed at addressing Oklahoma’s childcare crisis. It’s called Oklahoma Strong Start and it offers free childcare to those who work at a licensed childcare facility. [KFOR]
Oklahoma Preservation Commission approves new privately-funded Governor’s residence: The Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission unanimously approved a new Governor’s Mansion this week. It’s going up on the same grounds as the current, nearly 100-year-old, original mansion, sometime in 2026. [KOSU]
- Construction of new residence for Oklahoma governor’s family approved [Oklahoma Voice]
Settlement in long-running GRDA lawsuit over flooding in Ottawa County may be near: Asettlement may be close in a long-running lawsuit involving the town of Miami, Ottawa County property owners and the Grand River Dam Authority. [Tulsa World]
Opinion: Why I came back to Oklahoma — and why I’m fighting for its future: What is it like to be a young woman living in Oklahoma? Honestly — not great. Most of my friends have moved away, and few plan to return. The reasons vary, but one answer keeps coming up: Oklahoma’s abortion ban, and the way our state leaders treat and view women like them — like me. [Isabella Gaberino / Tulsa World]
Opinion: Oklahoma tobacco money board calls out unnamed corporations but has plenty of problems of its own: A four-member, state board tasked with overseeing the investment of nearly $2 billion intended to make Oklahoma healthier has suddenly decided it’s also the morality police, and our last line of defense against the “dubious values” of corporations. [Janelle Stecklein / Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Christian nationalists should remember Christ did not come to set up a government: I believe the church should be a place where truth is taught and faith is nurtured. I believe pastors have every right — even a responsibility — to speak on moral issues, including religious liberty. But when politics becomes the message from the pulpit, we start drifting into dangerous territory. That’s not the role Christ gave us. In fact, Jesus Himself said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” [Former state Rep. Mark McBride / The Oklahoman]
Opinion, Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn: Workers’ safety should be our top priority. Federal changes thwart this mission: This Labor Day we are seeing many changes coming from the federal government in Washington, DC. From massive budget cuts, downsizing of programs and the federal workforce, to changes in how we collect and disseminate economic and jobs data. The effects of all those changes eventually trickle down to state government, and then to the people we serve. [Leslie Osborn / The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
Republican lawmaker Lankford says it’s important for Fed to be independent: A Republican U.S. senator on the finance committee on Sunday stressed the importance of an independent Federal Reserve, diverging from Vice President JD Vance’s statement that the president and elected officials should have a say in monetary policy. [Reuters]
- D.C. Digest: Lankford, Republicans consider Senate rules change [Tulsa World]
Political notebook: Brecheen constituents ask some tough questions: The “inorganic protests” that 2nd District Congressman Josh Brecheen warned may disrupt his series of town halls last week do not seem to have gotten too out of hand, but Brecheen did face more than the usual number of disgruntled constituents. [Tulsa World]
U.S. Rep. Hern called to raise concerns about proposed human rights ordinance, city councilors say: First District Congressman Kevin Hern recently made phone calls to several Tulsa city councilors cautioning them against approving an ordinance expanding human rights protections in the city, multiple councilors said Thursday. “But I came away with the idea that the White House was watching, and folks in the executive and the legislative branch federally were watching, and that the decisions we make here in Tulsa affects his ability to navigate his role as a representative for Oklahoma,” said one city councilor. [Tulsa World]
Kansas governor, 18 others oppose Trump’s ‘chaotic’ plans for state National Guard: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and more than a dozen other Democratic governors cautioned President Donald Trump against deploying states’ National Guard. Kelly, chair of the Democratic Governors Association, and Democratic governors across the country issued a statement Thursday criticizing Trump’s policy decisions, saying Americans deserve to feel safe. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Editorial: The president is putting the National Guard and states at risk with executive order [Tulsa World Editorial Board]
ICE is showing up to interview parents hoping to reunite with their children who entered US alone: President Donald Trump’s administration has started requiring parents looking to reunite with their children who crossed into the U.S. alone to show up for interviews where immigration officers may question them, according to a policy memo obtained by The Associated Press. [AP via Public Radio Tulsa]
Tribal Nations News
Cherokee State of the Nation address includes housing, courthouse announcements: As part of his annual State of the Nation address Saturday afternoon, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin announced his tribe will be adding a courthouse in the Tulsa area. Using the funds from an $80 million settlement reached earlier this year with the federal government, Hoskin announced during his remarks that the tribe will build a new district courthouse in Catoosa. [Tulsa World]
Hill order means Freedmen unlikely to vote in 2025 Muscogee Nation elections: Principal Chief David Hill signed an executive order Aug. 28 requiring the Muscogee Nation Citizenship Office to “not issue citizenship cards or any form of membership identification cards” to Freedmen applicants until the nation reviews and amends its laws and regulations to comply with a Muscogee Nation Supreme Court order. [NonDoc]
After Cherokee Nation, UKB chiefs speak, Muscogee Council shelves resolution about their dispute: The Muscogee National Council indefinitely postponed consideration of a resolution that would have sided with the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in a dispute with the Cherokee Nation over land rights within the affirmed Cherokee Reservation. Sponsored by Muscogee Reps. Dode Barnett and Patrick Freeman Jr., the resolution would have called “upon the (U.S.) Congress to refrain from interfering” with a solicitor’s opinion that found the UKB to be a successor in interest to the Cherokee Nation Reservation. [NonDoc]
Tribal radio stations wait on $9M pledged in congressional handshake deal: Tribal radio stations that are supposed to receive millions to fill the hole created when Congress eliminated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting haven’t heard anything from the Trump administration about when it will send the money or how much in grants they’ll receive. [Oklahoma Voice]
Voting and Election News
Gentner Drummond continues polling strong among Republicans as Walters fades: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond continues to lead other Republican candidates in the 2026 gubernatorial campaign, according to polling released this week. [Tulsa World]
Education News
Tulsa-area districts still waiting on federal allocations through state Department of Education: School districts across Oklahoma are still missing allocations for multiple federal programs almost two months into the fiscal year. Representatives from Bixby, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Sand Springs, Tulsa and Union each independently confirmed that they have not received notice about how much they will receive for several programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. [Tulsa World]
Epic Charter Schools had a year officials would ‘like to forget.’ Here’s what has changed: Coming off of a tumultuous year, officials from Epic Charter Schools say the financial outlook of Oklahoma’s largest charter school appears much brighter for the 2025-26 school year, thanks in part to an increase in enrollment. [The Oklahoman]
Tulsa Community College partners with Pawnee Nation College to expand education opportunities in rural Oklahoma: Tulsa Community College and Pawnee Nation College are partnering to bring more higher education opportunities to rural Oklahoma. The two schools signed a three-year agreement to help students in Pawnee and surrounding areas earn degrees while staying connected to their communities. [News on 6]
Opinion: New center at OU will develop new strategies for educational improvement: By many indicators — population growth, economic opportunity, natural resources and fiscal stability — Oklahoma is poised for a prosperous future. Many are seeing this potential. Last year we became a top state for domestic migration, attracting families from across the country. However, one significant obstacle threatens our progress: poor educational performance. [Daniel Hamlin / The Oklahoman]
Health News
Oklahoma Medicaid officials downplay changes from Big Beautiful Bill: The director of Oklahoma’s Medicaid program says she’s confident changes wrought by the One Big Beautiful Bill can be implemented smoothly and with minimal disruption for most clients. A lot of people involved with Medicaid are not so sure. [Tulsa World]
Telemedicine patients with opioid use disorder struggle to fill prescriptions: Nearly a third of telemedicine patients with opioid use disorder had to go without buprenorphine because they had trouble filling their prescription at a pharmacy, according to a new study. [Oklahoma Voice]
Criminal Justice News
Fines and fees are obstacles for people coming out of prison. Here’s how other Oklahomans are helping: Before a recent fines and fee clinic, community volunteers and Legal Aid teamed up to help formerly incarcerated individuals fill out forms designed to help judges determine their ability to pay fines and fees from previous incarceration. The Affidavit Regarding Ability to Pay has been called “a vital tool” and “a significant step forward for Oklahoma’s justice system. It was created under House Bill 2259, criminal justice reform legislation approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2023. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma AG accuses death row inmate of distributing drugs, ordering ‘hit’ from prison”: Oklahoma’s attorney general is accusing a death row inmate of distributing drugs in prison and of ordering a “hit” on another inmate, and says other prisoners and prison staff may have helped him. [The Oklahoman]
Judge denies early release for Tulsa woman under Oklahoma Survivors’ Act: A Tulsa County judge on Friday denied early release for Erica Harrison, the first person in the county to receive a resentencing hearing under the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act. The decision centered on whether Harrison’s relationship with her alleged abuser qualified under the law. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Dirty soil and an undetected oil well complicate work at the Oklahoma County jail site: Work at the new Oklahoma County jail site uncovered 3,700 cubic yards of contaminated soil that must be removed, a previously unknown oil well that must be capped, and a sewer line that must be relocated, county commissioners have learned. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
City of Tulsa plans to get $35 million in affordable housing funding out the door soon: One of the signature features of the $814 million Improve Our Tulsa 3 sales tax package approved by voters in 2023 was the $75 million included for housing. It was, for Tulsa, a first-of-its-kind public investment. Two years later, with collections scheduled to begin in the next few months, the city is making plans to put the money to use. [Tulsa World]
Economy & Business News
The mostly unregulated natural cosmetics industry is booming. Regulators say to use caution: The market for natural cosmetics in the United States is expected to grow by nearly 71% by 2030 and reach almost $1.1 billion. But experts, including the Food and Drug Administration, warn that the handmade cosmetic industry is a buyer-beware market for consumers. [Oklahoma Voice]
No longer a ‘fly-over state:’ OKC set economic impact records in 2024: Local business owners say Oklahoma and the capital city is no longer “a fly-over state,” as the city’s tourism bureau announced a new record has been set in tourism economic impact. [The Oklahoman]
Community News
Oklahoma nonprofits grapple with change in wake of federal shakeup: Since the Trump administration began in January, many of the government grants and contracts that nonprofits nationwide depend on for nearly a third of their funding have been cancelled and cut back, or are in imminent danger. [Tulsa World]
About 300 protesters gather in Oklahoma City for Labor Day anti-Trump rally: About 300 protesters who gathered outside at the state Capitol to hear speeches criticizing President Donald Trump and calling for solidarity. Hundreds of similar demonstrations took place across the country. [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Air filtration manufacturer announces closure in Ardmore [KOSU]
- The Oklahoma Panhandle’s biggest city doesn’t have enough water. That’s about to change [KOSU]
- Edmond council favors keeping current sales tax rate — for now [The Journal Record]
- More than 200 new homes planned for this vacant lot near Edmond North: What to know [The Oklahoman]
- Despite federal grant cuts, OKC efforts in beautification and sustainability march on [The Oklahoman]
- OKC invests $96.5M in pedestrian and cycling upgrades via MAPS 4 [The Journal Record]
Quote of the Day
“Judges see firsthand how crushing fines and fees can destabilize lives, especially for those already struggling. Having the authority and the framework to adjust or waive financial obligations when appropriate gives us the ability to support rehabilitation and accountability at the same time. It is not about excusing responsibility — it is about ensuring fairness and creating pathways for people to succeed after leaving the justice system.”
– Cleveland County District Court Judge Michael Tupper, writing about the Affidavit Regarding Ability to Pay, which was created under House Bill 2259, criminal justice reform legislation approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2023. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
2%
The share of Oklahoma civil court cases in which a fee waiver was filed, despite the state’s high poverty rate. [Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation]
Policy Note
Priced Out of Justice: An Examination of Civil Fee Waivers in Oklahoma District Courts: Civil court fees present a significant barrier for low-income Oklahomans seeking relief in matters like divorce, custody, or probate. Although fee waivers exist to remove this obstacle, they are inconsistently applied across counties, burdened by outdated language like “pauper’s affidavit,” and often inaccessible due to limited awareness, in-person filing requirements, and confusing forms. The report recommends standardizing plain-language forms, expanding e-filing and language access, creating safe-harbor policies for clerks to provide procedural assistance, and limiting unnecessary data collection to protect privacy. [Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation] | [Executive Summary]
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