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
VIDEO: Understanding and Reforming Oklahoma’s Juvenile Justice System | Interim Study Presentation: Jill Mencke, Youth Justice Policy Analyst at OK Policy, recently presented at a legislative interim study. She presented about the current state and future directions of Oklahoma’s juvenile justice system. Drawing from her experience as a family preservation specialist and extensive data analysis, Jill explored the challenges, disparities, and opportunities within the system, advocating for effective reforms to empower youth and families across Oklahoma. [YouTube]
Oklahoma News
Supreme Court sides with Biden administration in fight with Oklahoma over abortion: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Oklahoma’s request to receive federal money for reproductive health care without providing referrals for abortion to those who request it. [The Oklahoman]
- Supreme Court denies Oklahoma’s request to unblock federal family planning money [KOSU]
- Supreme Court won’t allow Oklahoma to reclaim federal money in dispute over abortion referrals [AP via Public Radio Tulsa]
- Supreme Court Rejects Oklahoma’s Bid for Federal Grants in Dispute Over Abortion Counseling [New York Times]
State Government News
Oklahoma federal judge questions legality of piloting out-patient mental competency treatments: A federal judge has given the parties attempting to resolve a mental health competency restoration lawsuit filed against the state less than two weeks to address an issue in a proposed settlement agreement. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Drummond, Stitt at odds over judge’s new order for consent decree [Tulsa World]
- Judge calls on Oklahoma Attorney General to tweak proposed mental health consent decree [KOSU]
Right-wing ‘Freedom Caucus’ launches at Oklahoma Capitol: Oklahoma’s Legislature became the newest member of a national network of conservative lawmakers on Tuesday with the launch of the latest Freedom Caucus chapter. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Freedom Caucus launches in Oklahoman Legislature [Tulsa World]
- New Oklahoma Freedom Caucus aims to push state Legislature ‘to the right’ [The Oklahoman]
- Freedom Caucus expands to the Oklahoma legislature, some members are anonymous [KGOU]
- ‘About The Freedom Of Our Constituents:’ State Lawmakers Create The ‘Oklahoma Freedom Caucus’ [News 9]
Recommendations from Work Permit and Visa Task Force met with mixed reactions from lawmakers: A list of recommendations was passed down by the governor’s 11-member task force. The goal of the Work Permit and Visa Task Force is to create guidelines to allow immigrants to have visas, permits and documentation to pursue the American dream and contribute to the state’s workforce. [KOCO]
Republican legislator urges federal investigation into Ryan Walters: Republican Oklahoma State Representative Mark McBride is calling for a federal investigation into State Superintendent Ryan Walters. Rep. McBride, a leader on education in the state legislature, has become one of Walters’ most vocal critics. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Roundup: Election recounts requested, Del City grand jury petition falls short, ONG gets rate increase: In last week’s Oklahoma runoff elections, the official winners of two contests remain unknown. Oklahoma Natural Gas customers can expect the monthly increase that appeared on their bills earlier this summer to continue now that state regulators given their formal approval. [NonDoc]
Long Story Short: State Walks Away from Tens of Millions Meant for Needy Families (audio): Paul Monies discusses his recent story on Oklahoma’s love-hate relationship with federal grant money. [Oklahoma Watch]
Federal Government News
Army veteran becomes 12th Oklahoman charged in US Capitol breach: An Anadarko man who was inside the U.S. Capitol for only seven minutes on Jan. 6, 2021, has been charged with four misdemeanors. Seven already have been sentenced for their crimes. [The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
Cherokee Nation Launches Cherokee Film Institute: Cherokee Nation recently launched the world’s first and only tribally operated education and workforce development center focused specifically on helping Native Americans join the entertainment industry. [Native News Online]
Voting and Election News
Incumbent Legislators Fare Poorly in Runoff Election: Be it name recognition or a proven record, incumbents tend to have an edge on election day. A slate of challengers to incumbent Republican legislators bucked that trend last week. [Oklahoma Watch]
Two recounts and allegation of voting irregularities now filed from Tulsa’s Aug. 27 city election: Mayoral candidate Brent VanNorman and District 3 City Council candidate Susan Frederick have filed paperwork with the Election Board seeking recounts. A second City Council candidate, Angela Chambers, filed paperwork alleging voting irregularities in her District 1 election. [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa GOP chair confident in mayoral election, late VanNorman endorsement [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Election Board confirms site of Tulsa mayoral recount [Tulsa World]
Education News
Oklahoma Bible mandate lawsuit back in state court after judges reject attempts to move it: After two federal judges rejected an “unusual” legal maneuver by the two top attorneys for the Oklahoma State Department of Education, a lawsuit over state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters’ Bible mandate is back where Walters and the state agency clearly do not want it ― in a state court in rural northeastern Oklahoma. [The Oklahoman]
Hundreds of Oklahoma childcare teachers could leave job with loss of federal funding: Many childcare providers across Oklahoma will be scrambling to find a way to keep teachers in classrooms. On September 30, 2024, $15 billion in federal funding will expire. [KFOR]
Health News
Oklahoma Health Care Authority Celebrates One Year of Increased Access to Naloxone: The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is celebrating a year since its members could start accessing Naloxone, known by the brand name Narcan, without a prescription. [News 9]
Criminal Justice News
Jimcy McGirt arrested in Seminole County for failing to notify law enforcement of move: The man behind the landmark McGirt v. Oklahoma decision was arrested on Saturday for “failure to appear for registration” of his sex offender status. [KGOU]
- Jimcy McGirt arrested in Seminole County on failure to register as a sex offender [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma County jail officials reevaluate medical provider Turn Key Health Clinics: Turn Key’s contract with the Oklahoma County jail trust has expired and a vote on a new deal has been delayed. The company is now working on a month-to-month basis at the jail. [The Frontier]
Oklahoma County considering county sales tax, higher property taxes, to pay for a new jail: Oklahoma County officials are now considering all ways to pay for a new jail, including a first-ever county sales tax, increased property taxes, federal funding and an as-yet determined “public-private” partnership. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma County jail trust now has criminal justice experience. What’s next?: With the appointment of Melissa Markel, the Oklahoma County jail trust has a full complement of members for the first time in 18 months. It also now has the most trustees with experience in criminal justice since county commissioners formed it to operate the infamously troubled Oklahoma County jail in 2019. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
As an Oklahoma hospital breaks ground, USDA looks to better health, high speed internet and housing: A Tillman County critical access hospital is currently under construction after being closed for eight years. Leadership in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office says the new facility speaks to the larger focus on housing, health and high speed internet. [KOSU]
Economy & Business News
Union workers organize informational picket at Penn Square Mall Apple store: After nearly two years of contract bargaining, unionized Apple store workers held its first informational picket Tuesday outside of Penn Square Mall, gathering public support ahead of negotiation sessions with the corporation. [The Oklahoman]
Best Employers in Oklahoma: Find out who made the list: The industries that earned the most spots in the rankings were retail and wholesale, healthcare and social services, education, government services, and banking and financial services. [The Journal Record]
Community News
Toxic Additive Found in Feed That Killed 70 Oklahoma Rodeo Horses: The company that supplied the feed that fatally poisoned at least 70 horses at a legacy breeding ranch in Oklahoma last month has confirmed that the shipment had been contaminated with an additive known to be toxic to horses. [New York Times]
Local Headlines
- ImpactTulsa Secures $3.6 Million from StriveTogether to Boost Economic Mobility for Tulsa Youth [The Black Wall Street Times]
- Williams Crossing: Tulsa Celebrates New Landmark Pedestrian Bridge over the Arkansas River [The Black Wall Street Times]
- $480 Million Investment in New Red River Bridge, Widening of I-35 Set to Start this Fall [News 9]
- New OKC public works director faces imposing list of projects [The Oklahoman]
- NE OKC center celebrates grand reopening amid community budget concerns [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“By being able to expand driver’s license eligibility, to be able to get people on the largest law enforcement database in the United States by allowing them to get a driver’s license or some sort of driver’s permit makes all the sense in the world. This is an issue where the federal government has really failed, and this is an opportunity for the state of Oklahoma to show how it should be done.”
– Sen. Michael Brooks-Jiminez (D-OKC), responding to recommendations made by the state’s Work Permit and Visa Task Force, a group aimed at helping undocumented individuals work. [KOCO]
Number of the Day
27%
Percentage of Oklahoma families who had children under age 18 and a household income less than 200% of the federal poverty level (family of two adults and two children was $29,678) and at least one parent worked 50 or more weeks during the previous year. [KIDS COUNT]
Policy Note
Project 2025 Would Increase Poverty and Hardship, Drive Up the Uninsured Rate, and Disinvest From People, Communities, and the Economy: Over the last several months, groups of House Republicans and the Heritage Foundation have released policy agendas that, taken together, would create a harsher country with higher poverty and less opportunity, where millions of people would face higher costs for health care, child care, and housing, and millions more would lose health coverage — all while wealthy households and corporations benefit from an unfair tax code that provides them with outsized tax breaks. These skewed priorities would exacerbate inequities in income, wealth, health, and hardship across lines of race and ethnicity, widening already glaring differences that have their roots in racism and other forms of discrimination. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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