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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
Fact Sheet: State Question 847 – Changing assessment caps for property tax: State Question 847 would lower Oklahoma’s assessment caps for property taxes beginning in 2027. These caps limit how much a property’s assessed value can increase each year for tax purposes; property taxes are calculated on this assessed value. SQ 847 would decrease the assessment cap for homestead and agricultural property in Oklahoma from 3 percent to 1.75 percent. The cap for other real property, including commercial property, would decrease from 5 percent to 4 percent. SQ 847 would not change the state’s current senior freeze program. For seniors with income above the current limit for the senior freeze program, it would add additional assessment cap tiers ranging from 0.35 percent to 1.75 percent, depending on income. [Aanahita Irani Ervin / OK Policy]
Oklahoma News
HB 1775 ruling: ‘Teachers remain free to instruct about historical or popular issues’: Enforcement of a controversial Oklahoma law that bans the teaching of certain concepts about race and gender is back on the table following a Sept. 9 ruling from a federal appellate court, a rare legal decision that spawned celebratory statements from both sides of the lawsuit that is now headed back to the Western District of Oklahoma. [NonDoc]
- Federal appeals court upholds Oklahoma HB 1775 but narrows its meaning [Oklahoma Voice]
- Federal appeals court rules full House Bill 1775 enforcement can move forward while lawsuit continues [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
- Federal appeals court upholds controversial Oklahoma law on teaching race, gender [The Oklahoman]
- Appeals court dissolves injunction blocking law limiting race, gender discussions in common education [Tulsa World]
State Government News
Details of Oklahoma lawmaker’s alleged misconduct, recommended action to be made public later: The House Rules Committee set a meeting date in two weeks to publicly discuss allegations of misconduct against an Oklahoma lawmaker for the first time since they came to light over a month ago. The committee deliberated behind closed doors for about eight hours on Tuesday and five on Thursday about investigations into Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole, who House leadership said has been accused of “improper behavior” by House staff. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma House committee recommends action against Rep. Danny Williams [The Oklahoman]
- Lawmakers set open hearing after initial investigation of Seminole rep [Tulsa World]
Lawsuit challenges Stitt’s authority to call for vote on constitutional convention: A former state lawmaker filed a lawsuit on Tuesday naming Gov. Kevin Stitt as a defendant and challenging the governor’s recent executive order for a vote to be held on a state question proposing a convention to potentially make changes to the Oklahoma Constitution. [Tulsa World]
Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Constitutional convention lawsuit, Stephanie Bice comments and more (podcast): The panelists talk about Gov. Kevin Stitt facing a lawsuit over his call for a vote on a constitutional convention, a bipartisan committee of lawmakers holding closed door meetings about State Rep. Danny Williams and leaked audio from Congresswoman Stephanie Bice expressing concerns about the actions of President Trump impacting midterm elections. The trio also discusses an investigation of Osage Nation Principal Chief Joe Tillman to determine if he should be removed from office and the State Regents for Higher Education approving shortened bachelor’s degrees at three Oklahoma universities. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
Feds propose Medicare reimbursement cuts for same-day care. Oklahoma doctors say it will endanger patients: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing a significant rule change that would mean physicians receive half as much in reimbursement from Medicare for services provided on the same day as an office visit. [KOSU]
Trump to send $500 to Oklahoma ACA recipients who were overcharged: Nearly a million Americans will receive $500, including Oklahomans, from the federal government related to overcharges. [The Oklahoman]
Voting and Election News
Oklahoma Ethics Commission inches toward disclosure rules around AI political messaging: The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is inching closer to rules regulating the use of AI-generated political messaging. At a meeting on Thursday, they discussed the route they’ll likely take to get it done. [KOSU]
- Ethics Commission continues discussion of guardrails on AI’s use in political advertising [Tulsa World]
Suit challenges Trump administration move to allow some ICE presence at polling places: Latino advocacy groups and voting rights organizations Thursday filed a suit in federal court challenging the Trump administration’s policy of allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to enter polling locations in certain circumstances to conduct immigration enforcement during the 2026 midterm elections. [Oklahoma Voice]
Education News
An Oklahoma Scholarship Program Has Oversight Gaps; Now It’s the Model for a Federal Program: Most public school leaders want nothing to do with vouchers. Some organizations are working hard to convince them to participate in a new federal tax credit program or risk being left behind. [Oklahoma Watch]
Twenty-five years later, teaching about the 9/11 attacks has changed for Tulsa-area educators: A piece of the World Trade Center’s North Tower will rest at the front of Betty Collins’ history class Friday. It’s how she starts the conversation with her eighth grade students. [Tulsa Flyer]
National ranking grades 3 Oklahoma colleges’ support for free speech: Oklahoma’s two largest universities received D grades for campus free speech in a national ranking. [Oklahoma Voice]
Justice System News
Cleveland County commissioners approve $20M settlement in 2022 jail death case: Cleveland County Commissioners approve a $20 million settlement in the case surrounding Shannon Hanchett’s 2022 jail death. [KFOR]
- Norman commissioners approve $20 million settlement for in-custody death of Shannon Hanchett [OU Daily]
Oklahoma judge admitted to citing fake ChatGPT cases in court order, investigators say: A Stephens County judge admitted to state investigators he cited at least two cases in a court order that do not exist—cases he says he found through ChatGPT. The incident goes back to November, when Stephens County District Judge Lawrence Wheeler was overseeing a child custody case. [KFOR]
11-year-old arrested, what the law says about juvenile cases: Juvenile cases are often kept under lock and key, and court hearings are usually not public. Meaning we may never fully have answers to the questions so many are asking after an 11-year-old was arrested for a 15-year-old sibling’s death. [KFOR]
Ex-lawmaker says he was threatened with arrest at OKC theater: Calls to boycott a northeast Oklahoma City movie theater are increasing after a former state representative accused management of threatening him with arrest amid a dispute over double-booked seats. [The Oklahoman]
Economy & Business News
GasBuddy: Record $6 diesel is ‘unavoidable’ amid Iran oil disruptions: It’s now become “unavoidable” that diesel prices across the U.S. will reach an average of $6 a gallon for the first time in history, according to GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis. [The Oklahoman]
Insurance company seeks relief after $40 million verdict in Tulsa federal court: Progressive Direct Insurance Co. is seeking relief from what it calls a “runaway” $40 million verdict issued by a jury last month in Tulsa federal court. [Tulsa World]
- Federal jury issues $40M judgement for Tulsa woman involved in lawsuit with Progressive [KFOR]
Local Headlines
- Tulsa ports employment bouncing back as Inola, Catoosa anticipate new investments [Tulsa Flyer]
- New ‘OKC’ gateway signs planned for 2028 Olympics [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“It’s been proven, over and over, that when a rural hospital closes, the population that it serves becomes sicker. Not only that, we then are losing a vital business in that community … so the domino effect is huge with all of this. It’s not just about cutting payment to a physician.”
– Oklahoma State Medical Association President Dr. Julie Strebel, speaking about rural hospitals that could be at greater risk of closure if a decreased reimbursement rate for Medicare is stacked on top of other recent cuts to federal healthcare plans. [KOSU]
Number of the Day
62%
Percentage of rural hospitals in Oklahoma that are at risk of closing due to financial challenges. A July 2026 report found 45 Oklahoma hospitals at risk of closing, with 18 hospitals (25%) at immediate risk of closing. [Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform]
Policy Note
Why Rural Hospitals Are Facing a Funding Crisis — and How It Could Get Worse: With hospital financing largely tailored to urban contexts, a growing number of rural hospitals are closing their doors, leaving many rural residents without a place to go for care. Even the hospitals that manage to stay open are cutting critical services to make ends meet. Beyond creating barriers for patients, hospital closures worsen workforce shortages as physicians leave the community for employment. Other types of care facilities, like community health centers, are left to pick up the slack, but they can’t offer the same services as a hospital and may face their own financial challenges. And as demand for care rises in the area, so do prices at remaining hospitals. [The Commonwealth Fund]
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