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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.
Oklahoma News
Oklahoma leader among states charging women with post-Roe pregnancy-related crimes: It became more common for authorities to charge women with crimes related to their pregnancies after the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, a new study found — even if they’re almost never accused of violating abortion bans. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Who are Oklahoma’s deleted voters? State provides data breaking it down by party.: Hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans whose voter registration was deleted in recent years roughly reflect the overall layout of party affiliation in the state, though Democrats and independents were overrepresented among voters deleted for inactivity. [Oklahoma Voice]
In an increasingly divided world, nonprofit fights for nonpartisan solutions for Oklahomans: American politics has become so polarized in recent years, it’s rare to see Republicans and Democrats in agreement, working together on projects with the potential to help the members of both parties. Yet that’s the goal of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, says Executive Director Shiloh Kantz. [The Oklahoman]
State Government News
FOX23 Investigates: Problems with DHS’s star system for daycares: Tulsa’s Investigative Reporter Janna Clark found out the star system DHS is using to rate your child’s daycare may be skewed. Plus, some of you could soon be losing financial help to pay for daycare. [FOX 23] [YouTube]
Unemployment benefit changes discussed in interim study: The maximum weekly unemployment benefit in Oklahoma is $519, but one proposed change during a state lawmaker’s recent interim study could make it $415. [The Journal Record]
Oklahoma governor recovering from heart surgery: Gov. Kevin Stitt is recovering following a procedure to repair a blockage in his heart. “Gov. Stitt had significant blockage to a main artery,” said Abegail Cave, a spokesperson. “He underwent intravenous surgery on Friday where the doctors repaired the blockage with a stent.” [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma AG continues effort to reinstate state’s immigration law: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is appealing to a federal court to reinstate HB 4156, a law criminalizing unauthorized immigrants in the state. [KGOU]
Federal Government News
Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford blocks resolution stating right to emergency care includes abortion: Senate Democrats attempted to pass a resolution Tuesday addressing abortion access in emergency medical situations, but Republicans blocked it from moving forward. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Cherokee Nation says deadlock over car tag compact puts thousands at risk of driving illegally: Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. are in a deadlock over a car tag compact set to expire at the end of the year, which could leave thousands of Cherokee citizens driving illegally. [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Cherokee Chief Hoskin issues statement as car tag compact nears deadline [KOSU]
- Chief Hoskin Updates Cherokee Nation Citizens on Car Tag Negotiations (video) [YouTube]
- Car tag compact with state, Cherokee Nation at a stalemate [KFOR]
Oklahoma Supreme Court takes up Indian eviction case: The Oklahoma Supreme Court will hear the appeal of a Cherokee Nation citizen who argues state courts lacked the civil jurisdiction to rule on her eviction in a case that could affect eviction proceedings throughout the eastern half of Oklahoma. [NonDoc]
Muscogee Nation members rally for court hearing on disturbed burial ground: Members of the Muscogee Nation are attending a hearing in a long-running case dealing with a sacred Alabama graveyard. Wetumpka’s Hickory Ground, or Oce Vpovf, was allegedly desecrated when 57 bodies were dug up by another tribe claiming Muscogee ancestry. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Warrior Up to Vote Rally Features Native Stars Zahn McClarnon and Tatanka Means: Native entertainers Zahn McClarnon and Tatanka Means have been announced as special guests at the Warrior Up to Vote Rally on Sept. 30 at River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Education News
Drummond orders OSSAA to stop enforcing new rule linking transfer students to coaches: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has ordered the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association to “cease and desist” its enforcement of a new rule that links student-athletes seeking to transfer to coaches and can result in a year of athletic ineligibility for the student. [The Oklahoman]
- OSSAA suspends enforcement of link rule, after Attorney General concerns [KFOR]
- OSSAA Suspends Enforcement Of Student Athlete Transfer Rule Amid Attorney General Review [News 9]
Tulsa superintendent gets first job evaluation by school board: Last week marked the one-year anniversary since Johnson stepped in as interim superintendent. Her predecessor, Deborah Gist, stepped down Sept. 15, 2023, in an effort to stave off the threat of a state takeover amid relentless attacks on her leadership by State Superintendent Ryan Walters. [Tulsa World]
CareerTech aims to raise enrollment 15% by 2029 budget year: Systemwide, enrollment at CareerTech increased 6.5% during fiscal year 2024 as a result of adding over 240 programs in school districts and increasing funding for career readiness training, according to a news release. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Bilingual teacher pipeline program at OKCPS helping to improve student outcomes: There is a tremendous amount of data proving that student outcomes improve when they have teachers who look like them. When we add language support to the mix, the improvements grow exponentially. [Mary Melon-Tully / The Oklahoman]
Health News
Does a single round of IVF result in 10-20 abortions?: In vitro fertilization, a process in which eggs are harvested from a patient’s ovaries and fertilized with sperm outside of the body, does not involve medically induced abortion. [Oklahoma Watch]
Criminal Justice News
Health Department asks Oklahoma Supreme Court to let its inspectors in county jail anytime: The Oklahoma State Department of Health wants the Oklahoma Supreme Court to order the Oklahoma County jail trust to let its inspectors in without notice, although District Attorney Vicki Behenna argues that the department has no such authority and that surprise inspections are disruptive to operations. [The Oklahoman]
Crime sweep in OKC leads to 50 charged for weapons, drug crimes: A multi-agency crime sweep in Oklahoma City over two months recently led to dozens of arrests and the seizure of 193 firearms, authorities announced Tuesday. [The Oklahoman]
Economy & Business News
Oklahoma City-based Apple employees ratify contract; second store in nation to do so: Apple retail workers at the Penn Square Mall store have voted to ratify their first collectively bargained agreement, making it the second to win a unionized contract, according to a news release Tuesday. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma City investors under contract to buy former Trump International Hotel: An email sent to investors by Andy Burnett indicates the sale will total $260 million, far below the $375 million paid by the current ownership to Trump in 2022. [The Oklahoman]
Community News
LiveFree’s Peace Needs conference will bring national experts on gun violence to OKC: The first-ever “Peace Needs” conference, drawing nationwide experts on violence intervention to the city’s downtown, will be held Thursday through Saturday at Fordson Hotel. The event will include a lineup of speakers and programs focused on community-based collaboration for meaningful resolutions toward preventing gun violence in the city and the state. [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- Bigger, better Turner Turnpike Stroud Travel Plaza construction to begin later this year [The Oklahoman]
- Consultant approved for new OKC arena construction [The Oklahoman]
- Tulsa State Fair: From parking to promotions and hours, here’s what you need to know [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“Oklahoma is now 50th in the nation in voter turnout for November elections, and if we don’t do something to change it, we’re going to continue to have less and less civic engagement.”
– Pat McFerron, a conservative campaign consultant and polling expert, on Oklahoma’s recent purge of over 450,000 “inactive” voters from its rolls. McFerron said he is unsurprised by voter apathy in Oklahoma, a state where the vast majority of consequential partisan elections are decided in Republican primaries, well before Democrats and independents get the chance to weigh in. [Oklahoma Voice]
- NOTE: Oklahoma voters who wish to cast a ballot in the Nov. 5 General Election must register by Oct. 11.
Number of the Day
1 in 3
Oklahoma prosecutors filed 68 criminal cases against pregnant people for crimes related to pregnancy, pregnancy loss, or birth between June 24, 2022 and June 23, 2023 — the first year after the Dobbs decision. Oklahoma accounted for nearly 1 in 3 of the 210 such cases filed that year. [Pregnancy Justice]
Policy Note
- NOTE: Brancen Gregory and Polina Rozhkova from OK Policy’s Research Team contributed to the data collection for this report.
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