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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
‘I control the agenda’: Walters avoids mentioning resignation, beefs with board as departure looms: Hours after announcing he will resign to lead a nonprofit “battle tank” adversarial to teachers unions, Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters avoided the topic while chairing what could be his final meeting of the State Board of Education today, clashing one more time with other members and suggesting they run for the position or sue him during a debate over educators’ due process rights. [NonDoc]
- State Board of Education balks at passing Ryan Walters’ $4 billion budget proposal [Tulsa World]
- ‘Self-reflection’: State Superintendent Ryan Walters talks myriad of reasons for his resignation [KOCO]
- Ryan Walters doesn’t mention exit, has Turning Point USA rep honor Kirk at OSBE meeting [The Oklahoman]
- Walters’ final OSBE meeting ends in debate. ‘You guys can sue me, I don’t really care’ [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma State Superintendent resigns for job to ‘destroy teachers unions’ as he calls for cuts to education budget [KOSU]
- Some OSDE Board Members caught off guard by Walters’ resignation [News 9]
- Walters’ turbulent tenure reaches quiet end at Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting [Oklahoma Voice]
- Walters avoids questions after resignation announcement [KFOR]
- Ryan Walters has yet to answer questions about his pending resignation [The Frontier]
- ‘It’s a good day in Oklahoma’: Tulsa teachers union, districts and lawmakers react to Ryan Walters resignation [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- An Oklahoma teacher’s request following the State Superintendent’s resignation [News 9]
- From ‘Thank God’ to ‘thank you,’ Oklahoma legislators, parents split on Walters resignation [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma lawmaker renews Ryan Walters ethics complaint, alleging private gain from new job [News on 6]
- What is the Teacher Freedom Alliance? What to know about Walters job, Freedom Foundation [The Oklahoman]
After Ryan Walters steps down, how does Oklahoma’s education system come back?: Although his opponents are already celebrating, Ryan Walters’ exit poses a bigger question for all Oklahomans: What happens to the state’s education system moving forward? [The Oklahoman]
- Announcement of Ryan Walters’ successor held up by his lack of formal resignation [Tulsa World]
- Oklahoma anticipates new education leader as Ryan Walters departs [KOCO]
- Educators, Walters critics call for respect, accountability in next superintendent [KFOR]
Editorial: Ryan Walters, our long educational nightmare, is leaving; Onus now on Stitt to pick the right replacement: Make no mistake about it, Gov. Stitt’s choice of a replacement for Walters — temporary though it may be — will likely be the most consequential decision he will make during his eight-year term in office. It will overshadow the tax reductions the governor has made his top priority and — if he makes a good choice — will help his quest to make Oklahoma a Top Ten state. Educational improvement is that important. [The Oklahoman Editorial Board]
State Government News
Some of Oklahoma’s largest cities aren’t enforcing state’s anti-camping law: After a crackdown on Tulsa homeless encampments, confusion remains over who can enforce an Oklahoma law that makes it illegal to camp on state property. [The Frontier]
Norman residents fear losing their ‘way of life’ to construction of new turnpike: Multiple generations of families, some living as neighbors, fear they are about to lose not just their homes but their way of life as they face the likelihood of a new high-speed toll road being built through their front yards. [The Oklahoman]
- Pike Off OTA holds press conference in response to revised alignment for South Extension Turnpike [OU Daily]
Open Meeting, Open Records seminars return to Oklahoma communities this fall: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office will again partner with the Oklahoma Press Association to host free seminars on the state’s open meeting and open records laws, beginning Oct. 27. [Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office]
Half the states don’t have enough money to cover all their bills, report finds: Half of American states do not have enough funds to pay their bills, according to a new analysis released Thursday. The nonprofit Truth in Accounting, which advocates for more transparency in public finance, released its Financial State of the States report. While Oklahoma scored well on the report, it was based on previous year data. The report noted that FY 2024 reporting had not been released more than more than 400 days past the state’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. The authors noted that timely financial reporting is critical for transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Read the full report here
Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Ryan Walters resigning, Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, cellphone jamming in jails and more (podcast): The panel members discuss the announcement by State Superintendent Ryan Walters that he’s quitting as the top education official in Oklahoma. They also talk about the Ethics Commission ordering the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission to dissolve over campaign violations along with its president facing cockfighting attendance charges, state officials pushing the FCC to allow for cellphone jamming technology in jails and prisons and the District Attorneys’ Council asking lawmakers for an extra $500,000 for a unit to handle death penalty cases. [KOSU]
Opinion: We’re suing to block a law that would threaten the health of Oklahomans: Another day, another attempt by the Legislature to undermine the will of the voters. That’s what Oklahomans should read into the last attempt by legislators who passed a bill last session that amounts to a money grab of Oklahoma’s constitutionally protected tobacco settlement monies. It isn’t the first time, and it likely won’t be the last. So how did we get here? [Dr. Steven Crawford / The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
Trump threatens mass firings of federal employees in a government shutdown: The White House has sent guidance to departments and agencies, telling them that if a shutdown begins Wednesday, they’re expected to institute mass firings and layoffs. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Even a brief government shutdown might hamper morale, raise costs and reduce long-term efficiency in the federal workforce [The Conversation]
- Cracks form among Senate Democrats as Trump threatens big shutdown layoffs [The Hill]
- GOP, Democrats both see incentives in a shutdown that looks inevitable [The Hill]
Trump to put import taxes on pharmaceuticals, kitchen cabinets, furniture and heavy trucks: President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will put import taxes of 100% on pharmaceutical drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, 30% on upholstered furniture and 25% on heavy trucks starting on Oct. 1. [Associated Press]
Trump says US will distribute aid to farmers until tariffs kick in to their benefit: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States would give proceeds from tariff revenues to farmers. The U.S. farm economy is slumping this year due to low crop prices and trade disputes. Republican lawmakers have warned that farmers are facing significant losses and have urged the administration to issue aid by the end of the year. [Reuters]
Trump administration axes Ohio plan to keep more kids on Medicaid: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine went against fellow Republicans to save a plan that would have kept more kids on Medicaid. Then, President Donald Trump’s administration axed it anyway.[Cincinnati Enquirer]
Analysis: Leaving Billions on the Table: Trump-Induced Brain Drain Leaves the IRS Struggling to Prevent Corporate Tax Avoidance: The Internal Revenue Service’s capacity to prevent big multinational corporations from avoiding income taxes is facing a generational crisis because the agency is “bleeding tax lawyers.” That’s the finding of a careful new analysis from Bloomberg Tax that documents the exodus of IRS tax attorneys from government tax cases since the Trump administration began its evisceration of the IRS’s enforcement capacity in January. These include several high-profile cases involving companies that have claimed billions of dollars in probably-illegal tax breaks. [Matthew Gardner / Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
Opinion: Trump Administration Doubles Down on Pulling Investment Away from Rural Internet Access: The Department of Commerce has implemented yet more changes to the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program that will make internet access even harder for rural Americans. [Christopher Mitchell / The Daily Yonder]
Opinion: Stay engaged to bring down the nation’s temperature, says Sen. Lankford: Among the things on the mind of U.S. Sen. James Lankford this week was the emotion of the nation — grief, anxiety, anger and helplessness. It was the first topic he wanted to discuss when he met with the Tulsa World Editorial Board. Many Americans are tuning out and staying silent in this charged moment. That’s a mistake, says Lankford. But it’s also unproductive to be part of the shouting. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Tribal Nations News
Choctaw, Chickasaw Nations sue social media giants over youth addiction, mental health issues: Two sovereign tribal nations have joined the growing list of governments suing several social media giants, alleging their platforms are fueling a mental health crisis among tribal youth and draining the tribes’ already strained resources. [NonDoc]
Cherokee Nation to take over operation of last hospital on Oklahoma reservation operated by feds: The Cherokee Nation has signed an agreement with the federal government to take over operation of the Claremore Indian Hospital. The Claremore facility is the last Indian Health Service facility on the Cherokee Nation’s land still operated by the federal government, according to a news release. [Oklahoma Voice]
Jim Thorpe’s family members talk about planned series focused on early life of iconic athlete: Verily Storyworks, a Dallas-based intellectual property development company, is collaborating with Thorpe family members for “Thorpe,” a scripted drama series that will strive to be the definitive dramatization of his life. The “real” Thorpe was a citizen of the Sac and Fox Nation who was born near Prague 20 years before Oklahoma became a state. [Tulsa World]
Voting and Election News
Voter registration questions spike online after Ryan Walters announces resignation: After Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters announced his plans to resign, online interest in elections has spiked in Oklahoma, with search terms related to registering to vote climbing the charts on Google Trends. [The Oklahoman]
The economy was a strength for Trump in his first term. Not anymore, according to recent polling: Once strengthened by economic issues, President Trump’s approval is now relatively low on the economy and he’s leaning on his stronger issues of crime, border security and immigration. Concerns about the economy and immigration helped propel him to the White House, but polling over the past year shows that Americans’ faith in the Republican president’s handling of the economy is low, particularly among independents, and his approval on immigration has fallen slightly. [Associated Press]
Education News
Opinion: Was legal advice used as shield? Transparency needed in OSU’s foundation scandal: When the Oklahoma State University foundation scandal broke into public view, it wasn’t because the board of regents stepped forward with transparency. It was because the state treasurer’s office released the audit to the public. Until then, the board had gone dark — retreating behind closed doors, hiring an outside public relations firm and offering no meaningful explanation to donors, students or the public. This silence wasn’t incidental. It was strategic. [Vance Winningham / The Oklahoman]
Health News
New wing of Vinita state mental health facility nearing completion: The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services hopes to fill many of the 100 staff positions being created at the Oklahoma Forensic Center during a job fair in Vinita next week. [Tulsa World]
Criminal Justice News
Seized for Seizing: Lack of Training Endangers Oklahomans with Epilepsy: On May 20, Nikole Janowski, 31, was arrested by Guymon police while having an epileptic seizure. She was denied medications and held overnight in the Texas County jail. Charges against her were dropped, but not before responding police had endangered her life. Her arrest aligned with a nationwide trend of people who have epilepsy being arrested and jailed because of training gaps. [Oklahoma Watch]
Economy & Business News
Rising costs challenge small business growth: Inflation continues to be the biggest challenge facing small business owners who, nevertheless, remain optimistic, according to the latest MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index. The Q3 2025 Index shows small business confidence rose to a record 72.0, up from 65.2 last quarter, driven by improved views of both the national and local economies. [The Journal Record]
U.S. faces electricity challenge as AI energy demand soars: Much is at stake as industry and institutions are ramping up microchip production, data center construction and educational programs customized to a new AI economy. But behind the billions of dollars in technology infrastructure investment, policymakers and industry visionaries still don’t know if the United States will have enough electricity available to feed the AI behemoth once it reaches maturity. [The Journal Record]
Marietta Dollar Tree facility breaks ground: Dollar Tree broke ground to rebuild its southern Oklahoma distribution center after a tornado struck the building last year. The facility is expected to bring more jobs back to the area, which has experienced recent manufacturing job losses. [KOSU]
Community News
‘Focus: Black Oklahoma’: restricting speech on campus, Mom Congress, Chef Kulture (podcast): This episode of Focus: Black Oklahoma features stories on efforts to restrict student speech on campuses across the U.S., Mom Congress’ work to lobby Congress about maternal care and parental leave and how Tulsa organization Chef Kulture is promoting food sovereignty in Black communities. [KOSU & Tri-City Collective]
Local Headlines
- After Dallas shooting, Tulsa ICE protests continue [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Unique drone testing facility opens in Tulsa [Tulsa World]
- Meet six Tulsa women who are shaping this city’s future by embracing what it has to offer [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“This is not going to turn overnight. It doesn’t matter who’s sitting in what chair. This doesn’t turn around overnight.”
-State Rep. Dick Lowe (chair of the Oklahoma House Common Education Committee), speaking about what comes next for public education in Oklahoma following the announced resignation of state superintendent Ryan Walters. In less than three years in office, Walters has been a polarizing force known more for his far-right politics than for his education initiatives. He worked to insert conservative politics and Christianity into public classrooms at every opportunity, all while Oklahoma has remained at or near the bottom in most national education measurements. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
$1 billion
Federal agencies hit hardest by shutdown-related furloughs turned to temporary staffing firms to fill the gaps. Some advocates argue this could help reduce the size and cost of government. But an analysis showed that during the two years after a recent shutdown, federal agencies spent about $1 billion more on contractors than they saved in payroll. [The Conversation]
Policy Note
New Data Show Trump Administration’s Illegal, Targeted Withholding of Funds: Newly released federal data provide evidence of the Trump Administration’s illegal withholding of fiscal year 2025 funding that Congress approved and the President signed into law in March, ahead of a critical September 30 deadline to use these funds. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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