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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
Report: Oklahoma agency not meeting benchmarks of competency restoration settlement: Oklahoma’s mental health department hasn’t met the required benchmarks of a consent decree settling a 2023 lawsuit, according to a report published Friday. The agency has produced “incomplete and internally conflicting” data, submitted plans missing essential information, and has not demonstrated “true urgency” in dealing with the consent decree, the report found. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Report: Oklahoma plan to reform mental health treatment ‘marred by inconsistencies,’ flawed data [KOSU & The Frontier]
Citing water concerns, community pushes back against proposed data centers: Ahead of two votes next week on proposed massive data centers in Green Country, a community meeting discussed how to stop the centers from being built. Data centers have had their fair share of concerns nationally with a recent University of Michigan public policy study finding that the centers increase utility rates, consume water and electricity at an inordinate pace and rely on tax breaks that do not deliver on economic promises. [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Report: What happens when data centers come to town? [University of Michigan / Ford School of Science, Technology, and Public Policy]
State Government News
Who will replace Ryan Walters? Why there’s no timeline on decision: Two days after Ryan Walters announced he would resign on national television, he still hasn’t told Oklahomans when he will actually step down as state schools superintendent. Only his new employer has confirmed Walters will start working for its organization on Wednesday, Oct. 1. The uncertainty around Walters’ exact departure date means any questions about his eventual successor must wait. [The Oklahoman]
- OSBE member details hopes for characteristics of next State Superintendent [Fox 25]
- Who could lead the OSDE after State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ resignation? [KOCO]
- Ryan Walters’ exit brings excitement, relief for educators. Now they wonder who comes next [The Oklahoman]
As Walters official resignation looms so does educations budget request: While Superintendent Ryan Walters still hasn’t officially sent in a resignation letter, he also still hasn’t approved a budget request due on October 1. Oklahoma remains ranked compared with the rest of the nation at 50th in education, according to WalletHub. [KFOR]
- Video Shows GOP Education Official Bolt From Reporter After Announcing His Resignation [HuffPost]
Capitol Insider: Walters resignation affects state schools and 2026 election: On Wednesday night, Ryan Walters announced that he’s resigning as Oklahoma’s state superintendent. Thus ends a tumultuous two and a half years at office as he begins a new job with a national teacher organization. [KGOU]
Find out what two high-ranking Senate Republicans think about Walters’ impending departure: Two high-ranking Senate Republicans with oversight of education policy and appropriations reacted to Ryan Walters’ impending departure by saying the Oklahoma State Department of Education must remain focused on remaining functional for students and the public schools that serve them during the academic year that is already underway. [Tulsa World]
Counties Await Guidance on Renewing State Question 781 Programs: The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has yet to disburse funds for State Question 781 programming for Fiscal Year 2026, which began July 1, prompting at least one county to temporarily cover costs out of pocket. [Oklahoma Watch]
- From OK Policy: Groundbreaking report reveals more than $200 million in savings from Oklahoma justice reform
Oklahoma mental health department to withhold exact impact of provider cuts until review completed: Three weeks after cuts to Oklahoma providers were first reported, the Mental Health Department doesn’t have concrete numbers on how much needs to be cut to right size the agency’s budget. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma legislators attend ‘White House State Leadership Conference’: Q&A with Speaker Kyle Hilbert: In an interview Friday, Oklahoma Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert spoke about the opportunity Republicans in the State Legislature had this week to attend a leadership conference at the White House, arranged by Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin and the Trump Administration. [News on 6]
Opinion: Walters out, Stitt holds the cards: State Superintendent Ryan Walters‘ abrupt resignation is a gift to Gov. Kevin Stitt. Though plucked from relative obscurity to be part of Stitt’s early cabinet, Walters ended up creating nothing but headaches for a term-limited governor who’s now focused on his next step politically. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]
Opinion: Ryan Walters berated teachers unions. Now he’s joining one. Forget those promises to Oklahoma voters: It’s ironic that a man who built his political career railing passionately about teachers “unions” will soon be running one of his own. But in a way it’s almost fitting that it will be the next move for Oklahoma education Superintendent Ryan Walters, who has made it his mission to babble bizarre, inflammatory rhetoric and launch random witchhunts against educators and their unions. [Janelle Stecklein / Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Ding dong: Ryan Walters thumbing for a hitch: This past week, the announcement from Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters that he is resigning to lead a new Texas-based nonprofit marked one of the more interesting — and oddly unifying — events I’ve witnessed in quite some time. [Mike Allen / NonDoc]
Federal Government News
What is a government shutdown? How would it impact Oklahoma? Here’s what to know: Tensions between President Donald Trump and Democrats are escalating this week as Congress works to prevent a partial government shutdown if it fails to agree on new funding legislation before Oct. 1. [The Oklahoman]
Top congressional leaders head to the White House ahead of shutdown deadline: The top four leaders in Congress are scheduled to meet with President Trump on Monday afternoon at the White House, just ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government and avoid a shutdown. [NPR via KOSU]
Is ICE expanding in Oklahoma City? Here’s what we know: A federal law enforcement agency ramping up deportations nationwide could potentially be expanding its presence in Oklahoma City. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE, is looking for office spaces in OKC and 18 other major cities, as first reported by The Washington Post. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma nonprofits look for a way forward after food insecurity report is canceled: An Oklahoma nonprofit advocacy group working to end hunger is calling upon elected leaders and the United States Department of Agriculture to reverse a decision to cancel an annual report that measures food insecurity across the country. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: I’m against medical research cuts. We need those answers for our health: In 2024, The National Cancer Institute funded only about 14% of the research proposals it reviewed. Next year, it will be far worse. They expect 4% will be funded and 96% will be turned down for lack of funds. Similar cuts are expected across the National Institutes of Health, reducing funding for research on diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and many other conditions. [Maria Glymour / Tulsa World]
Editorial: If it’s not the right time for a town hall, then our Congress members should go live: In repeated editorials, we have advocated for our politicians, particularly those in Congress who pass historic laws that affect us all, to schedule and show up at town halls for the public to attend. We still believe that. [Tulsa World Editorial Board]
Voting and Election News
Opinion: Open primaries are the right medicine for what ails our political system: As a physician and former state senator, I have always tried to live by one rule: Put people first and solve problems with facts, not fear. Too often, our politics flips that script. Closed primaries and noncompetitive districts turn elections into purity tests— and the electorate suffers from the political equivalent of bad medicine. [Ervin Yen / Tulsa World]
Education News
OSU report: Higher ed has $14 billion economic state impact: The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recently released a report showing the state system of higher education contributed $14.61 billion to Oklahoma’s economy in fiscal year 2024. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma universities tout record freshmen classes: With fall enrollment numbers now largely finalized, several area universities are celebrating record numbers of first-year students. Leading the way, the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University welcomed their largest ever freshmen classes respectively this fall, continuing a string for each school of ever increasing first-year numbers. [Tulsa World]
Ruling affects 139 undocumented students at Tulsa Community College: Tulsa Community College was the higher education institution in Oklahoma apparently most impacted by a recent court ruling that undocumented students may no longer pay in-state tuition rates to attend public colleges or universities. [Tulsa World]
Health News
Report: Removing fluoride from community water systems could cost Oklahomans hundreds of millions in dental care: A few months ago, Oklahoma officials removed the state’s recommendation for fluoride in drinking water as part of the “Make Oklahoma Healthy Again” campaign. Data from the American Dental Association estimates a nearly $507 million price tag over five years in dental care costs for Oklahomans if fluoride were removed from community water systems. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Criminal Justice News
OKC police officer on leave after shooting man who threw bricks: An officer is on paid leave after shooting and wounding a 45-year-old who police say threw bricks at him in southwest Oklahoma City. [The Oklahoman]
Tulsan charged with attempting to provide 3-D printed guns to al-Qaida: What we know: A former U.S. Army National Guard member is accused of attempting to provide 3-D printed weapons to an individual he believed was receiving them on behalf of al-Qaida, according to the US Department of Justice. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Lawton mayor uses ChatGPT to craft shelter policy that won’t attract ‘more homeless’ people: The mayor of Lawton asked ChatGPT to write recommendations on how to use federal funds to address homelessness “without attracting more homeless.” Last week, city councilors unanimously accepted the AI chatbot’s recommendations. [OPMX via KGOU]
OKC homeowners, buyers hit with escalating insurance costs: A new study reveals homeowners in the metro area pay the second-highest share for property insurance among the nation’s largest cities — 85% more than the national average. [The Journal Record]
Opinion: Taking politics out of homelessness can be a unifying cause: What became clear during the latest shuffling of homeless people is that Tulsans weren’t talking to one another. It was a missed opportunity that caused setbacks but can now be fixed and fortified. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Opinion: My 81-year-old dad wants to age in place. He should be able to: A significant percentage of our seniors cannot afford the assistance they need to age in place. I see this firsthand with my dad. Meanwhile, there is an affordable housing crisis and loneliness epidemic. Might there be a solution that addresses all of these complex problems? [Michael Basch / The Oklahoman]
Community News
Holt and dozens of US mayors sign declaration against political violence at OKC memorial: Three decades after the bombing that scarred downtown Oklahoma City, The Survivor Tree stood watch over Mayor David Holt and more than 30 other mayors who signed a declaration that denounced political violence. [The Oklahoman]
Opinion: Tulsa Race Massacre survivor finally gets his full memoir in print: After J.B. Stradford lost everything in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, he fled to one of his sons in Chicago to start over. He never fully recovered. But he wrote a memoir. He didn’t want people to forget him or the power that was once Black Wall Street. Now, it is being published in its entirety. [Ginnie Graham / Tulsa World]
Local Headlines
- Councilors weigh in on possible vote on city funding package [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa World loses seven employees as layoffs hit newsroom [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Johnson Park finally getting long-promised overhaul: ‘It’ll be a destination park’ [Tulsa World]
- Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic CEO says changes reflect needs of Tulsa’s children [Tulsa World]
- Local businesses celebrate Ryan Walters’ resignation, raise money for OKC Public Schools [The Oklahoman]
- Norman residents meet with OTA over controversial turnpike expansion project [KOCO]
Quote of the Day
“True leadership does not look away from hard problems or settle for quick fixes designed for headlines. It tackles systemic issues with creativity, compassion and persistence.”
– Shane D. Aaron, partner at Narrate Design and 2025 president of the Eastern Oklahoma Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, writing on Tulsa’s homelessness crisis, the shortcomings of superficial policy responses, and the need for leaders who design long-term, systemic solutions rooted in empathy and collaboration. [Tulsa World]
Number of the Day
125
The total number of Oklahoma state legislative seats up for election in 2026. That includes all 101 House seats and 24 of the 48 Senate seats. [National Conference for State Legislatures]
Policy Note
What history tells us about the 2026 midterm elections: Midterm elections typically result in losses for the sitting president’s party, driven by voter fatigue and shifting political momentum — an effect that becomes even more pronounced during a president’s second term, known as the “six-year itch.” Political forecasts and public polling suggest that these traditional dynamics may persist in 2026, even amid efforts to rewrite the rulebook. To alter the usual trajectory, the president’s party would need to mobilize low-propensity voters, nationalize messaging, and frame the election as a referendum — shifting from local campaigns to broader ideological high-stakes contests. [Brookings Institute]
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