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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
Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Highlights: For the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2024 (FY 2025), Oklahoma’s state budget is $12.2 billion. In nominal dollars, this year’s budget of $12.2 billion is the largest in state history. However, in real dollar value, our budget has lost a lot of its buying power when adjusted for inflation and population growth.[Aanahita Ervin / OK Policy]
State Government News
Oklahoma mental health commissioner demands change, reaffirms position in federal lawsuit: Commissioner Allie Friesen says the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services desperately needs change. “From where I stand, our patient care has not been a priority in many, many, many years,” Friesen said during a press conference she held Thursday. Friesen said the overhaul she’s calling for has been a priority since she was appointed to the role in January. [KOSU]
- ‘New vision’: ODMHSAS outlines improvement plans amid legal drama, millions on the line [Fox 25]
- Oklahoma Department of Mental Health unveils new strategic plan [Tulsa World]
- Board acted too quickly in rejecting lawsuit settlement proposal, Sen. Greg Treat says [The Oklahoman]
Chinese threats to this state are real, lawmakers hear from House study presenters: Oklahoma lawmakers have been asked to consider supporting legislation to better protect the state against threats posed by adversarial foreign nations, specifically China. [Tulsa World]
Lawmaker study examines Oklahoma harm reduction bill set to expire in 2026: The House Public Health Committee on Thursday learned about Oklahoma’s efforts to curb overdoses, which increased 112% from 2019 to 2022, according to state data. Passed by the legislature in 2021, Senate Bill 511 permits programs that register with the Oklahoma State Department of Health to distribute and collect hypodermic needles, cleaning and test kits, and opioid antagonists. [Journal Record]
- After 3 years of needle exchange programs, how far has Oklahoma come? Advocates see growth [The Oklahoman]
Matt Langston, State Board of Education members subpoenaed in First Amendment lawsuit: State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ chief advisor and all the Oklahoma State Board of Education members have been subpoenaed as part of a local television station’s lawsuit against Walters. [Fox 25]
- State school board members, adviser receiving subpoenas in KFOR lawsuit against Ryan Walters [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma’s iconic shape is about to change… but only a little: Oklahoma and Texas are swapping a few acres of water-logged land between them to resolve a decades-old border issue. At a meeting of the Red River Boundary Commission Wednesday, commissioners voted to shift the boundary between the two states to maintain reliable access to drinking water for millions of Texans and keep compliant with federal law. [KOSU]
- Red River Rivalry? Oklahoma, Texas reach $10M agreement on state line dispute [The Oklahoman]
Lawmakers hear endorsements of Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission: State lawmakers heard overwhelmingly positive testimony about the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission during an interim study on Wednesday. The commission has recently come under fire in political advertisements and has been the target of several reform bills. [Tulsa World]
Opinion: Our judicial selection system has deterred corruption. It would be tragic if we ignore history: Before voters cast a ballot in the Nov. 5 election, they should also remember the history of Oklahomans politicizing the Court. Up until the 1960s, corruption ruled some crucial Oklahoma Supreme Court outcomes. Three justices were accused of accepting bribes to help rig rulings in exchange for cash. After federal investigators successfully prosecuted the offenders, a Judicial Nominating Commission was formed. Since then, the Court has earned a reputation for integrity. [John Thompson / Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Ryan Walters’ Bibles, school inhalers, Catholic charter school and more (audio): The panel discusses the latest on bids for 55,000 Bibles for Oklahoma classrooms, Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s scathing letter to Superintendent Ryan Walters over a delay in getting inhalers to schools and more. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
Federal appeals court weighs fate of DACA program: After concluding oral arguments Thursday, a panel of federal judges will determine the fate of a program that has shielded from deportation more than half a million immigrants lacking permanent legal status who came into the United States as children. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, a 12-year program that was meant to be temporary during the Obama administration while Congress passed a pathway to citizenship, has been caught in a years-long battle after the Trump administration moved to end the program. [Oklahoma Voice]
Opinion: Veterans want to be seen as partners in strengthening communities: The support system military members were promised would be there when we got home often falls short. Make no mistake, we’re grateful for the benefits we receive relating to continued health care, education training and the like. But it’s also fair to recognize that there has been a failure to address veterans’ deeper needs for community and understanding. [Brendan Clark / The Oklahoman]
Tribal Nations News
Shawnee Tribe, Firaxis Games collaborate on Indigenous representation in ‘Civilization VII’ video game: A new world-building game features a tribe in Oklahoma, cultivating a partnership between video game developers and the Shawnee Tribe. [KOSU]
Oklahoma native Wes Studi talks about being in musical about his iconic Cherokee ancestor: Wes Studi is back in his home state digging into newly discovered family ties to Cherokee icon Nancy Ward. Also known as Nanyehi (1738-1822), his legendary ancestor was first honored in the 18th century as a Cherokee war woman, but then became known as a peacemaker during the American Revolution. Nowadays, she is the subject of the musical “Nanyehi – The Story of Nancy Ward.” [The Oklahoman]
Opinion, Chief of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians: New health funding for UKB expands, improves care for all Indigenous people: Ensuring the health and well-being of our 14,000 members is one of my top priorities as chief of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. In my eight years serving as chief, one of the greatest honors and points of pride was the signing of a historic agreement on Aug. 26 with the Indian Health Service, which funds the establishment of the UKB Tribal Health System. [Chief Joe Bunch / Tulsa World]
Letter to the Editor, Cherokee Nation Chief: UKB false history claims about reservation: Recently during their Tribal Council meeting, the chief of the United Keetoowah Band of Indians made a false claim that the UKB was entitled to 7 million acres for a reservation. I am writing on behalf of truth and a belief that facts, legal precedent and history still matter in this modern information environment. [Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. / Tulsa World]
Voting and Election News
Oklahomans must register by Friday in order to vote in state, presidential elections: Friday is the last day for Oklahomans to register to vote in the Nov. 5 elections. Since Sept. 30, Oklahoma has added over 12,000 voters to its rolls and seen an uptick in people updating or deleting their registrations. Over 2.43 million Oklahomans are currently registered to vote. [Oklahoma Voice]
- FAQ: KOSU answers your questions about voting in Oklahoma [KOSU]
- ‘Oklahomans are safe’: Governor Stitt assures safety at polls after foiled attack plot [Fox 25]
- Check your voter registration status at the OK Voter Portal
What would Oklahoma State Question 834 do if passed?: Some Oklahomans did not recognize State Question 834 on their absentee ballot. So, what is it? SQ 834 would amend Section 1 of Article III of the State Constitution to specify that only citizens of the United States can vote in Oklahoma. The change is slight, one word to be exact. [KFOR]
- OK Policy Fact Sheets: SQ 833: Public Infrastructure Districts | SQ834: Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment
Three candidates campaign for open seat on Oklahoma Corporation Commission: Three candidates will appear on the ballot in the Nov. 5 election for Oklahomans to choose as their next corporation commissioner. The Corporation Commission regulates various industries in Oklahoma, from the state’s public utilities to its towing and oil industries. [Oklahoma Voice]
Grellner, Fuxa to debate in Stillwater-area SD 21 race: The two candidates running for the open Oklahoma State Senate District 21 seat have agreed to participate in a debate Wednesday, Oct. 23, ahead of the Nov. 5 general election. Former Oklahoma State University professor Robin Fuxa and Dr. Randy Grellner are campaigning to succeed state Sen. Tom Dugger (R-Stillwater), who chose not to seek a third term in office. [NonDoc]
Dark money group running ads attacking ‘liberal’ OK Supreme Court justices has political agenda of its own: A dark money group, with a platform calling for Oklahoma to give only the governor power to pick judges and has close ties to a Project 2025 advisory organization, is behind a television ad urging voters not to retain three “liberal” Oklahoma Supreme Court justices. [KFOR]
Editorial: Well-informed voting means knowing dark money tactics: No other term aptly describes the cloaked complexity powerful people are abusing to skew elections other than “dark money.” By creating more campaign misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric, it’s worsening an already cynical electorate. Voters are not powerless, but more education is needed on how to judge the origin and truthfulness of information. [Tulsa World]
Education News
Bixby school board unanimously approves principal resignation: As part of the consent agenda at its regular Thursday meeting, Bixby Public Schools’ board of education formally approved the resignation of a former principal arrested for public intoxication at a school dance. [Tulsa World]
Opinion: Gun violence as ‘fact of life’ not an answer for students, says this student: According to Sandy Hook Promise, 338,000 children have been exposed to gun violence in their lifetime. CNN states that in this year so far, there have been 50 school shootings. In 2023, it was 82. Guns are the No. 1 killer of American children and youth, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In no other comparable country are firearms listed as a top four cause of death among children, according to a KFF analysis. [M. Hope-Hernandez / Tulsa World]
Health News
Iowa, Oklahoma, 18 other states sue feds to block staffing mandates for nursing homes: Oklahoma has joined 19 other states in suing the Biden administration to block the implementation of new staffing requirements. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, seeks to overturn the nursing home staffing requirements approved earlier this year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. [Oklahoma Voice]
On World Mental Health Day, Americans report election anxiety: October represents World Mental Health Month, and many Americans are reporting increased anxiety surrounding the upcoming presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. A new survey shows 77% of Americans reported feeling anxiety about the November 5 election, and nearly 6 in 10 (58%) said the election has had a negative impact on their mental health. [The Black Wall Street Times]
Doctors confirm recent cases of atypical pneumonia in Oklahoma: Pediatrics have confirmed recent cases of atypical pneumonia in Oklahoma, an illness that doesn’t always present obvious symptoms. [KOCO]
Opinion: Mike Brose: Mental health care has improved, but some old practices must end: Our community is a national model in the development of affordable housing for people who are homeless or at risk to become homeless. While much more housing is needed, the efforts to increase this type of housing stock continues with our best and brightest working daily to figure this complex issue for the benefit of all. Make no mistake: There is much more work to be done, and we must not rest on our successes as the needs remain significant. All of us recognize those needs driving around in any part of the community. [Mike Brose / Tulsa World]
Criminal Justice News
First Watch: Stuff You Should Know: The defense and prosecution agree that Richard Glossip should not be put to death. Rare though that is, the U.S. Supreme Court this week heard arguments on the point. An attorney was appointed to argue that the execution should proceed. [Oklahoma Watch]
Opinion: Christian nationalism is at the root of the high number of executions in Oklahoma: Christian nationalists embrace capital punishment, which is a means of maintaining social control over people of color and poor people. Samuel Perry, a leading authority on Christian nationalism, has noted that states in which Christian nationalism is strongest have the most executions. The more adults affirm Christian nationalism, the more they are likely to say, “the problem with the death penalty is we don’t use it enough.” [Don Heath / The Oklahoman]
Community News
CAIR Oklahoma promotes awareness of extremism after alleged OKC terror plot stopped: Oklahoma’s flagship Muslim civil rights group says news of an Afghan refugee in Oklahoma planning a terrorist attack should compel Oklahomans to have more compassion for each other and be aware of the factors that push people from any background to extremely violent behavior. [KOSU]
- Terrorism arrest in OKC sparks misinformation, scrutiny over Afghanistan refugee program [The Oklahoman]
Local Headlines
- OKC Thunder refreshes its investment in north Tulsa basketball courts [Tulsa World]
- Lauren Von named ‘The Journal Record’ Woman of the Year 2024 [Journal Record]
- More details released after Mustang 1st grader brings loaded gun onto school bus [KFOR]
- These 10 Oklahoma towns shrunk by the most people in 2023. See if your town made the list [The Oklahoman]
Quote of the Day
“I am living a life that I could’ve never dreamed of when I was in active addiction thanks to harm reduction… If I wouldn’t have (connected with harm reduction programs) at the lowest part of my addiction, I wouldn’t be here to say that I have successfully regained custody of my children, married my biggest supporter and living a life free of substance use.”
-Tamara Graham, an Oklahoman who spoke at an interim study about the effectiveness of harm reduction programs, including needle exchange programs. Reflecting on how syringe services programs affected her recovery journey, she urged legislators and people in Oklahoma to support policies like SB 511 even if they haven’t been directly impacted. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
86%
White households own 86% of the nation’s wealth, with the top 10% of white households owning 61% of all U.S. wealth. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
Policy Note
Impact Of Donald Trump’s Tax Proposals by Income Group: Former President Donald Trump has proposed a wide variety of tax policy changes. Taken together, these proposals would, on average, lead to a tax cut for the richest 5 percent of Americans and a tax increase for all other income groups. If these proposals were in effect in 2026, the richest 1 percent would receive an average tax cut of about $36,300 and the next richest 4 percent would receive an average tax cut of about $7,200. All other groups would see a tax increase with the hike on the middle 20 percent at about $1,500 and the increase on the lowest-income 20 percent of Americans at about $800. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
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