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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
Tulsa County Juvenile Bureau highlights services and outcomes in 2025 (Capitol Update): I recently received the Tulsa County Juvenile Bureau Annual Report for 2025. Generally, a youth who is arrested or referred to authorities for conduct that would be a criminal offense if committed by an adult is first seen by the Juvenile Bureau. The Bureau also serves youth and families of children in need of supervision (CHINS) who have not committed an offense but have run away or are out of control by their parents. Here are the Bureau services. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
Oklahoma News
SQ 847 would lower Oklahoma’s property assessed value growth caps: Oklahoma voters on Nov. 3 will decide on an adjustment to how quickly the assessed value of their homes, businesses and farms can grow each year. The caps limit how much a property’s assessed value can increase each year, not the tax bill itself. Property taxes can still rise because of new bond issues, voter-approved levies or changes in millage rates. [The Oklahoman]
- From OK Policy: SQ 847 Fact Sheet | SQ 847 Explainer Video
- From OK Policy: What’s on the ballot for the November 3, 2026 elections in Oklahoma?
SQ 845: Judicial Nominating Commission amendment would modify membership rules: Oklahomans will decide whether to alter one of the state’s least followed institutions Nov. 3, with State Question 845 asking voters to approve a slew of alterations to the Judicial Nominating Commission. If SQ 845 receives at least 50 percent support, it would update JNC membership districts and modify other rules about the body that helps fill judicial vacancies in Oklahoma. [NonDoc]
- From OK Policy: SQ 845 Fact Sheet | SQ 845 Explainer Video
- Register for OK Policy’s Oct. 20 town hall on SQ 845, SQ 847
Detention for Dollars: How Oklahoma Cashes In on Immigration Detention: The Oklahoma Department of Corrections signed a lucrative deal with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in September 2025. The state agency would act as a middleman for private prison contractor CoreCivic, allowing ICE to rapidly house immigration detainees at Diamondback without a competitive bidding process typically required for federal contracts. CoreCivic is making millions from the deal. The Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the small Oklahoma town of Watonga are also receiving payments. [The Frontier]
State Government News
Oklahoma Lawmakers Want More Scrutiny of Campaign Loans: Oklahoma lawmakers from both parties want to tighten up state campaign finance rules over personal loans to campaigns. Rep. Jared Deck, D-Norman, and Rep. Jonathan Wilk, R-Goldsby, want the state Ethics Commission to review gaps in state law on how much information candidates must provide when they loan money to their campaign committees. [Oklahoma Watch]
Drummond drops lawsuit over Jewish charter school vote: Attorney General Gentner Drummond has dropped a lawsuit against a state board after it rejected a proposed Jewish charter school for the second time. Drummond dismissed his case Thursday in Oklahoma County District Court without prejudice, meaning it could be filed again. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma lawmakers consider the future of property tax exemptions for renewable energy companies: As renewable energy companies look to Oklahoma to expand wind and solar production, lawmakers are considering changes to property tax exemptions for manufacturers to accommodate future energy needs. [KOSU]
Got thoughts on Flock cameras? Lawmaker wants input for interim study: A lawmaker from Norman said she wants to hear from Tulsans and other Oklahomans who have opinions about the deployment of automated license plate reading cameras across the state. [Tulsa World]
Oklahoma CareerTech system requests budget increase of $73.37 million: Oklahoma’s system for vocational education has asked for $255 million in state funding for the next fiscal year to add support for career training and adult learning programs. [Oklahoma Voice]
New Oklahoma medical marijuana packaging rules take effect Nov.1: Oklahoma medical marijuana packaging will soon look different. State leaders say the changes will make medical cannabis less appealing to children. [KOSU]
Opinion: This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Jewish charter school, Danny Williams investigation, red-dyed diesel and more (podcast): The panel talks about a Jewish charter school failing to get enough votes to pass the Statewide Charter School Board, the Ethics Commission releasing allegations against Seminole Republican State Rep. Danny Williams and Attorney General Gentner Drummond raising concerns about new Oklahoma air quality regulations and their impact on an aluminum smelter in Inola. They also discusses Gov. Kevin Stitt calling on the tax commission to halt taxes, restrictions and fines on red-dyed diesel and Oklahoma City consulting firm Saxum releasing an artificial intelligence tool to predict elections. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
Federal government asks judge to dismiss smelter lawsuit: The Department of Energy has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by four Inola-area property owners who are challenging whether the federal agency followed environmental law as it relates to a planned aluminum smelter, now estimated to cost more than $6.9 billion. [Tulsa World]
Firm Supplying Armed Guards at US Postal Facilities Holds Oklahoma Security Contracts: The private contractor behind a reported nationwide deployment of nearly 1,000 armed guards to U.S. Postal Service offices holds contracts to guard Oklahoma campuses and monitor security around the Oklahoma County courthouse, public records show. [Oklahoma Watch]
Tribal Nations News
Tillman pocket vetoes Daposka Ahnkodapi funding, data center oversight bills: Two bills passed on the final day of the Osage Nation Congressional Tzi-Zho Session, one that would have put nearly $4 million back into Daposka Ahnkodapi and the Nation’s two visitor centers, and another that would have required Congressional approval for any data center on the Osage Reservation, will not become law. [Osage News]
Search warrant affidavits reveal details of investigation into former Daposka Ahnkodapi property: An investigation into allegedly stolen Osage Nation property that led to police searches of two Zhinkazhin Learning Pathways locations began after Principal Chief Joe Tillman’s chief of staff, Andrea Kemble, reported concerns about missing school materials to ON Police, according to newly obtained court documents. [Osage News]
- State records show Daposka Ahnkodapi met safety requirements before closure [Osage News]
Muscogee Nation opens enrollment for first tribally owned Medicare Advantage plan: Muscogee Nation opened enrollment Thursday for Native Advantage, the first tribally owned Medicare Advantage plan in the U.S. [KOSU]
- Muscogee Nation launches first tribally owned Medicare plan in U.S. [Tulsa World]
Cherokee Nation chief says economic growth must preserve culture: One of the problems in the United States right now is an imbalance of success, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said at an event in Tulsa on Wednesday. [The Journal Record]
Voting and Election News
The next act for the No Kings movement: Early voting in the midterms: The No Kings movement that has brought millions to the streets across the United States three times since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term is staging its next event at the polls. [Oklahoma Voice]
Election Roundup
- Views on abortion, AI set Oklahoma attorney general candidates apart [Oklahoma Voice]
- SD 17: Ed Bolt, Justin Wood pull endorsements, bring experience to race for open seat [NonDoc]
- Editorial: Oklahomans look like winners in insurance commissioner race [The Oklahoman]
Education News
North Tulsans see echoes of the past in Tulsa’s school closure proposal: Thousands of residents are facing Tulsa Public Schools’ proposal to close or consolidate 17 schools — eight in north Tulsa — and weighing the potential fallout from the looming decision. The TPS board expects to vote Monday on the district’s proposal to cut $12 million from its operating deficit. Any approved closures wouldn’t go into effect until the 2027-28 school year. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- How have Spanish-speaking families learned about Tulsa Public Schools’ closure plan? Parents weigh in. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
TU president shares significant staff reduction, financial plans in university-wide announcement: University President Stacy Leeds sent an email to staff, faculty and students Wednesday detailing TU’s workforce has been reduced by nearly 9%. Leeds says affected employees have been contacted and the university doesn’t intend to fill vacancies. [Public Radio Tulsa]
- University of Tulsa confirms cuts to almost 9% of its staff workforce [Tulsa World]
- University of Tulsa will consider adding graduate programs [Tulsa World]
Health News
Building health outside the doctor’s office takes center stage at Aspen Ideas in Tulsa: Building better health outcomes in communities like north Tulsa takes more than access to a doctor’s visit, according to experts who discussed solutions at the final day of the Aspen Ideas: Economy conference in Tulsa. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
Justice System News
3 more people discovered in Tulsa’s massacre graves investigation: Tulsa officials said Thursday they have discovered 32 new undocumented graves tied to the 1921 Race Massacre as part of their latest excavation efforts at Oaklawn Cemetery. Remains of three more people have been exhumed. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- More remains exhumed in search for Race Massacre victims; graves found outside cemetery [Tulsa World]
Tulsa DA Just Won Reelection. Now a Citizens’ Group Wants a Grand Jury to Investigate Him.: A citizens’ petition effort to remove longtime Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler from office revisits many of the same concerns his challenger raised in this year’s Republican primary, setting up questions about whether the effort is driven by accountability concerns or political grievances. [Oklahoma Watch]
Councilor’s abstaining vote dooms Tulsa’s public safety review ordinance: Tulsa City Council has rejected an ordinance that would have established a public safety oversight system including an independent office to review police investigations. It was the abstention by councilor Anthony Archie that doomed it. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Oklahoma County risks more costly jail lawsuits without bail reform, DA warns: Oklahoma County will continue to face costly lawsuits stemming from its overcrowded, understaffed jail unless reforms allow more people to be released into the community before trial, said Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna at an interim study at the Capitol on Wednesday. [KOSU]
OKC Public Safety Partnership to fund mental health coordinator using human services grant: Oklahoma City has received a $293,250 human services grant from the Inasmuch Foundation. It plans to use the award to fund a mental health project coordinator to improve the city’s mental health systems. [KOSU]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Tenants face repeated flooding at apartment complex for elderly renters: A woman whose elderly mother lives in an apartment complex that floods every time it rains is begging the property management company for a permanent fix after dealing with the floodwater for over a year. [KFOR]
Quote of the Day
“[Under SQ 847] the assessed value of allowable growth is going to be below the rate of inflation. It’s going to make it harder for those local entities to provide services and keep up with inflation as our populations grow as well.”
-OK Policy’s Fiscal Policy Analyst Aanahita Irani Ervin, speaking about SQ 847’s fiscal impacts to local schools and governments. With slowed revenue, schools and counties would face the choice of making up the revenue elsewhere with sales taxes or reducing services. On Nov. 3, Oklahoma voters will decide SQ 847, which would lower Oklahoma’s assessment caps for property taxes. 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. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
-4.4%
Total tax collections in Oklahoma were 4.4%, or $155 million, lower than their 15-year trajectory in the fourth quarter of 2025. Nationally, state tax revenue was 2.2% below trend. [Pew Research Center]
Policy Note
Tax Revenue Trends: Oklahoma’s Tax Revenue Underperformed Its Long-Term Trend in Q4 2025: Oklahoma is one of the 39 states where total tax revenue underperformed its long-term trend in the fourth quarter of 2025. After five years of widespread volatility, state tax revenue showed signs of stabilization in 2025. Even so, total collections remained below their long-term trends nationally and in most states for the second consecutive year, meaning states generally have fewer resources available for tax cuts, public services, bolstering reserves, or other priorities. [Pew Research Center]
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