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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
Records: Under Walters, OSDE gave federal funds meant for low-income private school students, to ineligible religious schools: Records newly uncovered by News 4 show the Oklahoma State Department of Education, under former State Superintendent Ryan Walters, gave federal COVID relief money to private schools that didn’t qualify—prompting concern from President Trump’s U.S. Department of Education. The funding came from the federal Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) program, created to help private schools serving low-income students during the COVID-19 pandemic. [KFOR]
- From OK Policy: Ryan Walters was a test; Oklahoma leaders flunked
Editorial: The government shutdown is hurting a lot of people. Leadership is needed: Gone are the days, it seems, when members of Congress went to Washington, DC, to fight for what would be good for the voters back home. Now their loyalty is to their political party, and both Democrats and Republicans, almost without exception, toe the party line regardless of the consequences. [The Oklahoman Editorial Board]
- Here’s how the federal government shutdown is affecting Oklahoma [The Oklahoman]
State Government News
Ethics Commission sues Rep. Ajay Pittman for fraud, alleges Anastasia Pittman faked letter: Rep. Ajay Pittman and former Sen. Anastasia Pittman have been accused of faking documents provided during the Oklahoma Ethic Commission’s investigation into campaign finance violations by the northeast Oklahoma City Democrat. [NonDoc]
- Oklahoma State Representative’s office searched as part of ethics probe [KFOR]
Two Walters OSDE staffers leave with big payday: Two now-former heads of staff under Ryan Walters got $30,000 each on what is more than likely their last paycheck. Matt Langston was the Chief Policy Advisor under Walters, and Matt Mohler was the Chief of Staff for Walters and was hired earlier this year when he got a $50,000 bonus. In September, according to records, Mohler walked away with a paycheck of $28,300. [KFOR]
‘Not done yet’: Oklahoma-Bred program audit lingers as Horse Racing Commission plods along: The governing body of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission retroactively increased the salary of interim executive director Amanda English to $95,000 — effective Sept. 1 — and approved a $35,000 severance payment for former director Dr. John Chancey, who resigned in August while raising concerns about a horse breeding “incentive fund” and simulcast distribution contracts. [NonDoc]
What’s next for Oklahoman’s SoonerCare program? (video): State lawmakers are trying to get a grasp on what changes from this summer’s federal megabill will mean for SoonerCare, which operates Medicaid in our state. [KFOR]
Regulators to vote on OG&E’s request to charge customers for new construction: The Oklahoma Corporation Commission held a series of meetings with representatives from Oklahoma Gas & Electric to discuss the merits of the application. [KGOU]
Oklahoma health professionals participate in interim study on lung cancer screening: Rep. Cynthia Roe (R-Lindsay) hosted an interim study Thursday exploring policy solutions related to lung cancer prevention, treatment and health equity. Roe, a nurse practitioner, said it is something that significantly impacts Oklahomans, with a rate of 63.7 new lung cancer cases per 100,000 people, according to the American Lung Association. That’s significantly higher than the national rate of 53.6 per 100,000 people. [KGOU]
Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Stitt on National Guard, business courts struck down, open primaries initiative and more: The panel talk about Gov. Kevin Stitt opposing President Trump’s use of Texas National Guard troops in American cities like Chicago and Portland, the State Supreme Court striking down a law creating business courts championed by Stitt and five Republicans and one Democrat file for State House seat vacated by Ty Burns. They also discusses the start of signature gathering for State Question 836 to open primaries for all candidates regardless of party affiliation and a new report shows the reason for the longevity of tolls on Oklahoma turnpikes. [KOSU]
Tribal Nations News
Lawmakers Aren’t Sure if Tribal Programs are Safe From OMB Shutdown Cuts: The Trump administration followed through with threats to use the shutdown as an opportunity to slash federal programs. While some government-run programs for Indian Country are insulated from the lapse in funding, there is growing bipartisan concern that Native American nations will see cuts to critical programs. [Oklahoma Watch]
Osage Nation is ready to revive the fight for their reservation: In 1999, a Fairfax couple were ready to tell the State of Oklahoma’s tax commission they weren’t going to pay $945 in taxes she accrued while working for and living within the Osage Nation’s boundaries, which they argued had never been disestablished. The Osage Nation helped her pursue the case in 2000. They lost and appealed it. In 2010, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against her when they agreed with Oklahoma’s arguments that all Indian reservations had been disestablished in the state. More than a decade after that ruling, the Osage Nation feels emboldened to take up the case again. [Tulsa Flyer]
Creek Freedmen file for Muscogee Supreme Court to enforce citizenship ruling: Muscogee (Creek) Freedmen this week asked the tribal nation’s Supreme Court to enforce its ruling granting them citizenship after the nation’s executive orders have prevented the issuing of new citizenship cards. [Tulsa Flyer]
University of Oklahoma Researchers Propose Novel Solution to Indian Health Service Underfunding: For many years, the Indian Health Service (IHS) has been underfunded, leading to health and life expectancy disparities among Indigenous people, according to University of Oklahoma researchers. In a newly published article in Health Affairs, OU researchers propose a novel trust fund solution to increase and sustain the funding level, with the ultimate goal of improving health care access and outcomes. [The University of Oklahoma College of Public Health]
Education News
New state superintendent brings ‘drastic’ tone shift to partnership with Oklahoma CareerTech: The new Oklahoma state superintendent on Thursday led his first CareerTech board meeting since being appointed and said he plans to continue attending these monthly meetings. [Oklahoma Voice]
Hundreds of Tulsans are getting their GEDs through this program, but funding questions linger: The Union Adult Learning Center in Tulsa is the second largest program of its kind in Oklahoma, providing English as a Second Language (ESL) education and a High School Equivalency (HSE) program for free to anyone in the community. It’s also a testing center and provides job placement and education fairs as well as family and workplace literacy classes. But UALC programs are shrinking due to budget cuts — and its waitlists are booming. The federal government froze one of UALC’s grants this summer, and the center was approximately $175,000 short heading into the fall semester. [Tulsa Flyer]
OU Turning Point USA event draws thousands. ‘We remember Charlie Kirk,’ Gov. Stitt says: Young conservatives can change the trajectory of the U.S., Gov. Kevin Stitt told thousands of people gathered at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Oklahoma where Charlie Kirk had been set to speak. [The Oklahoman]
- ‘Created a legacy’: Turning Point USA makes OU tour stop after founder’s assassination [KFOR]
- Turning Point USA tour draws crowd at OU [KGOU]
- Oklahoma politicians, OU athletes, students attend ‘The Turning Point Tour’ at Lloyd Noble Center [OU Daily]
- What was said at ‘The Turning Point Tour’ event on OU campus [OU Daily]
- OU College Democrats holds protest against Turning Point USA event, Russell Brand’s attendance as speaker [OU Daily]
- Video: OU student says Turning Point USA attendees don’t “hide behind a mask” about their morals [The Oklahoman]
- Video shows Russell Brand speaking with father of slain Oklahoma teen before TPUSA event at OU [The Oklahoman]
- Watch: Father of Ivy Webster explains what he wants Oklahoma officials to hear at Turning Point USA OU event [The Oklahoman]
- Critics note irony as Russell Brand seen talking with assault victim’s father at TPUSA event [The Oklahoman]
- Hear Russell Brand speak on his faith, Charlie Kirk and meeting Gov. Stitt at TPUSA event [The Oklahoman]
Health News
Quality, cost of Medicare coverage vary by state, report finds: The Commonwealth Fund, a research nonprofit focused on health care, on Thursday released a report grading how well Medicare works for people in each state and the District of Columbia. The federally funded health insurance program covers about 68 million Americans who are at least 65 years old, and an additional 7 million with disabilities. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma ranked 48th overall for the state scorecard on Medicare performance, which factored in access to care, quality of care, costs/affordability, and population health. [The Commonwealth Fund]
Criminal Justice News
Charges dismissed for man accused of 2022 deadly shooting of Oklahoma County deputy: Charges have been dismissed for a man accused of shooting and killing an Oklahoma County deputy serving an eviction notice in 2022. While charges have been dismissed, he will remain in the state’s custody at a mental health facility. [KOCO]
Domestic violence calls in Tulsa decline, but one expert worries about what the decrease means: Domestic violence related 911 calls in Tulsa have dropped significantly over the past several years, falling from 23,441 in 2016 to 15,649 last year. Family Safety Center CEO Suzann Stewart said while the decline may signal improved access to support services, it also raises concerns about possible barriers to reporting. [Public Radio Tulsa]
‘Make it worth it:’ Tulsa teens push lawmakers to consider youth voices: Five elected officials joined 27 students from 11 different Tulsa-area schools for discussions on education, public safety and the legislative process. The gathering was part of an initiative by Tulsa Changemakers, a program of Leadership Tulsa that supports youth driving positive change. On Wednesday, though, the adults took a step back. Students organized and facilitated the event. [Tulsa Flyer]
Tulsa police cadets must journey through Greenwood’s history before policing its present: On a recent Friday, about a dozen Tulsa Police Academy cadets visited the Greenwood Rising museum. Visiting Greenwood Rising became a part of the academy’s curriculum in 2021, shortly after the center opened amid national reckoning on racial violence and police brutality. The goal is to help incoming officers understand the history of the neighborhood they will serve and to acknowledge how TPD aided the white mob that descended on Greenwood during the massacre. [Oklahoma Eagle via Tulsa Flyer]
Officials, experts still considering feasibility of future excavations in search for 1921 Race Massacre victims: Crews have begun digging at Oaklawn Cemetery in Tulsa for a fifth time in the hopes of uncovering more victims of the 1921 Race Massacre. The latest excavation is the largest by land area, according to state archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Opinion: OK’s District Attorneys Council is ignoring reforms to death penalty process: The District Attorneys Council (DAC) is asking the Legislature for $500,000, claiming this will help implement the reforms recommended by the Death Penalty Review Commission. While the DAC rightly acknowledges the value of these reforms, they’re flagrantly ignoring them. The commission’s “Overall Recommendation” is that a moratorium be maintained until the reforms are accomplished. But the DAC hasn’t supported the moratorium bill pending in the Legislature nor has it opposed Oklahoma’s current killing spree, pursued despite the absence of many substantial reforms recommended by the commission. [Randy Bauman / The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
US homebuilder sentiment hits 6-month high; economy uncertainty clouds housing outlook: U.S. homebuilder sentiment jumped to a six-month high in October amid hopes that declining mortgage rates would stimulate demand for housing and help reduce an inventory overhang that has hampered new housing construction. [Reuters]
SNAP benefits are changing in November. Here’s how and where you can use them in Tulsa: On average, more than 116,000 people in Tulsa County used food stamps each month in 2024, according to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Some Tulsans could lose those benefits next month when President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” goes into effect, changing eligibility and work requirements – that is, if the program still has funding. [Tulsa Flyer]
Opinion: Readers speak out on homeowners insurance: ‘We pay too much!’: Oklahoma has homeowners insurance rates that are among the highest in the nation. Some say that’s the free market; others say we need a new law. We asked readers: What’s your experience? Are you getting slammed with higher rates? What should the Legislature do? [The Oklahoman]
Community News
Where could you find No Kings protests in Oklahoma this weekend?: Millions of people are expected to gather in various cities across the country this weekend for the latest No Kings protest, the second in four months to rally against the Trump administration. [KOCO]
Local Headlines
- Norman liquor store owner arrested in child pornography case, FBI says [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma County Commissioner claims ‘threat’ led him to request changes to public comment rules [KFOR]
- How a new generation is helping to showcase a historic northeast mansion for OKC’s first Black doctor [The Oklahoman]
- Jury awards $1.9 million in retrial of negligence case involving Tulsa County deputy [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa following state law, city charter in budgeting process, finance director says [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa City Council looks to modify downtown youth curfew [Tulsa World]
- City of Tulsa, firefighters at impasse over contract negotiations [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“Our representatives can’t solve this problem on their own. But they could be leaders instead of followers. They could stand up and say, ‘Let’s stop the madness. We vote to reopen the government and work to resolve our nation’s budget problem — one we had a hand in making worse — in a way that doesn’t hurt the people who put us into office.’ Do we have such a leader?”
-The Oklahoman Editorial Board, writing about the inaction of Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation in taking active steps to resolve the political stalemate keeping the federal government shutdown. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
161,698
Number of disabled beneficiaries in Oklahoma (aged 18–64) who received Social Security, SSI, or both as of December 2023. This is 6.7% of state residents in this population group. [Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2023]
Policy Note
Trump Administration Plans Deep Cuts to Social Security Disability Insurance, Particularly for Older Workers: Despite repeatedly promising not to cut Social Security, the Trump Administration is reportedly preparing a proposed rule that could reduce the share of applicants who qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) by up to 20 percent, according to an Urban Institute report that cites writing by a former Trump Administration official and interviews with former staff at the Social Security Administration (SSA). This would be the largest cut in SSDI history. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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