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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
Policy Matters: Voters should look past the sales pitches for SQ 845, SQ 847: Some ideas sound better in a headline than they work in reality. “Property tax relief” sounds appealing when families are struggling with rising housing costs, and “judicial reform” might seem reasonable for Oklahomans wanting trustworthy courts. But on Nov. 3, voters are not approving slogans — they’re deciding on State Questions 845 and 847. What these proposals actually do matters more than their headlines. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
Data on SQ 780 & SQ 781: Savings estimates, crime trends, and recidivism rates (2026 Interim Study): The Oklahoma House of Representatives held an interim study on Oct. 21, 2026, to examine maximizing the effectiveness of the County Community Safety Investment Fund (CCSIF), which was created by State Question 781 passed by voters in 2016. SQ 781 was part of a justice reform package approved by voters to reclassify simple drug possession and some minor property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. SQ 781 directed the savings from those changes would then used by county governments to provide substance abuse and mental health services through the County Community Safety Investment Fund (CCSIF). [OK Policy]
- Watch Cole Allen’s overview of this interim study
Oklahoma News
Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots: Tens of millions of Americans have already made their way to the ballot box as early voting is underway in a midterm election that will determine control of the House and the Senate, possibly flipping one or both from Republicans to Democrats. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma early voters split on Trump, cost of living as polls open [The Oklahoman]
- ‘Anything could happen’: Oklahomans wait in lines to vote early ahead of Nov. 3 election [Oklahoma Voice]
- What issues are important to Oklahoma’s early voters? We asked one (video) [The Oklahoman]
State Government News
Long Story Short: Taxpayer-Funded Faith, Court Debt, and Preaching Politics (podcast): Tracking the push for Oklahoma’s first taxpayer-funded religious charter school and breaking down driver’s license suspensions over unpaid court fees. Plus, a talk with pastors on how legal fights over the Johnson Amendment are impacting politics at the pulpit. [Oklahoma Watch]
Federal Government News
Partnerships between ICE and local police surge, report finds: The number of state and local officers working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement has doubled in size in the last eight months, according to a new report from the immigration reform advocacy group FWD.us. [NPR via KOSU]
Courts to decide fate of Trump’s latest push to control voting as Election Day nears: Less than a week before Election Day, President Donald Trump’s unprecedented drive for power over elections has set the stage for a series of courtroom fights that could quickly lead to a high-stakes showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court over the limits of federal authority. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Oklahoma tribal leadership fight puts Kalshi’s prediction markets at center of dispute: A potentially high-paying deal between a major prediction market operator and a small, Oklahoma-based tribe may be in jeopardy amid a yearslong internal fight over who is the legitimate tribal chief. [Oklahoma Voice]
Cherokee Nation opens north Tulsa apartment complex, with plans for more housing: Cherokee Nation celebrated the opening of a seven-unit apartment complex Wednesday on North Harvard. It’s the first time the nation has invested in housing in north Tulsa. [The Oklahoma Eagle]
Voting and Election News
Election Roundup
- Some concerns aired as DOJ to monitor elections in three Oklahoma counties [Tulsa World]
- How much money have Oklahoma’s top candidates for governor raised? [KOSU]
- Fact check: Oklahoma AG candidates debate Blaine Amendments, Inola smelter claims [NonDoc]
- ‘That goes beyond party’: Democrat superintendent candidate Jennettie Marshall talks priorities, politics [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
- Tulsa County district judge Office 12: Kevin Gray challenged by Christopher Camp [NonDoc]
- Tulsa County district judge Office 1: Caroline Wall challenged by Tom Sawyer [NonDoc]
- Who’s Behind the Mailers Attacking Tulsa City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper? Tax Records Reveal a Conservative Money Trail [The Black Wall Street Times]
- ‘Current situation is ridiculous’: Oklahoma County Jail sales tax vote features fierce debate [NonDoc]
Oklahoma Voter Data Law Faces Federal Challenge Over Access Limits: A Virginia-based legal nonprofit has challenged Oklahoma’s new law on voter registration data, saying it discriminates against out-of-state residents and impedes its work fact-checking voter rolls. [Oklahoma Watch]
Alleged illegal voting often stems from confusion over absentee ballots, Tulsa DA says: According to the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, 13 cases of alleged illegal voting have been referred to the office since October 2024. Of those, 10 involved individuals in their 70s and 80s, with the average age of 78.8. [Tulsa World]
Education News
Oklahoma lawmakers consider strategies to counter student absenteeism: Addressing student absenteeism will take two things, school district and court officials said Wednesday: money and manpower. [Oklahoma Voice]
Health News
New OSU Medicine program integrates addiction treatment, maternal care in Tulsa: For pregnant women struggling with substance abuse, getting help can mean navigating a maze of medical appointments, treatment providers and social services. A new program at Oklahoma State University Medicine in Tulsa will combine addiction treatment and maternal care under one roof. [StateImpact Oklahoma & OPMX via KGOU]
Justice System News
‘I was chained up’: How court debt forgiveness gave one Oklahoman a new life: After years of homelessness and addiction, Ernesto Akothe was ready to start over. But more than $25,000 in fines and fees stood in his way until a judge waived the debt. Not every qualifying defendant gets the same opportunity. [The Frontier]
Community News
‘Buy us out!’: Neighbors of new data center campus say construction of Project Scissortail has ruined their peace: Last year, Google announced they were behind the building of two separate multi-billion-dollar data center campuses in Muskogee County. Coined Project Scissortail, the primary campus sits just south of the Muskogee city limits on nearly 420 acres of land. And its boundaries are directly across from a row of residential homes – with only the width of a county road separating them. [Public Radio Tulsa]
Local Headlines
- Tulsa City Council approves Greenwood artifacts ordinance [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa city councilors, officials discuss homelessness initiatives [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa city leaders’ visit to Kansas City spurs Open Meeting Act questions [Tulsa Flyer]
- Broken Arrow police chief challenges city’s handling of investigation into him [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“Even though Oklahoma may not be in the headlines, it’s definitely a hotspot for immigration enforcement. We can say that it’s definitely resulting in a lot of fear in immigrant communities. People are changing their day to day routines to try to avoid getting on the highway, to try to avoid driving as much as possible.”
– Gabriela Ramirez-Perez, Immigration Policy Analyst at OK Policy, speaking about the impact of increased immigration enforcement on Oklahoma communities. [NPR via KOSU]
Number of the Day
1,877
Estimated number of Oklahoma law enforcement officers deputized to carry out federal immigration enforcement duties through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) 287(g) task force agreements. [FWD.us]
Policy Note
Force Multiplied: How ICE’s Surging 287(g) Task Force Model Massively Expanded the Agency’s Force While Promising Billions to Local Law Enforcement: Updated numbers from FWD.us show partnerships between ICE and state and local law enforcement through the 287(g) program are surging, funding a rapid and unprecedented collaboration between federal immigration authorities and the criminal justice system. The downstream effects of this collaboration will far outlast this political moment, expanding the footprint of law enforcement for years to come with dangerous consequences for immigrants and non-immigrants alike. The 287(g) program is a key lever in the administration’s plan to have state and local law enforcement agencies carry out its immigration enforcement agenda, and its previously discredited Task Force Model program is now expanding even more quickly than anticipated. The latest estimates from FWD.us show the number of state and local officers tapped to work for ICE has doubled in size since February. [FWD.us]
- From OK Policy: Entering into 287(g) agreements harms Oklahoma families and communities | Which Oklahoma counties, cities and agencies have federal 287(g) agreements for immigration enforcement?
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