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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
Oklahoma Policy Institute urges safeguards to protect SoonerCare coverage as state prepares for work requirements: During the Nov. 2 public hearing on proposed SoonerCare (Medicaid) work requirements, the Oklahoma Policy Institute urged the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to prioritize protecting eligible Oklahomans from unnecessary coverage losses as the state prepares to implement new federal requirements. While these requirements are federally mandated, Oklahoma has opportunities to reduce administrative barriers that could cause eligible individuals to lose coverage. [OK Policy]
The gap between political rhetoric and policy realities (Capitol Update): We have heard a lot of talk this campaign season about cutting taxes and holding government accountable. The message seems to be that by cutting government waste and spending our tax dollars wisely, we’ll pay less in taxes while producing positive, measurable outcomes. We hear a variation of this message every four years, and we usually fall for it. The results have been a continual race to the bottom, as we’ve seen for the past eight years. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
State Government News
Oklahoma high court questions why Secretary of State hasn’t shown its work: Some Oklahoma Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical Monday about the process the Secretary of State’s Office used to strike tens of thousands of signatures from a citizen-led initiative petition. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Justices grill state secretary over rejected Oklahoma SQ 836 signatures [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma Supreme Court hears arguments surrounding SQ836 signature validity [KFOR]
- Opinion: Court asks: How could so many petition signers get it wrong? [William C. Wertz / The Oklahoman]
New Early Childhood Task Force law takes effect Nov. 1 in Oklahoma: Authored by Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, House Bill 1979 establishes the Early Childhood Task Force, which focuses on how Oklahoma governs early childhood programs. [Fox 25]
Oklahoma just had its biggest bear hunting season ever: In Southeast Oklahoma, black bear hunting season runs for the month of October. According to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, this year’s season was record-breaking. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
Oklahoma-led sweep across 15 states results in 230 immigration arrests: Top Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials held a press conference near Tulsa, touting results of the expansion of Oklahoma’s immigration enforcement tactics through a 72-hour, 15-state operation targeting semi and commercial truck drivers last week. [The Oklahoman]
- 230 arrested in ‘Operation Guardian’ crackdown on undocumented, untrained CDL drivers [News 9]
- Trump’s Immigration Dragnet Sweeps Up Ukrainian Truckers Who Fled War [The New York Times]
Day before election, Trump’s DOJ asks US Supreme Court to rule in California voting case: The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to require California to set aside the ballots of suspected noncitizen voters in a last-ditch appeal by the Trump administration to exert control over the state’s vote counting. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
November Marks National Native American Heritage Month: Nov. 1 marks the beginning of Native American Heritage Month, an opportunity to raise awareness of Indigenous history and contemporary Native issues and to recognize the Native people who enrich our nation’s culture and society. [Native News Online]
Opinion: Oklahoma tribal nations act on data center threats the state won’t: On Nov. 1, Oklahoma’s Groundwater Modernization Act took effect. It requires data centers cooled by groundwater to reuse the water rather than evaporate it. Tribal nations are already asking what is in the water. [Olivia Macfadden / The Oklahoman]
Voting and Election News
Oklahoma early in-person voting up from four years ago: Nearly 186,500 Oklahomans voted early heading into Tuesday’s general election, about 40% more than four years ago. In-person early voting turnout was up considerably from the nearly 132,330 who cast ballots in the 2022 midterm elections. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma early voting turnout up from recent years. Will Election Day follow? [The Oklahoman]
- Tulsa County early in-person voting breaks record [Tulsa World]
Voters make governors, utility regulators answer for high power bills: Most Americans are served by utilities overseen by state regulators, who approve or deny rate increase requests from providers. Public outcry over rising utility prices has pushed state regulators and lawmakers to consider rate freezes, additional energy assistance funds or new rates targeting large energy users such as data centers. [Oklahoma Voice]
How election boards count mail-in ballots (video): Learn about how the Cleveland County Election Board verifies and counts mail-in ballots ahead of Election Day. [OU Daily]
Election Roundup
- What do I need to bring to vote? Oklahoma polling locations, hours on Election Day [The Oklahoman]
- It’s Election Day in Oklahoma. Results will be posted here [KOSU]
- Oklahoma 2026: Live Election Results [The New York Times]
- It’s Election Day in Oklahoma: Governor race, state questions, live updates [The Oklahoman]
- What does it mean to vote yes or no on Oklahoma State Questions 845 and 847? [KOCO]
- Oklahoma judicial nominating question: SQ 845 election results here Nov. 3 [News 9]
- Oklahoma State Question 847: Results here Nov. 3 [News 9]
- Attack ads target gubernatorial candidates Cyndi Munson, Mike Mazzei. Here’s what the records show [KOCO]
- An Election Day eve interview with Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear joins Cyndi Munson for final campaign event ahead of Election Day [KOCO]
- Three Tulsa County district judge seats are on the Nov. 3 ballot. Who’s running? [Tulsa Flyer]
- The debate over what comes next for Oklahoma County’s jail heads to the ballot [KOCO]
Education News
Proposed Head Start Standards Could Complicate Communication for Hispanic Families: In the Head Start program at Tulsa Educare, staff provide instruction and parent communication in both Spanish and English. But the future of Spanish instruction for Head Start, a federally funded child development program for low-income families, foster families, children with disabilities and more, is uncertain. [Oklahoma Watch]
Should Oklahoma lower school class sizes? Educators, experts weigh in.: House legislators heard from experts and educators speak about the impact of class sizes during an interim study last week at the state Capitol. Rep. Ronny Johns, R-Ada, said he requested the interim study after hearing complaints from teachers in his House district about classroom disruptions and a need for more support. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tulsa Schools hopes new education expansion will boost enrollment by 1,200 students: Tulsa Public Schools is expanding virtual learning, dual-language and career technology programs, hoping to add more than 1,200 students to its enrollment. The additions come as the district prepares to close 17 school sites and responds to growing family demand for more flexible education options. [News on 6]
Justice System News
Grand Jury Justice 75% of way to needed signatures for investigation of Steve Kunzweiler: Grand Jury Justice says it has collected 3,740 signatures, with a little more than two weeks left of its 45 days to obtain 5,000 valid signers to prompt a grand jury investigation of Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler and his office. [Tulsa World]
Fire chief pardoned by Stitt wants to erase 5 manslaughter convictions: Gov. Kevin Stitt earlier this year pardoned a politically connected rural fire chief responsible for the deaths of five friends in a 2010 drunken-driving accident. Now, Jordan Scott Powell is using the pardon to ask a judge to wipe his five first-degree manslaughter convictions from the public record. [The Oklahoman]
New domestic violence prosecution laws go into effect in Oklahoma: The laws allow a defendant’s history of abuse to be introduced in court, give judges the option to require some defendants in domestic violence cases to wear GPS monitors and modify penalties for domestic violence crimes. [KOSU]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
OKC nonprofit preparing to expand tiny home village to 50 homes: Pivot, a nonprofit serving young people ages 12 to 24, is entering the final phase of its tiny home village project. The nonprofit opened its first three tiny homes in 2019 and now the existing number is 41. [KFOR]
Local Headlines
- Oklahoma City arts leader dies in Spain train crash, officials confirm [The Oklahoman]
- Edmond Start Here campaign aims to keep local spending local for taxes [The Oklahoman]
- Tulsa Public Schools, Aramark to cut ties in December [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Where can data centers be built in Tulsa? Here’s what proposed zoning changes would do [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“Meeting federal deadlines is only one part of successful implementation. The true measure of success will be whether Oklahoma can meet these requirements without creating unnecessary barriers to health care for the people who depend on it.”
— OK Policy’s Kati Malicoate said in a statement during the Nov. 2 public hearing on proposed SoonerCare (Medicaid) work requirements. The Oklahoma Policy Institute urged the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) to prioritize protecting eligible Oklahomans from unnecessary coverage losses as the state prepares to implement new federal requirements. [OK Policy]
Number of the Day
5.3 million
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the 2025 reconciliation law will increase the number of people who are uninsured in 2034 by 10 million. Coverage losses from Medicaid work requirements account for over half, or 5.3 million, of the increase in the number of uninsured. [KFF]
Policy Note
Survey Offers Early Look at States’ Differing Approaches to Implementing Medicaid Work Requirements Amid Cost and Time Constraints and Uncertainty from Delayed Federal Guidance: A new KFF survey of state Medicaid officials and focus groups in eight states captures the different choices states are making about how to implement Medicaid work requirements, with seven states planning for a more restrictive approach to verifying work or exemption status or to implement work requirements early. These implementation plans are taking shape as states encounter time, cost, and other constraints as well as uncertainty about how to define and verify certain exemptions due to delayed federal guidance. [KFF]
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