OKPOLICY.ORG
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
What we get wrong about homelessness and mental health (Commentary): Too often, when conversations about homelessness come up, someone says it: “Well, they’re all mentally ill.” It’s a comment tossed off as fact, but it reveals something deeper – not truth, but comfort. If homelessness is just the result of personal dysfunction, then no one has to admit it’s a failure of policy. But that claim isn’t true, and it’s more harmful than most people realize. [Sabine Brown / OK Policy]
Oklahoma News
Oklahoma food stamp clients to receive partial benefits: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program clients should soon be receiving partial benefits for November, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services said Monday. The partial November benefit amounts are determined by the USDA. Amounts will vary, based on federal guidance. Some recipients may not receive any benefits due to eligibility requirements. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Shutdown battle ebbs, but Trump won’t give up trying to withhold full SNAP benefits [Oklahoma Voice]
- The shutdown tug-of-war over SNAP benefits: a timeline [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahomans on SNAP wonder when funds for food will arrive. ‘It has been a lot of juggling’ [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma to partially fund November food stamps, ODHS says. See latest SNAP benefit update [The Oklahoman]
- SNAP recipients report receiving differing partial payment amounts, ask for clarity [KFOR]
- Oklahoma SNAP recipients receive partial benefits as SCOTUS blocks full payments [KOCO]
- Oklahoma SNAP recipients finally getting some relief [News 9]
- As Congress moves toward reopening the government, Oklahomans’ demand for food assistance continues [OPMX via KGOU]
- Oklahoma churches, nonprofits step in to help fill gaps that remain from federal upsets [The Oklahoman]
Long Story Short: Reduced Oklahoma Prison Phone Call Rates Aren’t Coming Back (podcast): Keaton Ross on the FCC’s rollback of a rate cap that brought reduced phone call rates to Oklahoma prisoners and their families. Jennifer Palmer’s latest story looks into alarming data on gun suicides among older adults. Ben Fenwick on a unique bit of culture shock that people moving into Oklahoma sometimes experience. [Oklahoma Watch]
State Government News
Oklahoma Health Care Authority board members vote against abortion attestation emergency rule: A vote from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority board to approve an emergency rule related to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s recent anti-abortion executive order failed in a Monday special meeting. Members cited concerns about the order’s legality and impact on providers. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Oklahoma battles pharmaceutical companies over drug discount access: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is vowing to fight back against a federal injunction limiting enforcement of House Bill 2048. The bill, which took effect Nov. 1, prevents pharmaceutical companies from limiting access to the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The program provides discounted prices on prescriptions to health care providers. Some companies limit which pharmacies providers can use for the discounts. [KSWO]
Oklahoma City lawmaker plans to resign to lead labor group: An Oklahoma City Democrat announced he will step down from his seat in the House Friday after being elected to lead a statewide labor coalition. [Oklahoma Voice]
‘Big part of the conversation’: Legislature to consider reimplementing literacy-based retention: After Mississippi committed to a series of reforms and saw its third-grade literacy rates improve dramatically, a slate of other southern state implemented similar policies. Now, Oklahoma may attempt to follow in their footsteps — if policymakers can stomach a literacy-based retention requirement, one of the more controversial components of Mississippi’s plan. [NonDoc]
State Department of Education spokeswoman follows Walters to Teacher Freedom Alliance: The last of the six communication directors who worked at the Oklahoma State Department of Education during the two-year, nine-month tenure of former state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters is following him to his new job – after accepting a five-figure bonus he awarded her. [The Oklahoman]
Ryan Walters’ promised investigations into schools that didn’t honor Charlie Kirk never happened, records show: Records reveal the Oklahoma State Department of Education never launched any school investigations, underscoring a tenure marked by spectacle rather than action. [The Frontier]
Judge denies request from Stitt in state’s lawsuit against poultry industry: A federal judge has rejected a motion filed on behalf of Gov. Kevin Stitt that suggested he reopen settlement negotiations between the state of Oklahoma and various poultry companies over pollution in the Illinois River watershed. [Tulsa World]
Federal Government News
US Senate in bipartisan vote passes bill to end record-breaking shutdown, House up next: The U.S. Senate approved a stopgap spending bill Monday that will end the longest government shutdown in American history once the measure becomes law later this week. [Oklahoma Voice]
- When will the House vote on deal to end funding fight? Government shutdown latest [USA Today via The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma officials weigh in after shutdown deal [The Journal Record]
- What’s in the legislation to end the federal government shutdown [AP via The Journal Record]
- Hemp growers, retailers targeted in section of government shutdown legislation [Oklahoma Voice]
- These Oklahoma lawmakers are refusing pay during government shutdown. See which. [The Oklahoman]
Fight over counting mail-in ballots after Election Day will go before Supreme Court: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday took up a Republican-backed challenge to counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. Depending how the justices rule, the case could be consequential for Washington and other states that vote by mail. [Oklahoma Voice]
OKC airport sees delays, cancellations as FAA flight cuts to 40 major hubs ramp up: Hundreds of flights have been cancelled and thousands delayed across the nation as the country enters the fourth day of slashed flights under orders from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. [The Oklahoman]
- FAA flight cuts hit Tulsa as air traffic controllers work without pay during shutdown [Public Radio Tulsa]
Here’s the list of newly pardoned Trump fake electors, other allies: President Donald Trump announced on Monday he pardoned his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and other people allegedly involved in the attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election, but the president’s federal pardon does not shield members of the group from state charges. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Federal judge rejects tribe’s request for an injunction in latest post-McGirt lawsuit: A Tulsa-based federal judge has refused to temporarily block Tulsa County’s district attorney from hauling tribal citizens into state court if they are accused of misdemeanor crimes inside a different tribe’s reservation. [The Oklahoman]
- Federal judge affirms Tulsa prosecutor’s right to charge non-Muscogee citizens on reservation [Tulsa Flyer]
Drummond backs tribes in federal challenge to Stitt’s gaming compacts: As Friday wound down, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond sided with four tribal nations in their federal case opposing Governor Kevin Stitt‘s 2020 tribal gaming compacts, which they deem invalid. [The Journal Record]
Cherokee Nation continues emergency aid for SNAP recipients: The Cherokee Nation announced on Tuesday that it will continue its emergency programs in response to a lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, even as the federal government looks to reopen. [KFOR]
Kiowa Code Talkers inducted into Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame: The Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame inducted the Kiowa Code Talkers for their service in World War II, for their use of coded language, never cracked by enemy soldiers. There are four Indigenous code-talking groups honored by the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation: Pawnee, Choctaw, Comanche and, now, Kiowa. [KOSU]
Voting and Election News
Edmond holding sales tax renewal election Nov. 18 during conservative budget year: Touted by city leaders as a critical vote to maintain funding streams amid overall revenue dips, Edmond residents are set to vote Nov. 18 on whether to renew the city’s current one-cent General Fund sales tax and its half-cent 2017 capital improvement sales tax agreement. Both taxes would sunset in 2027 if not approved by a majority of voters. [NonDoc]
Education News
Jewish charter school could reignite Oklahoma legal fight: Oklahoma again could see a push to open a religious charter school, with a Florida-based Jewish organization expressing intent to apply for state authorization. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Jewish foundation in Florida seeking to open a religious-based charter school in Oklahoma [The Oklahoman]
OKC charter school with 1 teacher and 115 students lands on probation: An Oklahoma City charter school is a step away from forced closure after state officials reported “serious concerns” of poor instruction, financial struggles and organizational disarray. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma City charter school placed on probation by Statewide Charter School Board [The Oklahoman]
Health News
FDA to remove black box warning from hormone replacement therapy drugs: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Monday it plans to remove warnings from hormone replacement therapy drugs that can be used to address symptoms of menopause, saying the statements are no longer needed. [Oklahoma Voice]
Oklahoma leaders celebrate VA taking ownership of new Tulsa hospital: Local, state and federal stakeholders celebrated the VA accepting ownership of Tulsa’s new veterans hospital, which plans to welcome its first patients in late spring. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]
Criminal Justice News
Death penalty policies in states like Oklahoma are heading in sharply different directions: States are moving in sharply different directions on the death penalty, with some looking to broaden when and how executions occur while others try to scale them back or end them entirely. [Oklahoma Voice]
- From OK Policy: Oklahoma Death Penalty Tracker
He thinks the trooper he killed is still alive — Oklahoma can’t execute him unless he understands his crime: A new law requires continued treatment for death row prisoners too mentally ill to execute, even those who have been persistently psychotic for decades. [The Frontier]
Oklahoma death row inmate Mica Alexander Martinez becomes eligible for execution: A convicted double murderer has become eligible for execution in Oklahoma after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to take up his complaint about testimony at his 2013 trial. [The Oklahoman]
Family of man on Oklahoma’s death row asks Gov. Kevin Stitt for clemency: During his seven years in office, Stitt has granted clemency only one time for the high-profile case of Julius Jones. He has rejected clemency in four other cases, and a total of 16 men have been executed during his tenure. [KOSU]
- Opinion: In sparing Tremane Wood, we wouldn’t endorse evil, but refuse to be consumed by it [The Rev. Jeff Hood / The Oklahoman]
- Opinion: Why I, relative of a murder victim, think Stitt should grant Tremane Wood clemency [Christy Sheppard / The Oklahoman]
Judge dismisses civil rights lawsuit against city of Broken Arrow: A judge has dismissed a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of a man who claimed Broken Arrow Police violated his civil rights and state law when they pushed their way into his house and arrested him while investigating a parking violation. [Tulsa World]
Cop raped female inmate, then handed her a stack of napkins. Is it a bigger pattern?: The attack by deputy Wesley Wayne Hunter is part of a larger pattern within the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, according to a Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team review of court records and interviews with former employees of the office, lawyers, victims and witnesses. [Tulsa World]
The Rev. Scobey says he will file complaint after incident with Edmond police, his wife: A prominent local minister said he plans to file a formal complaint against the Edmond Police Department regarding an incident at a women’s boutique involving his wife, and for his subsequent arrest for trespassing at the store. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
‘There’s nowhere else for them to go’: Oklahoma’s history of civil commitment and homelessness: An executive order from President Donald Trump is starting a conversation about expanding the role civil commitment plays at the intersection of mental health and homelessness. [KGOU]
Grimm Eviction Highlights Legal Representation Gap: In Oklahoma County, only 7% of tenants received legal representation, compared to 72% of landlords, according to a 2024 Shelterwell report. Having representation makes tenants more likely to show up for their hearings and to stay in their homes. The lack of representation often leaves tenants on the wrong side of policy. [Oklahoma Watch]
- From Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation via OK Policy: Lengthening the eviction timeline will increase access to justice for Oklahoma renters
Rising Oklahoma home insurance rates challenge buyers and sellers: Oklahoma homeowners are paying nearly three times the national average for home insurance, creating new financial hurdles for residents looking to buy or sell property. [News 9]
- Tulsa roofer says he’s losing thousands on jobs he blames on State Farm [Fox 23]
Community News
Oklahoma officials announce plans for Route 66 centennial: Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission unveiled early plans and programming for the Route 66 Centennial in 2026. The yearlong celebration will spotlight Oklahoma’s leadership role in preserving and promoting one of America’s most storied highways. [Tulsa World]
Local Headlines
- ‘Staggering’ economic impact expected in Muskogee with plans for Google data center campus [The Journal Record]
- New Edmond Economic Development Authority exec excited to help ‘elevate’ city [The Journal Record]
- Edmond welcomes city manager, OKs golf and water infrastructure improvements [The Journal Record]
- Coweta parents voice support for schools after sexual assault allegations [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Tulsa Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce searching for its next CEO, president [Tulsa Flyer]
- Tulsa Hispanic Resource Center coordinator wants to expand collection, community outreach [Tulsa Flyer]
- How Tulsa finds itself in the middle of a statewide data center race [The Oklahoma Eagle]
Quote of the Day
“There’s a huge difference between someone who is in active crisis and somebody who is sleeping outside.”
– Nick Southerland, an attorney with the Oklahoma Disability Law Center, explaining concerns about expanding civil commitment as a response to homelessness. He warned that policies like this could wrongly assume anyone living outdoors is unable to care for themselves. [KGOU]
Number of the Day
22%
The estimated share of people experiencing homelessness who have a serious mental health condition. While higher than the rate in the general population, this finding challenges the common misconception that most unhoused individuals are homeless because of a mental illness. [KFF]
Policy Note
A Look at the New Executive Order and the Intersection of Homelessness and Mental Illness: In July 2025, an executive order redirected homeless-services policy toward greater enforcement of urban-camping and public-drug-use bans, expanded thresholds for civil-commitment of unhoused individuals with serious mental illness, and steered federal funds away from “Housing First” models toward treatment-first pathways. This shift marks a departure from decades of deinstitutionalization and community-based supports. In the context of rising unsheltered homelessness driven by housing unaffordability, the order’s focus on enforcement — rather than housing access and wrap-around care — risks widening health and justice gaps without providing additional resources for institutional or community-based solutions. [KFF]
You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
