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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.
State Government News
New head of Oklahoma mental health agency addresses budget shortfall, contract cuts: The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is addressing a multi-million-dollar budget shortfall by making difficult financial decisions, including cutting contracts with several vendors. [KOCO]
Panel awards millions for Oklahoma turnpike projects: The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority on Tuesday awarded more than $120 million in contracts to move forward with a turnpike improvement and expansion program. [Oklahoma Voice]
OK insurance commissioner says he’s investigating State Farm, other hail damage denials: Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready on Monday announced his agency has an ongoing investigation into roof claims, separate from a private lawsuit by homeowners alleging State Farm formed an illegal enterprise to avoid payouts. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma Gov. Stitt appoints new director for long-troubled tourism dept.: Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed a new director to head the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, assigning new leadership to an agency that in recent years has been plagued by scandals and controversies. [The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
Oklahoma Gov. Stitt criticizes Trump for shutting down wind energy projects: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt criticized the Trump administration for canceling wind energy projects on Tuesday. Since President Trump returned to office in January, his administration has halted approvals of green energy projects across the country, including wind farms. [The Hill]
No due process guarantee in fast-track removal proceedings, Trump administration argues: The Trump administration Tuesday defended the merits of its fast-track deportation policy before a panel of judges in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, saying immigrants who have been in the country for less than two years without legal authorization are not guaranteed due process. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump administration aims to officially scrap Biden-era student loan forgiveness program: The U.S. Department of Education announced a proposed agreement Tuesday that would permanently axe an income-driven student loan repayment plan in which more than 7 million student loan borrowers are enrolled. [Oklahoma Voice]
Trump to send $12 billion in one-time payments to farmers to offset ag losses: The federal government will provide $12 billion to U.S. farmers who have been hurt by “unfair market disruption,” President Donald Trump said at a White House roundtable event Monday. Trump said repeatedly the funding was available thanks to tariff revenues, framing his aggressive trade policy as a boon to farmers rather than a drag on their global market share as critics of the policy suggest. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma farmers react to news of aid payment for struggling industry [KFOR]
House to vote on pay raises for troops as part of $900 billion defense bill: The House is set to vote on a $900 billion military bill that outlines Pentagon spending, includes a 3.8% pay raise for troops and demands more accountability from the Defense Department. [KOCO]
Leaders of 2 major anti-abortion groups call for Trump’s FDA chief to be fired: Two of the country’s largest anti-abortion organizations want President Donald Trump to fire U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary over access to medication abortion. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Muscogee Nation officials offer next steps in complying with Freedmen citizenship ruling: Muscogee Nation leaders are beginning to change tribal policy in response to a court order requiring the tribe to grant citizenship to Freedmen descendants, or those whose ancestors were formerly enslaved by the tribal nation. They submitted their progress through the first monthly status report to a tribal court last week. [KOSU]
Cherokee Nation celebrates milestone of 35 years in gaming: ‘A labor of love’: What began as a button factory that was transformed into a bingo hall 35 years ago in the small town of Roland now generates $1 billion in annual revenue for the Cherokee Nation. [Tulsa World]
Voting and Election News
Oklahoma Democratic Party names new leader as chairman steps down: The chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party has stepped down, passing leadership to a small business owner who ran for state Senate. Rep. John Waldron, who represents part of Tulsa, announced his resignation as chairman of Oklahoma’s Democratic Party in a Facebook post Monday, Dec. 8. [The Oklahoman]
- Waldron resigns from Oklahoma Democratic Party chairmanship [KOSU]
Public launch of updated Oklahoma campaign finance system still delayed: Oklahomans still lack a date for when public access to the state’s system that tracks election, lobbying and campaign finance will be restored, nearly three months after it was taken offline for updates. [Oklahoma Voice]
Travis, Waters advance to Republican runoff in HD35 special election: In the first of three elections to fill a vacant legislative post west of Tulsa, Dillon Travis and Mike Waters advanced Tuesday night to a Republican primary runoff for House District 35, a seat vacated by former Rep. Ty Burns after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic assault. [NonDoc]
- Travis, Waters advance to Republican runoff for northern Oklahoma House seat [KOSU]
Education News
State board keeps OKC charter school on probation after marathon meeting: A beleaguered Oklahoma City charter school will remain on probation for at least another month following a marathon meeting of the Statewide Charter School Board, during which one member said he’d vote to close Proud to Partner Leadership Academy. [The Oklahoman]
Workforce-focused degrees grow while state schools trim underperforming programs: The number of degrees granted by Oklahoma’s public higher education system continues to grow with a focus on workforce priorities. Meanwhile, the number of degree programs is shrinking as schools move to eliminate or suspend 62 low-producing programs. [The Journal Record]
- Dozens of Oklahoma higher ed degree programs on chopping block after Regents review [KOSU]
Health News
300K Oklahomans face major spike in health insurance premiums. What does it mean for you?: Nearly 300,000 Oklahomans depend on the Affordable Care Act Marketplace for health insurance, and nearly all of them are facing huge increases to their premiums next year because of an expiring tax credit. The ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits were not renewed in the federal budget-focused One Big Beautiful Bill Act. According to the Oklahoma Insurance Department, Oklahomans using the ACA Marketplace can expect, on average, at least a 25% spike in their monthly premiums. [Tulsa Flyer]
Senate to vote on competing health care plans as millions face skyrocketing premiums: The Senate is expected to vote on competing health care plans on Thursday as many Americans insured through the Affordable Care Act face skyrocketing premiums in the new year. Both proposals appear destined for failure, based on comments from Republican and Democratic leadership on Tuesday. [KOCO]
‘Life-changing health care’: After contentious lease decision, renovated McAlester cancer center reopens: Nearly two years after McAlester Regional Health Center declined to renew its lease with a previous cancer treatment provider, a newly renovated center operated by the state’s largest oncology practice is set to begin seeing patients Dec. 15. [NonDoc]
$92M headed to Tulsa-area groups for cancer research, maternal health and more: Oklahoma voters approved the creation of TSET 25 years ago to help fund programs that prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease, the state’s leading causes of death. The money is meant to improve the quality of health care across the state, particularly in rural and underserved areas, trust board chair Ken Rowe said in a statement. [The Oklahoma Eagle via Tulsa Flyer]
CVS Caremark to pay $5M settlement, won’t admit or deny allegations of underpaying Oklahoma pharmacies: The day before CVS Health‘s annual Investor Day, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced a $5 million settlement with a CVS subsidiary to resolve allegations of underpaying pharmacies for dispensing prescription drugs. [The Journal Record]
Criminal Justice News
What’s behind this year’s spike in death row executions after years of decline: Until this year, death penalty executions had been dwindling across the nation. The sudden spike now is unusual, experts say. [KOCO]
- From OK Policy: Oklahoma Death Penalty Tracker
Man shot by OKCPD officer dies from his injuries: The Oklahoma City Police Department announced on Monday 45-year-old Jason Redshirt died from his injuries after being shot by Sgt. Christopher Skinner in September. [KGOU]
‘Given bad advice’: Coal County sheriff’s suspension invalid after legal snafu: Decisions the Coal County Board of Commissioners made during three meetings Monday were ultimately deemed null after a review of state law found their vote to suspend an indicted sheriff was invalid because the board lacks the authority to issue such a suspension. The board’s legal counsel also said their appointment of an interim sheriff was invalid since Sheriff Jason Smith remains on the job. [NonDoc]
Head-on crash with Oklahoma Department of Corrections bus leaves several injured: An Oklahoma Department of Corrections bus transporting inmates was involved in a head-on collision with a pickup truck, officials report. According to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred around 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, on Highway 39, just east of Lexington, Oklahoma. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Federal Benefit Cuts Push Oklahoma Families Into Eviction Crisis: The recent government shutdown, which included would-be cuts to the federal child care subsidies, Head Start and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, along with furloughs, has created such crises throughout Oklahoma among low and middle-income families. [Oklahoma Watch]
Long Story Short: AG Intervenes in State Farm Lawsuit (podcast): Jake Ramsey reported on the effects of the government shutdown on evictions. Ginnie Graham’s latest story explored the unique challenges rural areas have when trying to quantify homelessness. J.C. Hallman filed two more stories about insurance in Oklahoma, this time about a series of cases involving State Farm and homeowners’ insurance. [Oklahoma Watch]
Oklahoma families brace for loss of childcare subsidies for school-age children: Thousands of Oklahoma families are preparing to lose childcare assistance at the end of the month, after Oklahoma Human Services confirmed it is ending childcare subsidy grants for school-age children ages six and up. [Fox 23]
Economy & Business News
Opinion: Office Visit: The hidden cost of Medicaid cuts: By slashing Medicaid funding, lawmakers have started a chain reaction that will ripple through the entire health care ecosystem—and ultimately spill into the broader economy and land as a hidden tax on employers and consumers. This government cost shifting has been going on for decades and it’s about to accelerate. [Timothy Pehrson / The Journal Record]
Community News
Opinion: Vandalism of Civil Rights statue should remind Oklahomans that our work isn’t done: I found myself greatly disturbed by the despicable act of vandalism to the new monument in downtown Oklahoma City designed to celebrate our city’s historic role in our nation’s sit-in movement. For me, the event commemorating Oklahoma City’s new Sit-in Plaza wasn’t merely about an extremely important historical turning point. It was a call and a reminder that we can all fight for a better future. [John Thompson / Oklahoma Voice]
Local Headlines
- Tulsa’s Route 66 Centennial celebration to include a Musical Road [Tulsa World]
- Tulsa Public Schools adds funding for school buses, career readiness to $600M bond proposal [Tulsa Flyer]
- Southern Oklahoma to welcome small farm hub to help conservation, community health [KOSU]
Quote of the Day
“We can’t continue to rely on nonprofits to pick up the slack when we make these massive cuts. We’re going to need to find solutions beyond continuing to put more and more on our nonprofit community.”
– Sabine Brown, Housing Senior Policy Analyst at OK Policy, emphasizing that the state’s safety net is buckling under simultaneous cuts to food assistance, wages, and child care subsidies. She said the nonprofit sector is already overwhelmed and cannot be expected to shoulder the burden of policy-driven crises. [Oklahoma Watch]
- From OK Policy: Leaders shouldn’t ask nonprofits to do government’s job
Number of the Day
35%
The rise in violent crime since 2018 in some of Oklahoma’s small towns, even as violent crime has fallen 11% in Tulsa and 21% in Oklahoma City. Several rural communities now experience per-capita violence levels comparable to those of some of the nation’s largest cities. [Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform]
Policy Note
The Hidden Crisis: How Poverty Drives Crime in Rural Oklahoma: Pervasive poverty, economic decline, and job loss in many rural Oklahoma counties have fueled sharp increases in violent and property crime — in some small towns, per-capita violence rates now rival those seen in large cities. Widespread substance abuse, mental-health crises, and lack of access to treatment exacerbate crime, while rural residents often face major barriers to services and long travel distances to get help. Communities with shrinking populations and fewer jobs, especially young-adult out-migration, are left vulnerable to destabilization and worsening safety outcomes. Efforts to strengthen rural economies, expand behavioral-health services, and invest in evidence-based treatment and diversion (instead of relying solely on policing) are essential to reversing this trend. [Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform]
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