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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
New from OK Policy
One simple trick that will help Oklahoma’s small businesses and the economy: In a time of rising costs and inflation, there is one key policy change that lawmakers can pass to help small businesses, working Oklahomans, and our economy: Raise the minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage has become a politically contentious issue, but research shows that it is good policy. A minimum wage is intended to act as a baseline to ensure that employers compensate their workers fairly for their hard work by providing a wage that can cover basic living expenses. During its 85-year history, the minimum wage has been increased on average every three years — but there have been only three adjustments in the last quarter century. [Gabriela Ramirez-Perez / OK Policy]
Oklahoma News
These Oklahomans Needed Mental Health Care. Instead, They Died in Jail: Across the state and country, many families can’t access sufficient health care for their loved ones and turn to for help from police in a crisis. With law enforcement involved, emergency situations can escalate quickly, leading to arrests and incarceration in jails where detention officers with minimal training are responsible for the health and safety of detainees, which can have fatal consequences. [Oklahoma Watch]
State Government News
Lawmakers contemplate increasing funds for private school tax credits as demand soars: An influx of applications for private school tax credits has at least one key lawmaker considering increasing the cap on the program to accommodate more students. Although legislative leaders may not see eye to eye on the program’s funding cap, tweaking the tax credit program will undoubtedly be a top issue for Republican lawmakers when the Oklahoma Legislature gavels into session in February. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Applications may exceed program limit for Oklahoma private school tax credits [Tulsa World]
- Private School Voucher Program in Oklahoma Unveiled [The Black Wall Street Times]
- From OK Policy: 10 questions every Oklahoman should be asking lawmakers about private school vouchers, tax credits
Ethics Commission retains attorney ahead of ‘nightmare’ Guardian System scenario: With the plug possibly being pulled on the public website for state-level campaigns and lobbyist reporting in the middle of the 2024 election cycle, the Oklahoma Ethics Commission today authorized its executive director to retain an attorney to file a claim in a contractual dispute with the system’s vendor. [NonDoc]
Lawmakers Begin Filing Bills Ahead of 2024 Session: With one month left until the annual bill filing deadline, attention is turning to what issues lawmakers will prioritize during the upcoming legislative session. [Oklahoma Watch]
Attorney General Drummond to State Rep. Humphrey: No laws broken by DAs: Oklahoma’s district attorneys and their association, the DAs Council, are not violating state law by collecting $40 probation supervision fees, state Attorney General Gentner Drummond said. [The Oklahoman]
Democrats renew call for investigation into impeaching Ryan Walters: For the second time this year, Democrats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives called for an investigation of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters. [The Oklahoman]
- Political notebook: House Democrats renew call for Walters inquiry [Tulsa World]
NAACP Oklahoma Responds to Gov. Stitt’s DEI Executive Order: Gov. Stitt signed an executive order restricting diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Oklahoma colleges and universities last week. [The Black Wall Street Times]
- Readers weighed in on Gov. Stitt’s signing of an order to forbid resources for college DEI [The Oklahoman]
Capitol Insider: Stitt takes aim at DEI programs through executive order: Governor Kevin Stitt has signed a new executive order to limit diversity, equity and inclusion practices and programs at state agencies and higher education institutions. [KGOU]
Opinion: Keep politics out of state’s pension promises: Last month, I filed a lawsuit on behalf of thousands of other retired public employees against state Treasurer Todd Russ with one simple goal: to keep politics out of our state’s pension promises. [Don Keenan / The Oklahoman]
Federal Government News
D.C. Digest: Hern, Brecheen oppose defense bill: First District Congressman Kevin Hern and the 2nd District’s Josh Brecheen were among the 118 “no” votes against the National Defense Authorization Act passed by the Senate and House on Thursday. [Tulsa World]
Tribal Nations News
Hooper v. Tulsa dismissed, judge points to Muscogee lawsuit for lingering jurisdiction dispute: A federal judge dismissed Hooper v. Tulsa without prejudice, following the mandate of an appellate court that ruled the Curtis Act of 1898 does not grant the City of Tulsa jurisdiction to adjudicate local infractions made by tribal citizens. [NonDoc]
- High-profile case challenging Tulsa’s right to ticket Native Americans closed [The Oklahoman]
- Federal judge rules against Tulsa, dismisses Hooper case [Public Radio Tulsa]
Health News
As the US Supreme Court reviews abortion pill use, will women in Oklahoma be affected?: Until this year, taking the drug mifepristone was the way most women in Oklahoma terminated their pregnancies. Now the U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing a challenge to the use of the drug. [The Oklahoman]
Editorial: Focus opioid settlement money on efforts to curb addiction, address mental health: Too often, lawmakers view a new pot of money as a playground for pet projects. We’re optimistic that’s not the case with the state’s opioid settlement funds. Oklahoma received about $700 million from opioid manufacturers, accused of downplaying the addictiveness of the painkillers then flooding the market with those pills. [Editorial / Tulsa World]
Criminal Justice News
Former Oklahoma House Speaker wants to go back to Square One on criminal justice: Kris Steele keeps pushing a giant boulder up a huge mountain. The boulder, however, is unwieldy, unforgiving and keeps getting bigger. Doesn’t matter, though, because Steele won’t quit. Even though success is painfully slow, he doesn’t care. He’s been here before. Steele created the boulder — it’s a metaphor for his efforts to change the criminal justice system in Oklahoma. [The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity
After law regulating feeding homeless, Shawnee announces proposal to ban sleeping outdoors: Just one month after a law regulating feeding the homeless downtown went into effect, the city of Shawnee announced a proposal to prohibit sleeping outdoors. The ordinance would also prohibit “sitting, lying down, or placing items in the right-of-way between the roadway and the adjacent structure or property line.” [The Oklahoman]
- Shawnee commissioners to vote on ordinance banning sitting, lying down in downtown area [KGOU]
Economy & Business News
A tire factory transformed a southern Oklahoma town. What will it be without it?: A flurry of uncertainty swirls over Ardmore’s holiday festivities as the city’s largest employer announced weeks earlier that it would close. Many people in the city of 25,000 have a connection to the plant or a story to tell about it. And its economic reach stretches far beyond Ardmore. Some people drive from as far as an hour away to work at the plant [The Oklahoman]
Education News
State Superintendent Ryan Walters responds to lawmaker, school district concerns with blame for school officials, his predecessor: Amid widespread school leader concerns about lengthy delays in the state’s handling of millions of dollars in federal education funding, State Superintendent Ryan Walters issued a late Friday memo to legislative leaders blaming the school districts themselves, as well as his predecessor in office. [Tulsa World]
Complaint accuses Tulsa-area school of ‘social justice warrior’ indoctrination: A complaint lodged against Union Public Schools claims that a state agency-approved online class was teaching students “how to be social justice warriors.”[Tulsa World]
‘Not a drill’: Vian High School scare reminds rural Oklahoma of gun violence: It is becoming increasingly clear that gun violence can occur anywhere, even a small town in eastern Oklahoma with a population of 1,300. The Vian Police Department has implemented more regulations in Vian Public Schools, as students and parents deal with the aftermath of a gun violence threat in their community. [NonDoc]
Of 4 charter school proposals, OKCPS board rejected highest-scoring applications: As three of four potential new charter schools seeking authorization from Oklahoma City Public Schools revise their applications, district documents show the one school approved by the board in November tied for the lowest score among applicants. [NonDoc]
Opinion: After ‘hall of shame’ move by Ryan Walters, educators’ portraits need new home: It’s never too late to right a wrong. But what if we righted someone else’s wrong? And what if we all banded together to make it happen? [Russ Florence / The Oklahoman]
General News
Locked out of local government: Residents decry increased secrecy among towns, counties, schools: Some observers say there is a striking trend toward secrecy among local governments across the U.S. From school districts to townships and county boards, public access to records and meetings in many states is worsening over time. [CNHI & AP News via Tulsa World]
Oklahoma Local News
- Now that OKC voted to build a new arena, what’s the plan? Questions remain in budget, timeline [The Oklahoman]
- Oklahoma City film studio given 2-year notice to find new home as site eyed for new arena [The Oklahoman]
- OKC could get apartment skyscraper twice as tall as Devon tower in developer’s Bricktown plan [The Oklahoman]
- Edmond approves new fire station, agreement with new ambulance provider [The Oklahoman]
- Tulsans of the Year: Dr. Jabraan Pasha brings ‘health care for everyone’ at new Greenwood clinic [Tulsa World]
- New $2.3 million lounge planned at Tulsa International Airport [Tulsa World]
Quote of the Day
“It has been well established that jails are not the place to treat our mentally ill. These people are languishing in jails, often for a year or more, while the state is passing the buck to counties instead of spending money on short-, medium- and long-term facilities to alleviate the problem.”
-Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado, speaking about the need to address mental health issues in our communities. [Oklahoma Watch]
Number of the Day
14
Number of states that rely on the federal rate to establish a minimum wage for tipped workers. Employers of workers who “customarily and regularly” receive at least $30 a month in tips can pay those workers just $2.13 an hour in direct wages, as long as they also receive the equivalent of at least $5.12 an hour in tips. [Pew Research]
Policy Note
Small Businesses Get a Boost From a $15 Minimum Wage: For the United States to achieve a meaningful economic recovery that lifts up all families, Congress must raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, including for tipped workers and workers with disabilities. Raising the minimum wage would benefit small businesses and the economy at large. While critics of a fair wage argue that a $15 minimum wage would put a heavy burden on small businesses, economic literature demonstrates that these concerns are not borne out by the facts. [Center for American Progress]
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