OKPOLICY.ORG
In The Know is a daily synopsis of Oklahoma policy-related news and blogs. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
The House Republican Caucus on Friday reaffirmed Rep. Jeff Hickman as speaker-elect. The caucus also tapped Rep. Lee Denney, R-Cushing, as speaker pro tempore-elect. The Oklahoma Democratic Party selected three potential candidates Saturday for a proposed special election in Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District. State Democrats are asking for a special election for the seat because the Democratic candidate died in a car accident just days before the election. NewsOK reported that traditionally Republican Oklahoma County reported some of the best results for Democrats in this year’s election, while the former Democratic strongholds in southeast Oklahoma are turning more Republican.
On the latest OK PolicyCast, we analyze the election with OK Policy Director David Blatt. NewsOK reported that the 32 newly elected state representatives and senators come from a diverse range of professions, a change from days when most state legislators were attorneys. KGOU shared a list of the many state officials who took office without any opposition in the general election. Over the past five years, fewer and fewer Oklahoma communities are adding fluoride to their water, largely due to cost, a trend that concerns public health officials as the state’s dental health lags. The approval of minimum wage increases by large popular vote margins in several red states and is putting more scrutiny Oklahoma lawmakers’ decision to ban local minimum wage increases.
Superintendent-elect Joy Hofmeister said she wants to develop an eight-year plan to create a dedicated funding source to improve teacher pay. Susan Ellerbach — the managing editor of the Tulsa World since 1995 — has become the newspaper’s new executive editor, making her the first woman to ever lead the World’s newsroom. Chesapeake Energy Corp. has received subpoenas from federal and state authorities that are investigating the company’s royalty payment practices. As more states approve the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana, an Oklahoma-based company is looking to build a national franchise with cannabis e-cigarettes.
A Tulsa World investigation found that the annual number of people fatally shot by Oklahoma law enforcement officers has tripled since 2009, and all but one of the shootings were ruled justified. More than six months after Clayton Lockett’s execution drew international scrutiny, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections has released related emails requested by the Tulsa World. Gov. Mary Fallin’s office and the state Department of Public Safety still have not complied with the World’s open records requests. The Tulsa City Council discussed examples of improper spending by the Tulsa County Sheriff’s office, leaving at least two councilors adamant that the office be audited.
The Number of the Day is how much Oklahoma’s spending on incarceration increased from 1986 to 2013. In today’s Policy Note, the New York Times shares data showing exactly how many Americans have been denied health insurance by the US Supreme Court’s decision to make Medicaid expansion optional and states’ refusals to accept the expansion.
In The News
Rep. Jeff Hickman reaffirmed as House Speaker
The House Republican Caucus on Friday reaffirmed Rep. Jeff Hickman as speaker-elect. Hickman, R-Fairview, was unopposed. He called the newly elected House members consummate professionals and a mature group. “I think they will be very helpful to us going forward,” Hickman said. “I think it’s a very impressive addition to the House. I’m really excited about our new members.” The caucus also tapped Rep. Lee Denney, R-Cushing, as speaker pro tempore-elect in a three-way race.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma Democrats name potential candidates for proposed special election for 2nd Congressional District
The Oklahoma Democratic Party selected three potential candidates Saturday for a proposed special election in Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District. State Democrats are asking for a special election for the seat after Democratic candidate Earl Everett, 81, died in a car accident just days before the election. Democratic Party Chairman Wallace Collins said party officials met Saturday to select three potential candidates for the seat: state Rep. Ben Sherrer, of Claremore; state Sen. Jerry Ellis, of Hugo, and Paul Schiefelbein, a Tahlequah attorney.
Oklahoma County’s shocking — or at least surprising — vote results
Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, who is expected to run for governor in four years, had a good night on Tuesday. He won every county and had a better winning percentage (68.5) than any other Republican on the statewide ballot… Here’s what’s interesting — fascinating really if you’re a political junkie with some sense of Oklahoma’s traditional voting patterns and alignments: McFerron charted Lamb’s results in all 77 counties and found that the gubernatorial hopeful did better in some southeastern Oklahoma counties — an area once known as Little Dixie — than in Oklahoma County, the state’s most populous and one that used to be among the safest for Republicans.
Newly elected Oklahoma legislators are professionally diverse
Gone are the days when most state legislators are attorneys. Three of the 32 newly elected state representatives and senators are lawyers; most of the rest come from the business community. There are also a couple of farmers, a doctor, a pastor, a sheriff, a councilman, a newspaper publisher and a registered nurse. Rep.-elect Claudia Griffith, D-Norman, said her background as a registered nurse will make her a better legislator. Griffith, who holds a master’s degree in public health, said Oklahoma should have taken federal money available under the Affordable Care Act to expand Medicaid in the state.
OK PolicyCast Episode 13: Analyzing the Elections
Each week the OK PolicyCast brings you the most important news affecting Oklahoma and what it means. This week, we speak with David Blatt about what this week’s elections mean for Oklahoma and the nation. We also share some non-election related news for the week.
Listen to the podcast from OK Policy.
Now official: In many uncontested races, candidates have been winners for awhile
A large number of candidates standing for election or re-election have already been declared winners. In the U.S. House, District 1, Jim Bridenstine, a Republican from Tulsa, is the winner because no one filed to oppose him, either in the April primary or in the general election. Five state-wide office holders have been re-elected Four were unopposed in their primary or in the general election: Scott Pruitt for Attorney General, Ken Miller for State Treasurer, Gary Jones for State Auditor, and John Doak for State Insurance Commissioner. Todd Hiett won the primary for the Corporation Commission and no one filed as a Democrat to oppose the primary winner in the general election.
Oklahoma communities stop fluoridating water because of cost
Over the past five years, fewer and fewer Oklahoma communities are adding fluoride to their water, largely due to cost, a trend that concerns public health officials as the state’s dental health lags. About 62 percent of Oklahomans on public water systems have fluoridated water flowing into their homes, according to data provided by the state Health Department. That’s a decrease from almost 70 percent about five years ago. The number is lower than national rates, which show that about 74 percent of the U.S. population on public water systems had access to fluoridated water in 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Minimum wage increase by other states puts spotlight on Oklahoma
Voters in four states this past Tuesday approved increases of their minimum wage, including neighboring Arkansas. With Tuesday’s votes, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota joined 24 others plus the District of Columbia that have raised their state minimum wages beyond the federal minimum wage. Voters in Alaska, where the minimum wage rate already exceeded the federal minimum, also approved a measure Tuesday to increase the rate from $7.75 an hour to $9.75 an hour by 2016. But Oklahoma is holding steady at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Earlier this year, the state even passed a law forbidding any of its cities or counties from increasing the minimum wage beyond the federal minimum wage.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Hofmeister wants eight-year plan to improve teacher pay
State Superintendent-elect Joy Hofmeister isn’t wasting any time preparing to take statewide office in January. The Tulsan has just nine weeks before being sworn in and she has already named a transition team, and later this week she is headed to a meeting of state education department heads from across the country. Hofmeister has said she wants to work with education leaders and state lawmakers to develop an eight-year plan that she hopes will include a dedicated funding source to continue to help improve teacher pay.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Longtime World managing editor Susan Ellerbach takes over newsroom’s top spot
Susan Ellerbach didn’t have to think twice. As far back as she could remember, a journalist was all she’d wanted to be. What Ellerbach didn’t know then was just how far her dream career would take her. On Nov. 3, Ellerbach — managing editor of the Tulsa World since 1995 — became the company’s new executive editor, making her the first woman to ever lead the World’s newsroom. She succeeds Joe Worley, who retired from the post after 19 years. Replacing Ellerbach as managing editor is Mike Strain, who moved up from news editor.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
U.S. Justice Department eyeing Chesapeake Energy Corp.
Chesapeake Energy Corp. is back in the crosshairs of the U.S. Department of Justice. The Oklahoma City-based oil and natural gas producer revealed Thursday that it has received subpoenas from federal and state authorities that are investigating Chesapeake’s royalty payment practices, according to a regulatory filing. Chesapeake also indicated it is cooperating with authorities who are investigating possible antitrust violations related to the company’s leasing of oil and natural gas rights in several states.
Oklahoma e-cigarette firm eyes emerging Cannabis oil market
As more states approve the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana, an Oklahoma-based electronic cigarette retailer is looking to build a national franchise. Marijuana is illegal under federal drug laws. But voters in Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., approved ballot measures Tuesday to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, joining Washington state and Colorado. And in more than a dozen other states, medical marijuana is available. The growing availability of legal pot opens the door for Tulsa-based Palm Beach Vapors to market a method for producing a cannabis oil product that can be inhaled through a common e-cigarette, according to CEO and co-founder Chip Paul.
Read more from the Associated Press.
Police shooting deaths on rise in state
The annual number of people fatally shot by Oklahoma law enforcement officers has tripled since 2009, and all but one of the shootings were ruled justified, a Tulsa World investigation shows. In the past seven years, 109 people have died statewide after being shot by law enforcement officers during incidents ranging from long, violent standoffs to split-second shootouts. Police say they are trained to use minimal force when needed but have only seconds in most cases to respond. Experts say they aren’t sure of the reasons for the increase in fatal police shootings but point to increased militarization of police forces, more cases of “suicide by cop” and a need for more training.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
DOC releases emails six months after execution; governor’s, DPS records still pending
More than six months after Clayton Lockett’s execution drew international scrutiny, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections has released related emails requested by the Tulsa World. Gov. Mary Fallin’s office and the state Department of Public Safety still have not complied with the World’s open records requests for emails related to the April 29 execution. A spokesman for Fallin said: “Our legal staff is working diligently on this and hopes to get you the records soon.” DPS spokesman George Brown said that because the agency investigated the execution, it has “considerably more documents to review than the Department of Corrections.”
Read more from the Tulsa World.
City Councilors question jail expenses, including Terry Simonson’s salary
Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office employee Terry Simonson became the poster child for alleged improper spending in that department during a Tulsa City Council meeting last week, leaving at least two councilors adamant that the office be audited. Simonson is Sheriff Stanley Glanz’s governmental affairs director, for which he is paid $93,360, according to county payroll records. He also receives a monthly cellphone allowance of $50 to $100; use of a county-owned Chevy Tahoe; and an annual clothing allowance of $200, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Those same records indicate Simonson’s compensation is paid out of the jail fund — something state law prohibits, city officials maintain.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Quote of the Day
“They say for every dollar you invest in community water fluoridation, you save about $38 in dental costs, so that’s one reason it’s a very cost-effective procedure.”
-Dr. Jana Winfree, director of dental health service at the state Health Department, who is concerned that many Oklahoma communities have stopped adding fluoride to their water due to its cost (Source: http://bit.ly/1EtMNTh)
Number of the Day
$251 million
How much Oklahoma’s spending on incarceration increased from 1986 to 2013, adjusted for inflation. Over that period, Oklahoma’s spending on incarceration increased 120 percent.
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Who would have health insurance if Medicaid Expansion weren’t optional
In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that a cornerstone of the Affordable Care Act — its expansion of Medicaid to low-income people around the country — must be optional for states. But what if it had ruled differently? More than three million people, many of them across the South, would now have health insurance through Medicaid, according to an Upshot analysis of data from Enroll America and Civis Analytics. The uninsured rate would be two percentage points lower. Today, the odds of having health insurance are much lower for people living in Tennessee than in neighboring Kentucky, for example, and lower in Texas than in Arkansas.
Read more from the New York Times.
You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
