Tag: COVID-19

Oklahoma prisons at risk during COVID-19 health emergency

Because Oklahoma still has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, this problem will require more comprehensive solutions than those offered so far. [More...]

School support personnel play vital role, should receive pay during closure

Support staff serve as the backbone of schools, and their responsibility to keep schools safe and clean have become even more critical amidst the coronavirus outbreak. We call on lawmakers and the State Department of Education to continue working together to ensure Oklahoma school support employees are paid during school closures. [More...]

Oklahoma courts have not suspended fines and fees

Oklahoma’s county courts, which handle all civil and most criminal cases across the state, have suspended most of their activities until April 15 at the earliest. There has been no official guidance about the collection of criminal fines and fees while court activity is suspended [More...]

COVID-19 crisis shows the need for health care now. Here’s three things lawmakers can do to protect Oklahomans’ health care. 

There are many things the state can do to address the issues, but here are three actions state policymakers must immediately take. [More...]

Oklahoma must take action to help workers who will be hurt by the pandemic

There are actions the state can take to soften the negative economic effects of the pandemic in Oklahoma. And they must start with expanding access to unemployment insurance. [More...]

OK Policy: Oklahoma making mockery of public hearing process

"The Oklahoma Health Care Authority is making a mockery of the public hearing process and appears oblivious to the fact that there is a national health emergency occurring." [More...]

Protecting employees during uncertain times

During the past few days, nearly all public and private organizations have had scramble and adapt in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. OK Policy’s leadership team met last week and made the determination that we needed to take action to help protect our staff’s health, as well as to minimize community spreading of the COVID-19 virus. [More...]

COVID-19: The Legislature should take a break to focus energy on the pandemic

During these unprecedented times, it’s important that our lawmakers maintain a laser-like focus on only critical legislation directly pertaining to this health emergency or fulfill its constitutionally mandated budget responsibilities. [More...]