By:
Dave Hamby
June 8, 2026 // Updated: June 8, 2026
Oklahoma continues to rank among the bottom 10 states for overall child well-being in the 2026 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, 50-state report of recent data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzing how kids are faring nationwide.
• KIDS…
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For thousands of Oklahomans, the dream of a stable home is collapsing. Fast, cheap evictions, no real tenant protections, and rising housing costs have turned a basic human need into a daily crisis. Legislators had a number of policy solutions…
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By:
Cole Allen
May 15, 2026 // Updated: May 15, 2026
In 2016, voters approved State Questions 780 and 781, putting policies in place that have reduced our prison population and directed millions into much-needed community services. Nearly a decade later, Oklahoma voters on June 16 will have the opportunity to…
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As the gap between housing costs and wages increases, Oklahoma lawmakers should explore all options to increase housing supply and reduce evictions. Bills that make relatively small changes to Oklahoma’s Landlord Tenant Act — the laws that define the rights…
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By:
Sabine Brown
February 24, 2026 // Updated: February 24, 2026
Evictions are often referred to as the “ Scarlet E ” because of the enormous and long-lasting negative impact they have on tenants. Landlords use public court records to screen potential tenants and will often refuse to rent to someone…
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By:
Jill Mencke
December 14, 2025 // Updated: December 15, 2025
• SQ 832: Information and Resources
• What you need to know about the minimum wage in Oklahoma
When people talk about raising the minimum wage, the focus is usually on adults trying to support households. But higher wages don’t…
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Few policy ideas have proven as persistent — or misleading — as the notion that forcing people to work will lift them out of poverty. The Big Beautiful Bill, or House Resolution 1 (H.R. 1), revives that same flawed logic:…
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•Watch: via YouTube
•View: Presentation slides (PDF)
•Learn: De-risking Government Technology Guide
•See also: Bruce Gros’ experience applying for public assistance managed by state agencies
In spring 2025, lawmakers approved a feasibility study (House Bill 1575) about creating a unified…
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•Watch: via YouTube
•See also: OK Policy’s Anthony Flores’ presentation on national best practices for managing large IT projects
Making applications for public assistance easier and more user-friendly is important for both the Oklahomans who need help and the state…
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By:
Sabine Brown
November 12, 2025 // Updated: November 16, 2025
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…
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