Reopening Oklahoma’s courts must be done thoughtfully to avoid a public health disaster

Oklahoma courts should plan to transition back to normal operations gradually and cautiously in order to avoid exacerbating the spread of the coronavirus or facilitating mass evictions. [More...]

Rebuilding Oklahoma: Policy Recommendations to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Strengthen Our State for the Long Term

The Oklahoma Policy Institute has evaluated legislative and administrative actions — both state and federal — that will best prepare the state for a long-term recovery that benefits the health and well-being of all Oklahomans. [More...]

Child care provider support needed to get Oklahoma economy running

Our child care industry and the future of our state’s economy are at stake. Now it is time for the state to listen. [More...]

SNAP is a critical piece of our pandemic response, and Congress needs to give it a boost

SNAP can help to stabilize a declining economy, and making the program as effective as possible is in everyone’s best interest right now. Food security is economic security — when people have adequate nutritious food, they are healthier, better able to fight off illness, and able to work as soon as good jobs are available.  [More...]

Broadband is more important than ever — here is how Oklahoma can respond (Guest Post: Dr. Brian Whitacre)

Broadband connectivity will be an important part of our society both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Oklahoma Legislature should take advantage of the attention drawn to this issue and develop policies that will set us up for the increasingly digital future. [More...]

‘Safe at Home’ slows virus outbreak, but endangers domestic violence survivors (Guest Post: Molly Bryant)

As Oklahoma families hunker down in their homes because of the COVID-19 outbreak, many domestic violence advocates are bracing for the increase in family violence. While essential for public health, the so-called “safe at home” policies have isolated domestic violence survivors with their abusers under tense conditions making them, ironically, less safe at home. [More...]

Cash is a pressing need right now — economic recovery payments will help many, but not all

Relief packages that don’t reach everyone in need will result in increased need and a slower recovery, and that’s bad for all of us.  [More...]

Oklahoma’s working families need a tax cut. Here’s why

Contrary to talking points from state boosters, Oklahoma is not a low tax state for all Oklahomans. Our regressive tax system ensures that low-income Oklahomans pay more in taxes, as a share of their income, than high-income taxpayers. [More...]

The Federal Government has taken significant action to shore up the unemployment insurance program — and there’s more Oklahoma can do.

Oklahoma could maximize the benefit of this relief package in the CARES Act by reestablishing our work share program to better help workers who still have jobs, but with reduced hours. [More...]

Policymakers must do more to prevent evictions and foreclosures during and after the COVID-19 crisis. We’re tracking these cases with our new Oklahoma Court Tracker tool

The Oklahoma Court Tracker, a tool by OK Policy’s Open Justice Oklahoma program, displays information on who is filing eviction and foreclosure cases and where those cases have been filed. As of April 1, plaintiffs have filed 1,116 evictions and 131 foreclosures since Oklahoma’s emergency declaration on March 15.  [More...]