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What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In The Know. Click here to subscribe to In The Know.
This Week from OK Policy
Governor’s executive order on ‘welfare reform’ misses the real problems facing Oklahomans: While no doubt well-intended, the governor’s executive order for “welfare to work” doesn’t address the real challenges that everyday Oklahomans face and misses the fact that many factors prevent Oklahomans from working. Low wages mean that a job isn’t enough to support a family. Furthermore, low pay, unstable hours, a lack of child care, lack of transportation, limited health care access, and other barriers make it hard — or impossible — to keep a job. Forcing people into low-wage, unstable jobs doesn’t solve these problems or lead to real economic security. It merely leads to churn. [Carly Putnam / OK Policy]
All Oklahomans should speak up, stand up during this legislative session: The Oklahoma legislative session begins this Monday, and with it comes a familiar mix of hope, frustration, and fatigue. Over the next four months, lawmakers will debate hundreds of bills that could shape our schools, jobs, and communities. Too often, though, the loudest conversations focus on flashy, headline-grabbing issues instead of the practical problems families face every day. Add in a chaotic and divisive national political climate, and it’s tempting to tune out altogether. But this session is exactly when staying engaged matters most. [Shiloh Kantz / OK Policy]
Policy Matters: Oklahomans need better policy choices, not campaign headlines: When the Oklahoma Legislature resumes on Monday, lawmakers may feel pressure to chase headlines, especially as election season approaches. Tax-cut promises and culture-war debates may grab attention, but the real work should be more focused: making choices that help Oklahoma reach its full potential. Lawmakers should not ask what will get the loudest applause, but what will help Oklahomans for years to come. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
New Office of Juvenile Affairs budget request prioritizes importance of early treatment (Capitol Update): The Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) has amended its Fiscal Year 2027 budget request since the departure of former Director Tim Tardibono and his replacement with Interim Director Sharon “Shel” Millington. Both director appointments were made by Gov. Kevin Stitt, but Tardibono resigned after a year on the job amid a crisis at the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center (COJC) in Tecumseh. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
OK Policy in the News
‘Bring down the temperature’: Gov. Stitt talks ICE facility in OKC, federal immigration tactics: Gov. Kevin Stitt emphasized the need for immigration policy reform Thursday, prioritizing pathways for non-U.S. citizens in Oklahoma to legally work and contribute to the economy. The Oklahoma Policy Institute’s reported that undocumented residents pay more than $227 million in state and local taxes annually. [KOCO]
Gov. Stitt wants to revamp welfare programs. Some Oklahoma advocates are worried: A recent executive order from Gov. Kevin Stitt is seeking to review federal welfare programs administered by the state and to decrease Oklahomans’ reliance on them through employment. Advocates say the plan fails to address the real challenges Oklahomans are facing. [KOSU]
Weekly What’s That
Work requirements are policies that oblige recipients of certain public programs to be employed or engage in work-related activities for a certain number of hours each month in order to remain eligible for benefits.
As of May 2025, work requirements are in effect for most recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and certain categories of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, primarily adults aged 18-54. For SNAP, individuals subject to the work requirement must typically engage in 80 hours a month of paid or unpaid work or participate in a work program.
Under the first Trump Administration, over a dozen states, including Oklahoma, enacted work requirements for working-age adults covered by Medicaid. However, only Arkansas implemented its requirements before a federal court deemed the work requirement unlawful in the absence of Congressional authorization. When Arkansas’ work requirements were in effect, studies found that more than 18,000 people — nearly 1 in 4 who were subject to the new rules — lost their coverage in the policy’s first seven months, primarily as a result of administrative barriers. Research finds that two-thirds of non-elderly adults on Medicaid are already working, while most others are not in a position to work since they are either disabled or have caregiving responsibilities.
Following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), these policies are scheduled to take effect nationwide. H.R. 1 adds a federal Medicaid work requirement for non-elderly adults in expansion states, requiring 80 hours per month of work or another approved activity to keep coverage, and mandates states verify work hours at least once every six months. For SNAP, H.R. 1 expands who must meet work requirements by increasing the upper age limit for the able-bodied adult without dependents from age 54 to 64, reducing the age of children for certain exemptions from 18 to 14, and removing exceptions for veterans, homeless individuals, and former foster youth. As with past state attempts, these changes are expected to cause many eligible people to lose coverage because of administrative barriers.
Look up more key terms to understand Oklahoma politics and government here.
Quote of the Week
“But now Americans are asking themselves what is the endgame? What is the solution? We believe in federalism and states’ rights and no one likes feds coming into their states. So what’s the goal right now? Is it to deport every single non-US citizen? I don’t think that’s what Americans want. We have to stop politicizing this.”
—Gov. Kevin Stitt, speaking on a national news program Sunday about the escalation of federal actions in Minneapolis, under the guise of immigration enforcement, that has led to ICE officers killing two American citizens during growing anti-ICE demonstrations there. [The Oklahoman]
Editorial of the Week
Editorial: Governors are right. New immigration approach needed
Even Democratic leaders gave President Donald Trump grudging credit for increasing border security and reducing illegal immigration. But in recent weeks the president’s efforts to deport immigrants already in this country — supposedly “the worst of the worst” — have gone terribly wrong.
And in Minneapolis, Portland and other places where our national leaders have chosen to focus a brutal deportation campaign, it’s time to do what our governors have suggested.
It’s time for a reset.
Numbers of the Week
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16.9% – More than 1 in 6 Oklahoma households, or 16.9%, experienced low or very low food security between 2022 and 2024. Oklahoma was one of six states (along with Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) with food insecurity rates identified as statistically significantly higher than the national rate of 13.3%. [US Department of Agriculture]
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1 in 5 – About 1 in 5 Oklahoma children (18.9 percent) were living at or below the federal poverty level in 2024. For a family of three, this means the child lived in a household that earned $25,249 or less that year. [US Census Bureau via OK Policy]
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73,609 – The number of women, infants, and children in Oklahoma who relied on the WIC program as of November 2025. WIC provides vital nutrition support, breastfeeding assistance, and health services that have been demonstrated to improve pregnancy outcomes, infant health, and early childhood development. [Oklahoma Department of Health]
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64.2% – The percentage of children under age 6 in Oklahoma who had all available parents in the workforce in 2023. That makes access to high-quality child care essential — not just for child development, but for families’ ability to work and thrive. [United States Census Bureau]
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$14.3 billion – The amount Oklahoma received in federal grants in 2024 to support child care, transportation, law enforcement, housing, food security, health care, and more. Because the state takes in far more federal dollars than it sends in taxes, federal cuts — combined with state tax reductions — could have an outsized impact on Oklahoma communities. [Oklahoma Policy Institute]
What We’re Reading
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Food Insecurity Remained High in 2024, Administration Ends Data Collection Before SNAP Cuts Push It Higher: After several months of delay, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the last of its annual reports on food security on December 30, showing that 47.9 million people in 18.3 million households reported having difficulty acquiring food due to lack of resources at some point in 2024. Although the economy was generally strong in 2024, food insecurity could rise in the coming years. Millions of people are being cut off from the food assistance they need to afford groceries as a result of the historic cuts to SNAP included in the harmful Republican megabill enacted in July 2025, and food prices are continuing to rise, partly due to tariffs. But USDA is ending the annual survey on food security after 30 years, beginning with the cancellation of data collection for 2025. The absence of this data will make it harder for policymakers, researchers, and the public to measure the harm inflicted by the largest-ever cuts to food assistance and the rising cost of food. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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The Shortcomings of a Work-Biased Welfare System (2021): In a uniquely American way, the debate over welfare is a debate not just about fighting poverty, but also about worthiness, fairness and work ethics. Though the system has a purported goal of alleviating poverty, the goal is often framed within the context of encouraging work and disincentivizing dependence on the system itself. However, the very existence of a welfare system implicitly recognizes that some may need extra help from the government, as they may not be able to gain access to such opportunities otherwise, regardless of effort. [Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond]
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WIC Works: A Cost-Effective Investment in Improving Low-Income Families’ Nutrition and Health: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) yields strong returns for low-income families by improving nutrition, reducing adverse birth outcomes, and lowering health-care costs. Studies show that when families participate in WIC, children are healthier, their diets more nutritious, and families utilize preventive health services more effectively. Incentives like updated food packages and breastfeeding support amplify its impact while keeping program cost-effectiveness high. Ensuring broader access and higher participation in WIC strengthens family stability and public health while delivering value to taxpayers. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
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Fact Sheet: What To Know About the Child Care for Working Families Act: The Child Care for Working Families Act would establish a federal–state partnership to significantly reduce child care costs for families, ensuring that care is either free or capped at an affordable portion of household income. The legislation expands access to early childhood education, including universal preschool, while also providing sustained funding to strengthen the child care workforce and improve compensation to be on par with public school educators. It also enhances support for programs like Head Start and Early Head Start to increase access and quality. [Center for American Progress]
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Most States’ Tax Revenue Falls Below Long-Term Trends Amid Federal Uncertainties: Most states are collecting less tax revenue than their long-term historical patterns would predict, reflecting a broader slowdown in fiscal performance and pushing budgets into tighter territory. This decline constrains state capacity to deliver expanded public services, prepare for recession, or implement tax relief, especially as one-off pandemic-era aid fades and uncertainty at the federal level persists. Without renewed revenue, states may face difficult trade-offs in funding priorities. Sound budget planning now depends on rebuilding fiscal resilience and ensuring sustainability in the face of ongoing volatility. [The Pew Charitable Trusts]
