OKPOLICY.ORG
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
Statement: All children have the fundamental right to an education: During Wednesday morning’s State Board of Education meeting, the state superintendent announced that the Oklahoma Department of Education would be issuing guidance to school districts to identify costs and resources associated with educating undocumented immigrant children. OK Policy wants to ensure that Oklahomans understand the historical context — see Plyler v Doe (1982) — about the right of every child in this country to receive a free, public education. [OK Policy]
Opinion: Stop using our children as political pawns: Oklahomans should be ashamed that some of our elected officials are using our children as pawns in their political games. It’s time that we say enough is enough. [Shiloh Kantz / Tulsa World]
Undocumented immigrants contribute $227M in Oklahoma taxes a year: Immigration policies have taken center stage in public debates this year, but much of the conversation has been driven by emotion, not data. A new in-depth national study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy aims to help change that by quantifying how much undocumented immigrants pay in taxes – both nationally and in each state. Here in Oklahoma, undocumented immigrants contributed $227.5 million in state and local taxes in 2022. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy & OK Policy]
The 2024 Legislative session’s Tribal-state bills show that more can be done for Tribal-state policy collaboration (Legislative Wrap-Up): Oklahoma lawmakers began this year’s legislative session as Oklahoma’s governor continued to create division with Tribes with ongoing political rhetoric and an unwillingness to respect sovereign-to-sovereign policymaking. Lawmakers from both the Senate and House considered dozens of bills directly affecting Native Oklahomans and Tribal governments on education, public health, housing, and public safety, among other topics. Oklahoma is stronger when the state collaborates and includes the Tribes to advance our overall prosperity and well-being as Oklahomans. [Vivian Morris / OK Policy]
Policy Matters: Let’s build upon justice system reforms, not roll them back: Our criminal justice system should foster a society where laws are upheld, rights are protected, and individuals are given opportunities for reformation and reintegration into the community. When this system falls short, laws are selectively enforced, communities are unfairly targeted, and folks who encounter the justice system are far more likely to become ensnared in generational trauma. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
More than 100 interim studies slated for Oklahoma House in 2024 (Capitol Update): Last week, Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall approved and assigned to committees more than 100 interim study requests by House members to be held before the next legislative session. Once again, the requests reflect the breadth of interests and issues addressed – or sometimes not addressed – by members of the legislature. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
OK Policy in the News
- Disparity in Oklahoma minimum wage rates prompts calls for statewide increase [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma undocumented immigrants paid $227.5 million in taxes, report finds [Oklahoma Voice]
- Study shows undocumented immigrants pay $227.5 million of state, local taxes [KOSU]
Weekly What’s That
Open Meetings Act
Oklahoma’s Open Meetings Act (25 O.S. Sections 301-314) requires all public bodies to file advance notice of regularly scheduled and special meetings with the Secretary of State, as well as advance notice of changes in date, time, or location of regularly scheduled meetings.
Under the Act, agendas for regular and special meetings must be posted in a publicly-accessible location for at least 24 hours prior to its meeting, and agendas must identify all items of business of the meeting.
”Public body” means all boards, bureaus, commissions, agencies, trusteeships, authorities, councils, committees, public trusts, task forces or study groups supported in whole or in part by public funds or entrusted with the expending of public funds, or administering public property, and includes all committees or subcommittees of any public body. Any gathering of a majority of members of a public body is subject to the Open Meetings Act. However, the Legislature is exempted from the provisions of the Open Meetings Act and may establish its own rules of conduct with regards to meetings. Several other bodies are also exempt from the Act, including the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, the judiciary and Council on Judicial Complaints and agency administrative staffs.
Look up more key terms to understand Oklahoma politics and government here.
Quote of the Week
“As our state leaders continue discussions about policies that impact immigrants, we must start by recognizing how deeply immigrants are interconnected in our communities broadly. For decades, undocumented immigrants have made Oklahoma their home, raised families, paid taxes, worked essential jobs, cared for our loved ones, and made our communities stronger.”
-Gabriela Ramirez-Perez, Immigration Policy Analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute, speaking about a new report demonstrating that undocumented immigrants pay state and local taxes. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy & OK Policy]
Op-Ed of the Week
Opinion: Remember the board members enabling State Superintendent Ryan Walters
State Superintendent Ryan Walters sucks the air out of the state, but he does so with helpers. Don’t forget there are Oklahomans serving on state education boards willingly breaking the law with him.
One of the first things elected school board members learn in training from the Oklahoma State School Boards Association is that they can be held personally liable for their actions related to board activity. The title of “board member” doesn’t protect them from illegal behavior.
It’s time state education board members are held accountable, too.
On Wednesday, Walters and his rubberstamping board refused to allow a group of lawmakers to sit on an executive session — a right written in state laws the Attorney General’s Office explained in an email to the education officials. This was on top of the board not following its posted agenda.
The lawmakers, who represented both parties, wanted to observe discussions around the revoking of teacher certifications — a threat Walters has made against teachers voicing differing political opinions.
Oklahoma law states that “any willful violation” of the open meeting act is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 and/or one year in the county jail. Also, any business done in an illegally held meeting is void. Walters and board members were told by the state’s top attorney to let them in, and they didn’t. That seems pretty willful.
This is on top of the long list of records requests from the public the education department has not filled. Maybe if more prosecutors would punish public officials who purposely violate the state’s Open Meeting and Records Act, then elected leaders would prioritize transparency.
Also, board members didn’t push back as Walters told school districts to violate a federal law by reporting on undocumented students. A 1982 U.S. Supreme Court law guaranteed a right to public education for all students, including those whose parents brought them into the country illegally.
The Oklahoma School Board members are Donald Burdick, Sarah Lepak, Katie Quebedeaux, Zachary Archer and Kendra Wesson.
Walters is also a board member of the Statewide Charter School Board, which voted on Tuesday to defy an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision that protects the religious freedom of all Oklahomans. The court found the board could not sponsor the St. Isidore Catholic Virtual School as a public charter because it is a religious school. It upheld the principle of separating church and state.
Rather than comply, the board thumbed their noses to say “no.” That’s outrageous. Then the board voted to use taxpayer funds to hire Oklahoma City attorney Cheryl Plaxico and Virginia-based Alliance Defending Freedom to litigate the St. Isidore case and hired attorney Dan Carsey for other legal services. Board members did all this against the legal advice of Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Rightfully, Drummond is seeking an injunction against the board members for violating the court order that carry up to 6 months in jail and a $500 fine.
Just because you don’t like a court decision doesn’t mean you can ignore it. There are plenty of laws I think are wrong and even dumb, but I’m not going to violate them. Our democratic processes allow for ways to change our laws.
The nine board members include Walters, Brian Shellem, Angie Thomas, Kathleen White, Damon Gardenhire, Becky Gooch, Jared Buswell, Ben Lepak and Kitty Campbell.
Oklahomans either believe in the rule of law, or not. Oklahomans sitting on state education boards are acting as zealots, not good public stewards. If they are going to break the law, then they need to face the consequences. We cannot let our communities slip into lawlessness.
Numbers of the Day
- $12.41 – Starting July 1, all state employees in Oklahoma must make at least $12.41 an hour, or an annual salary of $25,820. The increase was mandated because of a 2009 law that requires state employees to have “an annual salary equal to the amount established in the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a three‐person household.” The minimum wage for most other Oklahoma workers is $7.25 per hour. [Oklahoma Voice]
- $227 million – In Oklahoma, about 89,000 undocumented immigrants paid more than $227 million in state and local taxes during 2022. Of those tax contributions, $122 million (53.9 percent) were through sales and excise taxes, while $49 million (21.6 percent) were through property taxes, and $51 million (22.5 percent) were through personal or business income taxes. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
- 8.9% – The effective tax rate of undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma, compared to the wealthiest 1% of Oklahomans who have an effective tax rate of 6.4%. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
- 16% – In 2022, 650,000 Oklahoma residents, or 1 in 6 of the state’s population, participated in the SNAP food security program that provides assistance to low-income individuals and families. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
- 22 – Number of state laws that enact mandatory paid family leave systems or voluntary systems that provide paid family leave through private insurance. Oklahoma is not among these states. [Bipartisan Policy Center]
What We’re Reading
-
Reviewing How the Affordable Care Act Improved the Health Coverage Landscape: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) gave millions of newly eligible people access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance. Undoing the ACA’s coverage expansions or undermining its consumer protections — let alone repealing the law — threatens to bring back serious challenges people used to face in accessing coverage. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
- Tax Payments by Undocumented Immigrants: A new in-depth national study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy aims to help change that by quantifying how much undocumented immigrants pay in taxes – both nationally and in each state. Nationally, undocumented immigrants contributed $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022. Of this, $37.3 billion went to state and local governments. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy]
- How We Keep Failing Foster Kids: They need meaningful, continuing relationships to carry them into adulthood. But the child welfare system isn’t set up to provide that. [Governing]
- SNAP Helps Millions of Workers in Low-Paying Jobs: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) provides millions of workers with income to help feed their families. Roughly 15.7 million workers, or about 10 percent of all workers, are in households where someone participated in SNAP in the last year, CBPP analysis of data from the 2022 American Community Survey finds. In several occupations — including home health and personal care aides, school bus monitors, agricultural graders and sorters, and maids and housekeeping cleaners — more than 1 in 5 workers participate in SNAP.[Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
- What workers, especially low-wage workers, really want and how best to provide it: The United States continues to lag behind other industrialized democracies when it comes to a national paid leave law protecting workers. The U.S.’ lack of paid leave policies—family, medical, and sick leave—has a disproportionately harsh impact on low-wage workers, who are predominantly women, immigrants, and people of color. These workers are far less likely to receive paid time off or have flexibility in controlling their work schedules, even though their need for leave is every bit as acute. [Economic Policy Institute]
