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“SPI offers a holistic experience to become more than just a participant, but a changemaker. I’ve been able to use the knowledge and connections I’ve built at SPI to deepen my understanding of Oklahoma, it’s people, and what it takes to make a difference!" —Past Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute participant Applications for OK Policy's Summer Policy Institute are now open! The application deadline for OK Policy's Summer Policy Institute is less than a month away. SPI brings together highly-qualified college students, recent graduates, and new policy professionals for a three-day learning experience that informs participants about Oklahoma’s policy landscape and provides tools and resources to create change in our state.   The OK Policy team leads SPI, hosting policy experts from government, academia, and community organizations throughout Oklahoma. Participants have a chance to network with fellow participants, policy leaders, OK Policy staff, and SPI alumni. Click here to learn more about the Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute. Apply Today Know someone who might be interested in the Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute? Please forward this email and encourage them to apply! When & Where   SPI is a three-day program held July 8-10 at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.  Who can apply?   SPI is open to: Current undergraduate or graduate students with at least 24 hours of college credit who attend an Oklahoma college/university or have graduated from an Oklahoma high school, Recent college graduates who completed their degree programs within the last year, and Professionals who have started their careers in policy-related fields with Oklahoma-based organizations in the last year. Please email Oscar Guillén Arauz at oguillenarauz@okpolicy.org for any questions regarding eligibility. Apply Today Participants are selected through a competitive application process that identifies applicants with strong academic training, diverse experiences, and a clear interest in public policy. Particular emphasis is given on selecting a class of participants from a broad range of educational institutions, fields of study, and geographic and cultural backgrounds.   The application deadline is Sunday, May 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM.   Program tuition is $400. Full and partial financial assistance will be available to all applicants who need a scholarship to attend. No one will be denied a spot at SPI due to inability to pay. “I never imagined I would learn as much as I did. I formed relationships with so many students and professionals across the state. The information was comprehensive, and the guest speakers were amazing.” —Past Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute participant Want to support SPI? Donate to Oklahoma Policy Institute today.   Your support makes this program possible. We remain committed to advocating for a better future for all of us - but we can't do it without you. Will you consider making a donation to support our work?   Interested in being a sponsor for SPI? Contact mpooch@okpolicy.org for sponsorship information.  Support us with a Donation Contact Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S. Detroit Ave #1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 United States  918-794-3944 | info@okpolicy.org   Connect with us:   If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

In The Know: Parents navigate Oklahoma's child care crisis | State Democratic leader resigned over AI kissing video | Oklahoma SNAP enrollment dropped 10% following federal megabill

In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry.

MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) 71%    Among uninsured adults who were working, 71% were not offered or were not eligible for health insurance coverage from their employer in 2024. [KFF] Key Facts about the Uninsured Population   The high cost of private insurance and limited availability of public coverage for some individuals with low income—particularly in states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—continued to leave millions of people without health coverage in 2024. The number of people who are uninsured is expected to continue to increase in coming years because of changes to Medicaid and the ACA Marketplace included in the 2025 reconciliation law, the expiration of the Marketplace enhanced premium tax credits, and other administrative actions. [KFF] "Oklahomans made a promise when they created TSET and expanded Medicaid: They affirmed health would be a priority, not an afterthought. We cannot afford to break that promise. Protect TSET. Defend Medicaid. And hold our leaders accountable to the will of the people — and the health of our state."   — Dalton Delaney, an Internal Medicine and Pediatrics resident physician and lifelong Oklahoman, writing about lawmakers decisions that could reverse major state health initiatives. [The Oklahoman] Apply Now for the 2026 Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute   OK Policy’s Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute (SPI) brings together highly-qualified college students, recent graduates, and new policy professionals for a three-day learning experience that informs participants about Oklahoma’s policy landscape and provides tools and resources to create change in our state. Apply by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, May 10, 2026. Learn More & Apply Know someone who would be a good fit for SPI? Please send them the link above. Oklahoma News   The Last Day at Kids of Faith: Parents Navigating a Child Care Crisis: Inside one of the hundreds of day care centers that have recently closed in one state, forcing parents to make difficult decisions about their careers. [The New York Times]   Expert: Power-Hungry Inola Smelter With Unclear Plans Will Enable Isolationism: Inola, about 30 miles east of Tulsa, has celebrated its wealth of silage with a Hay Days Festival since the 1960s. But the area’s future, agricultural and otherwise, is in question as the largest aluminum smelter in the country could be built in the Port of Inola. As to the effects, no one knows for sure or seems willing to say. [Oklahoma Watch]   State Government News   After sending woman AI kissing video, Rep. John Waldron resigned as Democratic Party chairman: Rep. John Waldron confirmed Thursday that he resigned as chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party in December two months after meeting with a potential candidate for office and then using an AI tool to animate their photos into a fictional depiction of him making out with the young woman. Waldron’s revelation comes after months of rumor, at least two tense meetings of the House Democratic Caucus and a temporary caucus suspension that is set to end Monday. [NonDoc] Oklahoma Democratic leader resigned over AI kissing video, report says [The Oklahoman] Waldron confirms party chair resignation linked to AI scandal [Tulsa World] Former Oklahoma Democratic Party chair confirms resignation came after AI kissing video [KOSU] Restrictions on in-state tuition and welfare benefits among Oklahoma immigration bills moving forward: Dozens of bills targeting illegal immigration did not advance this legislative session, but a few proposals have survived. [The Frontier] From OK Policy: Oklahoma lawmakers once again push for more harmful anti-immigrant bills Oklahoma attorney general looks to tighten charity fraud laws: A request by the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office to tighten state laws on charitable contributions this legislative session is not a hint of more fraudulent activity in that sector, officials say. [Tulsa World]   Legislative Roundup Oklahoma lawmakers push to extend school year [KFOR] Oklahoma Senate moves forward with state question on judicial reform [KOSU] Oklahoma lawmakers add data center restrictions to groundwater metering measure [KOSU] Advocates push HB 4227 to end statute of limitations, NDAs for child sexual abuse [NonDoc] Unlikely Oklahoma Senate alliance blocks GOP-backed August state question (video) [The Oklahoman] The rest of the (budget) story [Monday Minute / NonDoc] Political Notebook: Corrections Department launches 'Deaths in Custody' page [Tulsa World] Letter to the Editor, Gov. Stitt: Here's the truth about Invest in Oklahoma: The April 10 reprint of an Oklahoma Watch article titled “Gov. Stitt vote steered $2 billion advisory role to former business partner's firm” fails to represent the facts, so here they are. [Gov. Kevin Stitt / The Oklahoman] Archive: Oklahoma Governor’s Vote Steered $2 Billion Advisory Role to Former Business Partner’s Firm [Oklahoma Watch] Opinion: Oklahomans, let's hold leaders accountable on TSET, Medicaid: If TSET is diverted and Medicaid is weakened, Oklahoma risks undoing decades of progress. Fewer people will receive preventive care. More families will delay treatment until it becomes an emergency. Costs will rise, outcomes will worsen, and the burden will fall hardest on children, families, people with disabilities, and older adults. This isn’t just about policy — it’s about people. [Dalton Delaney / The Oklahoman]   Federal Government News   Gas prices soar by 21% as government inflation figures reflect Trump’s war on Iran: Spikes in energy prices caused by the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran drove up inflation for Americans in March, according to the latest consumer price index figures released Friday. Prices for all items together, including food, energy, shelter and other commodities like vehicles, rose by 3.3% from a year ago. That’s the highest annual jump since May 2024, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics historical data. [Oklahoma Voice]   2.5 million Americans lost food aid in months after passage of GOP megabill, study finds: At least 2.5 million low-income people quickly lost help affording groceries under a Republican-passed law that added new requirements for the nation’s largest nutrition program and shifted hundreds of millions of dollars in costs from the federal government to states, according to a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Enrollment in Oklahoma’s SNAP program dropped about 10%, the analysis found. [Oklahoma Voice] From OK Policy: H.R. 1 reduces federal resources that help fund Medicaid, SNAP, public education, and other core services in Oklahoma How Trump’s SAVE America Act could make it harder for married women to vote: Millions of women could face new challenges to voting under President Donald Trump’s SAVE America Act, which would require voters to prove their citizenship before casting a ballot. [Oklahoma Voice]   Immigrants who sought asylum during border surge under increasing pressure: The millions of migrants who were released into the country during the immigration surge that began in 2021 and peaked in 2023 caused a political firestorm when Republican states transported them to Democratic cities. Now, according to a new analysis, many of them are back working in the states that expelled them. [Oklahoma Voice]   CDC’s 2025 data shows birth rates continuing to slide: New data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows fertility and birth rates continue to fall across the U.S., while cesarean section procedures increased and preterm birth rates remained flat. [Oklahoma Voice]   D.C. Digest: Mullin under the microscope as Homeland Security tenure begins: Former U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin's first few weeks on the job have been closely scrutinized by all sides. Critics of the Trump administration's immigration policies said first impressions of Secretary Markwayne Mullin's early days running the Department of Homeland Security are not good. [Tulsa World]   Tribal Nations News   Inter-Tribal Council passes resolution supporting Medicaid expansion: The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes passed a resolution at its quarterly meeting April 10 at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, expressing support for protecting Medicaid expansion and tribal health care systems in Oklahoma. [The Journal Record]   Application window now open for Summer EBT administered by tribes: With the school year ending as early as May 1 for some Tulsa-area students, applications are now available for a federal program targeting summer food insecurity among children. [Tulsa World]   Voting and Election News   Most State Legislative Races Are Contested: For the first time since 2018, most Oklahoma voters will see at least one state legislative race on the November ballot. [Oklahoma Watch] Record number of candidates file for Oklahoma elections, state election board says [KGOU] Capitol Insider: Prepping for the 2026 Oklahoma elections [KGOU] Ethics Commission reprimands Rep. Justin Humphrey for fundraising ask in Capitol video: The Oklahoma Ethics Commission publicly reprimanded Rep. Justin “JJ” Humphrey today for posting a video on State Capitol grounds in which he requested donations for his lieutenant governor campaign. [NonDoc] Oklahoma Rep. Humphrey reprimanded by ethics panel over campaign video [The Oklahoman] Lawmaker’s effort to lower Ethics Commission campaign reporting threshold continues: If Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, has his way, the language of a dead House bill may be reanimated inside an Oklahoma Ethics Commission rule change soon, lowering the campaign contribution threshold governing when all candidates, whether at the state or local level, must begin reporting funds raised and expended to the commission. [The Journal Record]   Thousands of Oklahomans switched party affiliation ahead of primary elections: Over 13,000 Oklahomans have changed their party affiliation this year ahead of the closed June primary elections, according to a state report. [Oklahoma Voice]   Opinion: The Quiet Erosion of the Vote and the Urgent Work to Rebuild It: As Congress once again debates federal legislation that could reshape how Americans register to vote, the future of access to the ballot is no longer theoretical—it is being decided in real time. And yet, like so many turning points in American democracy, this one is not arriving with spectacle but a quiet erosion. [James S. Bridgeforth / The Black Wall Street Times]   Education News   Pauls Valley principal healing after shooting: 'I am forever grateful': Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore is sharing words of gratitude while he recovers from a gunshot wound sustained during an incident at the school. [The Oklahoman]   5 things to know about Parental Choice Tax Credit in Oklahoma: The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Thursday passed House Bill 3705 to increase the cap on the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit to $275 million. [Tulsa World] From OK Policy: Vouchers: Another Wrong Turn for Oklahoma Schools Criminal Justice News   Oklahoma County 'found' $14 million, but jail budget still tight: Oklahoma County officials "found" $14 million with the discovery of a bookkeeping error, but it won't immediately help county finances or the financially feeble county jail, officials said. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma County sheriff to stop jail detainee transport [The Oklahoman] Tulsa County DA clears officer involved in Michael Glunt shooting as new details emerge: The Tulsa police officer who shot and killed Michael Glunt Feb. 8 has been cleared of any wrongdoing following a district attorney’s investigation. [The Oklahoma Eagle] District attorney clears Tulsa officer in fatal shooting near 51st and Sheridan [Tulsa World] Economy & Business News   CompSource Conversion Plan Dealt Blow With Restraining Order: In August of last year, CompSource Mutual — formerly Oklahoma’s insurer of last resort for workers comp insurance — launched an effort to convert into a larger stock company that sells many forms of insurance across the country. Since then, a protracted legal battle has erupted of baffling complexity, legal obfuscations and embarrassing corporate flubs. The battle, at heart, is over CompSource’s surplus assets. A billion dollars. Or more, depending on which court filing you consult. [Oklahoma Watch]   Study: State's workforce engaged, but retention an issue: A new study shows Oklahoma’s workforce is engaged, supported by strong organizational cultures and employee attraction. But retention is a challenge due to burnout, lack of career advancement opportunities and misalignment of workforce skills with employer needs, its author said. [Tulsa World]   Community News   Hidden in fine print, discriminatory language from a century ago still exists in some Tulsa property records: Some state lawmakers want to make it easier to scrub this language from property records. A law went into effect in November to help homeowners do so, but some counties have argued they don’t have the authority to change the records. [Tulsa Flyer]   Local Headlines Who is Paul Foster, Oklahoma County's new commissioner? [The Oklahoman] Local businessman's departure from Tulsa city board creates a stir — and second thoughts [Tulsa World] Support Our Work with a Donation In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. Contact Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S. Detroit Ave #1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 United States  918-794-3944 | info@okpolicy.org okpolicy.org    Connect with us:   If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive emails from us, please unsubscribe.