In The Know: Federal appeals court upholds controversial Oklahoma law on teaching race, gender | Oklahoma House committee recommends action against Rep. Danny Williams | Fact Sheet: SQ 847

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.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Fact Sheet: State Question 847 – Changing assessment caps for property tax   State Question 847 would lower Oklahoma’s assessment caps for property taxes beginning in 2027. These caps limit how much a property’s assessed value can increase each year for tax purposes; property taxes are calculated on this assessed value. SQ 847 would decrease the assessment cap for homestead and agricultural property in Oklahoma from 3 percent to 1.75 percent. The cap for other real property, including commercial property, would decrease from 5 percent to 4 percent. SQ 847 would not change the state’s current senior freeze program. For seniors with income above the current limit for the senior freeze program, it would add additional assessment cap tiers ranging from 0.35 percent to 1.75 percent, depending on income. [Aanahita Irani Ervin / OK Policy] 62%   Percentage of rural hospitals in Oklahoma that are at risk of closing due to financial challenges. A July 2026 report found 45 Oklahoma hospitals at risk of closing, with 18 hospitals (25%) at immediate risk of closing. [Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform] Why Rural Hospitals Are Facing a Funding Crisis — and How It Could Get Worse   With hospital financing largely tailored to urban contexts, a growing number of rural hospitals are closing their doors, leaving many rural residents without a place to go for care. Even the hospitals that manage to stay open are cutting critical services to make ends meet. Beyond creating barriers for patients, hospital closures worsen workforce shortages as physicians leave the community for employment. Other types of care facilities, like community health centers, are left to pick up the slack, but they can’t offer the same services as a hospital and may face their own financial challenges. And as demand for care rises in the area, so do prices at remaining hospitals. [The Commonwealth Fund] “It's been proven, over and over, that when a rural hospital closes, the population that it serves becomes sicker. Not only that, we then are losing a vital business in that community … so the domino effect is huge with all of this. It's not just about cutting payment to a physician.”   — Oklahoma State Medical Association President Dr. Julie Strebel, speaking about rural hospitals that could be at greater risk of closure if a decreased reimbursement rate for Medicare is stacked on top of other recent cuts to federal healthcare plans. [KOSU] Oklahoma News   HB 1775 ruling: ‘Teachers remain free to instruct about historical or popular issues’: Enforcement of a controversial Oklahoma law that bans the teaching of certain concepts about race and gender is back on the table following a Sept. 9 ruling from a federal appellate court, a rare legal decision that spawned celebratory statements from both sides of the lawsuit that is now headed back to the Western District of Oklahoma. [NonDoc] Federal appeals court upholds Oklahoma HB 1775 but narrows its meaning [Oklahoma Voice] Federal appeals court rules full House Bill 1775 enforcement can move forward while lawsuit continues [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU] Federal appeals court upholds controversial Oklahoma law on teaching race, gender [The Oklahoman] Appeals court dissolves injunction blocking law limiting race, gender discussions in common education [Tulsa World] State Government News   Details of Oklahoma lawmaker’s alleged misconduct, recommended action to be made public later: The House Rules Committee set a meeting date in two weeks to publicly discuss allegations of misconduct against an Oklahoma lawmaker for the first time since they came to light over a month ago. The committee deliberated behind closed doors for about eight hours on Tuesday and five on Thursday about investigations into Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole, who House leadership said has been accused of “improper behavior” by House staff. [Oklahoma Voice] Oklahoma House committee recommends action against Rep. Danny Williams [The Oklahoman] Lawmakers set open hearing after initial investigation of Seminole rep [Tulsa World] Lawsuit challenges Stitt’s authority to call for vote on constitutional convention: A former state lawmaker filed a lawsuit on Tuesday naming Gov. Kevin Stitt as a defendant and challenging the governor’s recent executive order for a vote to be held on a state question proposing a convention to potentially make changes to the Oklahoma Constitution. [Tulsa World]   Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Constitutional convention lawsuit, Stephanie Bice comments and more (podcast): The panelists talk about Gov. Kevin Stitt facing a lawsuit over his call for a vote on a constitutional convention, a bipartisan committee of lawmakers holding closed door meetings about State Rep. Danny Williams and leaked audio from Congresswoman Stephanie Bice expressing concerns about the actions of President Trump impacting midterm elections. The trio also discusses an investigation of Osage Nation Principal Chief Joe Tillman to determine if he should be removed from office and the State Regents for Higher Education approving shortened bachelor's degrees at three Oklahoma universities. [KOSU]   Federal Government News   Feds propose Medicare reimbursement cuts for same-day care. Oklahoma doctors say it will endanger patients: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing a significant rule change that would mean physicians receive half as much in reimbursement from Medicare for services provided on the same day as an office visit. [KOSU]   Trump to send $500 to Oklahoma ACA recipients who were overcharged: Nearly a million Americans will receive $500, including Oklahomans, from the federal government related to overcharges. [The Oklahoman]   Voting and Election News   Oklahoma Ethics Commission inches toward disclosure rules around AI political messaging: The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is inching closer to rules regulating the use of AI-generated political messaging. At a meeting on Thursday, they discussed the route they’ll likely take to get it done. [KOSU] Ethics Commission continues discussion of guardrails on AI’s use in political advertising [Tulsa World] Suit challenges Trump administration move to allow some ICE presence at polling places: Latino advocacy groups and voting rights organizations Thursday filed a suit in federal court challenging the Trump administration’s policy of allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to enter polling locations in certain circumstances to conduct immigration enforcement during the 2026 midterm elections. [Oklahoma Voice]    Education News   An Oklahoma Scholarship Program Has Oversight Gaps; Now It’s the Model for a Federal Program: Most public school leaders want nothing to do with vouchers. Some organizations are working hard to convince them to participate in a new federal tax credit program or risk being left behind. [Oklahoma Watch]   Twenty-five years later, teaching about the 9/11 attacks has changed for Tulsa-area educators: A piece of the World Trade Center’s North Tower will rest at the front of Betty Collins’ history class Friday. It’s how she starts the conversation with her eighth grade students. [Tulsa Flyer]   National ranking grades 3 Oklahoma colleges’ support for free speech: Oklahoma’s two largest universities received D grades for campus free speech in a national ranking. [Oklahoma Voice]    Justice System News   Cleveland County commissioners approve $20M settlement in 2022 jail death case: Cleveland County Commissioners approve a $20 million settlement in the case surrounding Shannon Hanchett's 2022 jail death. [KFOR] Norman commissioners approve $20 million settlement for in-custody death of Shannon Hanchett [OU Daily] Oklahoma judge admitted to citing fake ChatGPT cases in court order, investigators say: A Stephens County judge admitted to state investigators he cited at least two cases in a court order that do not exist—cases he says he found through ChatGPT. The incident goes back to November, when Stephens County District Judge Lawrence Wheeler was overseeing a child custody case. [KFOR]   11-year-old arrested, what the law says about juvenile cases: Juvenile cases are often kept under lock and key, and court hearings are usually not public. Meaning we may never fully have answers to the questions so many are asking after an 11-year-old was arrested for a 15-year-old sibling’s death. [KFOR] From OK Policy: Creating a minimum age of adjudication is common sense youth justice reform Ex-lawmaker says he was threatened with arrest at OKC theater: Calls to boycott a northeast Oklahoma City movie theater are increasing after a former state representative accused management of threatening him with arrest amid a dispute over double-booked seats. [The Oklahoman] Economy & Business News   GasBuddy: Record $6 diesel is 'unavoidable' amid Iran oil disruptions: It's now become "unavoidable" that diesel prices across the U.S. will reach an average of $6 a gallon for the first time in history, according to GasBuddy's head of petroleum analysis. [The Oklahoman]   Insurance company seeks relief after $40 million verdict in Tulsa federal court: Progressive Direct Insurance Co. is seeking relief from what it calls a “runaway” $40 million verdict issued by a jury last month in Tulsa federal court. [Tulsa World] Federal jury issues $40M judgement for Tulsa woman involved in lawsuit with Progressive [KFOR] Local Headlines Tulsa ports employment bouncing back as Inola, Catoosa anticipate new investments [Tulsa Flyer] New 'OKC' gateway signs planned for 2028 Olympics [The Oklahoman] 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.

In The Know: Local partnerships with ICE result in record number of immigration arrests in Oklahoma | Will new Oklahoma government help those on SoonerCare? | Voters need to see the whole movie, not just the final scene

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.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Policy Matters: Voters need to see the whole movie, not just the final scene   Three out of four Oklahoma voters didn’t vote in June’s primary. In the August runoff, four out of five stayed home. With so many not participating, blaming voters alone misses the point. Oklahomans should ask: What are we doing, or not doing, that leaves so many feeling disconnected from decisions that affect their lives? [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record] 22.2%   Percentage of registered voters in Oklahoma who cast ballots during the Aug. 25 statewide election, which included two state questions and primary runoffs. State Question 846 received the highest vote total with about 535,000 ballots cast, while there are more than 2.4 million registered voters in Oklahoma. [Oklahoma Election Board] 5 Quick Steps To Protect Your Right To Vote   As misinformation and confusion about election integrity continue to spread, citizens can work to strengthen American democracy by focusing on what matters most—that individuals are ready to vote. [Center for American Progress] "When four out of five voters stay home, Oklahomans are telling us something even without casting a ballot."   -OK Policy Executive Director Shiloh Kantz, writing about increasing voter turnout in Oklahoma. She argues that we should stop blaming nonvoters and instead improve civic education, remove barriers to participation, and help people understand the full story of their choices before asking them to make decisions on election day. [The Journal Record] Oklahoma News   Local partnerships with ICE result in record number of immigration arrests in Oklahoma: Oklahoma law enforcement agencies’ partnerships with federal immigration forces have resulted in the arrests of over 1,800 people, the majority of whom have no criminal history, records show. [Oklahoma Voice] From OK Policy: What's That? 287(g) Agreements State Government News   Jilted developer of Guardian System 2.0 files countersuit against Ethics Commission: Nine months after the Oklahoma Ethics Commission dissolved its contract with RFD & Associates for an upgrade to the state agency’s financial disclosure system for political candidates and committees, the software development company has filed counterclaims against the state. [NonDoc]   Community, scientist disputes Oklahoma water agency finding that dams not to blame: There is no link between the construction of two dams and declining water levels at a lake west of Oklahoma City, according to the findings of a report released by a state agency tasked with managing water. [Oklahoma Voice] Why are wells running dry at Cedar Lake? Residents, Oklahoma officials have different answers [KOSU] Trump-backed Oklahoma politician says U.S. 'wasn't built by immigrants': An Oklahoma politician who helped rally Black voters for President Trump says the “fake news media” is lying about systemic racism in America.  America is actually the land of systemic opportunity, T.W. Shannon told thousands of people gathered at the Republican midterm convention on Wednesday, Sept. 9. [The Oklahoman]   Long Story Short: University Hiring, Housing After Prison, and Educator Exam Data (podcast): Investigating whether a new decree from Gov. Kevin Stitt is chilling faculty recruitment at Oklahoma’s regional universities and examining the severe housing barriers facing a woman released after three decades in prison. Plus, breaking down troubling state test results for educator preparation programs that raise sharp questions about their overall efficiency. [Oklahoma Watch]   Federal Government News   Trump doesn’t have the power to limit mail-in voting, lawmakers tell US Supreme Court: The hotly contested U.S. Postal Service rule restricting mail-in voting usurps Congress’ authority, as well as states’ power to administer elections, more than 250 current and former members of Congress said in a filing to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. [Oklahoma Voice]   Trump administration aims to exclude many noncitizens from the census: The Trump administration wants to overhaul the U.S. census to exclude noncitizens who don’t have a green card from the country’s next population count in 2030, according to a Wednesday notice in the Federal Register.  [Oklahoma Voice]   Tribal Nations News   Osage Nation lawmakers approve investigation into new chief: Osage Nation lawmakers have authorized an investigation into the newly elected chief of their northern Oklahoma tribe, as tensions grow over the closure of a language immersion school and a purported budget crisis. [The Oklahoman]   Choctaw Nation celebrates the launch of new language app, Rosetta Stone partnership: A new Choctaw language app, created through Rosetta Stone's Endangered Language Program, is now available at no cost through the tribe’s online portal. [KOSU]   Education News   New report finds administrative reporting burdens for Oklahoma charter schools: A report released Wednesday by the Oklahoma Center for Education Policy at OU found administrative burdens and state policy inefficiencies hamper Oklahoma charter schools. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]   Oklahoma’s Only Public Liberal Arts College Is at War With Itself: A dispute over the future of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma has erupted into an unusually public confrontation between faculty and the university’s administration, with professors warning that proposed changes could fundamentally alter the state’s 118-year-old public liberal arts college. [Oklahoma Watch]   Education Watch: New Graduation Requirements Started with This Year’s Freshmen: This year’s 9th graders are the first class of high schoolers facing completely overhauled graduation requirements. Fine arts, world language and physical education are now encouraged, but not required. Students now must complete six credits in courses that align with their individual career interests, called pathway units. [Oklahoma Watch]   Appeals court dissolves injunction blocking law limiting race, gender discussions in common education: In a split ruling Wednesday, a federal appeals court dissolved a temporary injunction issued in 2024 that blocked implementation of portions of a 2021 state law designed to limit classroom discussions of subjects related to race and gender. [Tulsa World]   Health News   Editorial: Will new Oklahoma government help those on SoonerCare?: In January, Oklahoma will have a new governor, and new agency leaders at the Capitol will be administering the state's health care and food assistance support system. The two candidates for governor, Republican Mike Mazzei and Democrat Cyndi Munson, may well have very different ideas on how the new work requirements should be interpreted and administered. [The Oklahoman Editorial Board]   Justice System News   Dan Kirby federal case dismissed, felony homicide charge filed by Muscogee Nation: Nine months after their high-profile conviction was vacated on appeal, federal prosecutors have dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against former Oklahoma House Rep. Dan Kirby related to the 2022 death of his girlfriend. However, Kirby, whose girlfriend died when he ran his motorcycle off a rural road after a day of partying, now faces a charge in Muscogee Nation District Court for the same incident. [NonDoc]   In court, OK County sheriff draws a line over jail inmate transports: Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III has asked a judge to rule in his favor in the ongoing dispute between him the trust that runs the county jail over who has the obligation to transport inmates to court and back. [The Oklahoman]   Housing & Economic Opportunity News   This program helps put Tulsa teachers on the path to homeownership. It’s expanding: Green Country Habitat for Humanity’s Education Begins With Home program connects Tulsa-area teachers with cost assistance, accessible mortgage options, homebuyer education and financial counseling on their pathway to homeownership. [Tulsa Flyer]   Local Headlines Class size concerns take center stage at first Tulsa Public Schools community meeting [Tulsa World] TPS asks for public feedback for potential cuts in the wake of a $12 million budget shortfall [Public Radio Tulsa] Judge dismisses ORED Rock Creek Entertainment District lawsuit motions, rules in favor of city [OU Daily] 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.