In The Know: Oklahoma voters to decide on State Question 844 and its impact on local funding | Tax-free weekend starts Friday | Tax cuts are a workforce problem

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. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Policy Matters: Tax cuts are a workforce problem   If you ask Oklahoma business owners what makes it hardest to grow their businesses today, most won’t start by talking about taxes. They’ll talk about finding qualified workers, hiring and keeping staff, child care shortages that keep parents from working, the lack of affordable housing near jobs, and the challenge of recruiting professionals to communities that need stronger schools, health care, and other basic services. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record] Bringing the voices of your community to the Capitol   We’re hosting listening sessions in towns and cities across the state to provide an opportunity for the public to have conversations with our fellow Oklahomans about issues that matter most in their communities. By hearing directly from residents, we can better advocate for state policies that reflect your priorities.   Sessions are free and open to the public, and participants will be compensated for their time (in-person events only). [Learn More] Find a Session Near You Take Our Quick Online Survey Share this link with your friends and family in Oklahoma! 6   Oklahoma remains one of six states that don't have laws that prevent landlord retaliation for exercising their legal rights, including when living conditions are unsafe. [Nolo] Report: The States Where Corporate Landlords Own the Most Housing   The great majority of rental units are in multifamily apartment buildings; almost three in four in urban communities and nearly as many in suburban areas. New research from the Private Equity Shareholder Project, a nonprofit watchdog focused on private equity and the broader private funds industry, looks at the relationship between private equity ownership of apartments and affordability. [Governing] "I think this is a really interesting situation, to look at what some landlord law looks like in other states and what specifically tends to fall under the tenant remedies sections of the law, which is where Oklahoma’s law is particularly lacking."   — Katie Dilks, Oklahoma Access to Justice’s executive director and a Tulsa-based attorney, said after apartment complex manager Vesta Realty's recent collapse left hundreds of tenants caught between two competing bankruptcy proceedings. Dilkes said the chaos exposes how little protection Oklahoma law actually offers tenants when things go wrong. [Oklahoma Watch] Oklahoma News   Oklahoma voters to decide on State Question 844 and its impact on local funding: State Question 844, on the Aug. 25 ballot, would give Oklahoma lawmakers authority to change how the state reimburses local governments for property tax breaks given to manufacturers, with supporters and opponents debating its potential effects. [KOCO] From OK Policy: Fact Sheet for SQ 844: Amending Certain Tax Revenue Reimbursements | SQ 844 Explainer Video Vesta Realty’s Collapse Has Left Tenants Unsure Who Gets the Rent — and Scared of What Comes Next: It is the start of the month, and rent is due. Most tenants in Oklahoma know who to pay, but tenants at apartments managed by, or formerly managed by, Vesta Realty aren’t so sure. That confusion stems from ongoing legal battles between Vesta Realty and YSA Investments 1. [Oklahoma Watch]   Some data centers are building their own power plants. In Oklahoma, most want to plug into the grid: Oklahoma passed a law last year allowing energy-hungry facilities to build their own power. But as data center announcements sprout up across Oklahoma, most include plans to work with local utilities. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]   State Government News   Gov. Stitt appoints Oklahoma State Superintendent Lindel Fields to cabinet: Gov. Kevin Stitt is giving Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction double duty. He appointed Lindel Fields to his cabinet as Education Secretary Wednesday. [KOSU] Gov. Stitt appoints Superintendent Lindel Fields as education secretary [The Oklahoman] Stitt selects Lindel Fields to serve as Cabinet secretary [Oklahoma Voice] Stitt names Lindel Fields education secretary while retaining superintendent role [The Journal Record] Governors and lawmakers say they’re getting serious about states’ rights: Bipartisan groups of governors and state lawmakers held major gatherings in recent days where issues of state authority became a major focus. They agreed the federal government had grown too powerful and pushed for states to maintain control over elections, energy, education and other issues. [Oklahoma Voice]   Cedar Lake Disputes, County Bail Disparities and Funding Native Success (podcast): Paul Monies shares how Cedar Lake residents are pointing blame at a wealthy, politically connected neighbor over severe local water problems, while Maya Henry examines the stark differences in bail schedules across 25 Oklahoma counties. [Oklahoma Watch]   Federal Government News   Oklahoma would lose over $101M in state transportation funding under US Senate stopgap bill: The stopgap spending bill supported by an overwhelming majority of U.S. senators does not address tens of billions in expiring transportation funding, leaving states facing a massive effective budget cut starting Oct. 1. [Oklahoma Voice]   Drummond urges Congress to expand Medicaid fraud authority: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is urging Congress to pass legislation that would give states additional authority to investigate and prosecute Medicaid recipient fraud. [The Journal Record] From OK Policy: Error rates in programs like Medicaid (SoonerCare) typically arise because of administrative or documentation errors, not fraud.  DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin reportedly target of internal MAGA uproar over comments: President Donald Trump called Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin a “MAGA warrior.” However, some of the president’s advisors, along with MAGA supporters, are sharply criticizing Mullin after comments he made during a National Governors Association meeting with Gov. Kevin Stitt. [KFOR]   AG nominee tells faith leaders he will take action to restrict abortion drug access: Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche is one step closer to confirmation after the Republican Judiciary Committee voted to advance his appointment on a party-line vote on Tuesday, and based on promises he made to faith leaders around the country last week, that means national anti-abortion actions may be one step closer as well. [Oklahoma Voice]   Trump urges US Senate to pass bill making daylight saving time permanent: A bipartisan bill passed the House in July but faces hurdles in the Senate, where members from both parties have pushed back against ending the semiannual clock changes. [Oklahoma Voice]   Tribal Nations News   Osage Nation financial emergency: Daposka Ahnkodapi school, visitor center, Harvest Land to close: Osage Nation Principal Chief Joe Tillman declared a state of emergency Tuesday “due to projected revenue shortfalls and ongoing budgetary constraints,” according to a press release. [NonDoc] Tillman declares State of Emergency over Executive Branch budget [Osage News] Osage Nation closes language immersion school amid financial state of emergency [KOSU] Osage Nation closes immersion school [Tulsa World] OSU-Osage agreement not impacted [Tulsa World] Senate Panel Puts Tribal Gaming and Prediction Markets Under the Microscope: Tribal leaders urged Congress to curb the expansion of online prediction markets, warning during a Senate Indian Affairs Committee roundtable that sports-related event contracts threaten tribal sovereignty, undermine the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and divert critical gaming revenue that funds essential government services in Tribal communities. [Native News Online] From OK Policy: Closing these loopholes and maintaining Tribal exclusivity in online gaming matters for Oklahoma’s economy. This Oklahoma tribe is revisiting its Iowa roots on a tour of ancestral sites: The 17-member group of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe left the tribal reservation in Red Rock, Oklahoma, on July 29 on a journey through Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, retracing their tribe's removal path and entering their historic homeland between the Great Lakes and the Missouri River. [Iowa Public Radio via KOSU]   Voting and Election News   HD 47 runoff: Kevan Gentry, Toby Thompson tout conservative credentials, business acumen: Situated on the western edge of the ever-expanding Oklahoma City metro, House District 47 is among the fastest-growing areas in the state, with housing additions that rise from the red dirt at breakneck pace. But that growth comes with complications. [NonDoc]   Education News   Oklahoma cell phone ban raises bigger questions about tech in schools: Oklahoma’s classroom cell phone ban has reduced distractions, improved student engagement and decreased behavioral issues across the state. But one year later, as students prepare to go back to school, many educators and lawmakers say a broader conversation is just beginning. [The Oklahoman]   What's the best elementary school in Oklahoma? See latest ranking: Niche's annual best elementary schools list includes all five of Oklahoma's top elementary schools among the nation's best in a recent study. [The Oklahoman]   Proposed Oklahoma Jewish charter school makes case to be first publicly funded religious school: A proposed Jewish charter school is looking to the courts to pave the path forward for what would be the nation’s first publicly funded religious school. Wednesday marked the first court hearing in a likely lengthy legal battle ahead. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU] Legal battle over Jewish charter school begins in Oklahoma City federal court [Oklahoma Voice] Religious charter school tries pushing for public dollars in Oklahoma [KFOR] Health News   Measles cases surge across the country. Is Oklahoma affected?: In Oklahoma, only one case of measles was reported in 2026. The case was reported in Norman during the week of January 26. There has been no reported exposure recently. Southern neighbor Texas has reported 190 cases in 2026, and both Utah and South Carolina have reported over 500. [The Oklahoman]   Justice System News   Citizens board pushes for county sales tax election to fund new Oklahoma County jail: Oklahoma County commissioners have another county sales tax proposal for funding the completion and operation of a new jail: a tax of four-tenths of 1 cent that could last from 25-30 years. [The Oklahoman]   National search or nah? Councilors clamor for culture change with next Tulsa police chief.: With Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen announcing his retirement to the surprise of many city leaders two weeks ago, councilors are weighing in on how Mayor Monroe Nichols should choose Tulsa’s next top cop. [Tulsa Flyer]   Housing & Economic Opportunity News   Oklahoma lawmakers to study rising homeowners’ insurance costs: State Reps. Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan, and Chris Sneed, R-Fort Gibson, will lead an interim study examining the factors contributing to rising homeowners’ insurance costs in Oklahoma. The study will focus on why Oklahoma consistently ranks among states with some of the highest homeowners’ insurance premiums. [The Journal Record] From OK Policy: While property taxes are drawing most of the attention at the Capitol this year, the real cost surge — homeowners’ insurance — remains largely overlooked. Economy & Business News   Oklahoma's annual tax-free weekend kicks off Friday: Oklahoma's tax-free weekend runs Friday through Sunday for things like shoes, shirts and pants, but most school supplies are not included. It's a mixed bag for many local retailers and cities such as Tulsa and surrounding suburbs, which rely on sales taxes to pay police officers, firefighters and public works employees fixing city streets. [Tulsa World] Oklahoma’s annual sales tax holiday looms [Oklahoma Voice] 600,000 Black Women Pushed Out of the Workforce: New IWPR report examines why: Although the latest U.S. labor report shows Black women’s unemployment rate fell from 7.07% to 5.73% on paper, many highly educated Black women have been pushed out and are still struggling to find jobs. A new IWPR report shows how discrimination, anti-DEI policies and federal job cuts are shutting highly educated Black women out of economic opportunity. [The Black Wall Street Times]   Community News   Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame sets reopening date after nearly 2 years of renovations: The $2.4 million renovation focused on redesigning the concert hall and museum exhibits, as well as modernizing the hall’s image with new branding. [KOSU]   Local Headlines Oklahoma cities clamp down on water use as summer heat drains towers [Fox 25] CASA of Oklahoma County is urgently seeking volunteers as foster care waitlist grows [Fox 25] Moore council weighs investigation into city animal shelter [The Oklahoman] Tulsa Mayor’s youth office targets transportation, housing and more in pilot programs launching this fall [Tulsa Flyer] The boulders are back, but not where you expect [Tulsa World] Tulsa TV news station KJRH cuts staff as Scripps shifts focus to streaming [The Oklahoman] Blue Whale Comedy Festival returns to Tulsa with national headliners [News on 6] 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.