In The Know: Oklahoma Medicaid agency director resigns after 9 months | That SNAP disaster we warned about? It's here | Senate Public Safety Committee gets new leadership

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, JULY 16, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Senate Public Safety Committee gets new leadership (Capitol Update)   The first Senate chairmanship change for the upcoming legislative session occurred last week when Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, named Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee. Sen. Spencer Kern, R-Duncan, was named the new vice chair. But the change in chairmanship did not occur directly as the result of this year’s elections. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update] OK Policy & Together OK are bringing the voices of your community to the Capitol.   This summer, 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 Listening Session Near You Take Our Quick Online Survey -15.6%   The percentage decline in the number of Oklahomans receiving SNAP benefits between July 2025 and March 2026, a drop of more than 107,000 participants. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities] One year later: How H.R. 1's SNAP policy changes are reverberating across the food system   In July 2025, the passage of H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” set in motion the most consequential changes to the federal food safety net since its inception.1,2 For the more than 37 million Americans who count on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to meet their basic food needs, the law’s implications are wide-ranging, from restrictions on eligibility to cuts to monthly benefits.3 H.R. 1 also carries downstream effects beyond SNAP. It has consequences for participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), federal school meals, Medicaid, and the emergency food system – and raises pointed questions about the administration’s parallel agendas to both reduce federal spending and improve Americans’ diets and health. This brief brings together available information on H.R. 1’s scope, its ripple effects, and the communities most at risk of losing funding and food access as its provisions continue to unfold. [The Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Global Food Institute at the George Washington University] "Helping poor, hungry people should not be a partisan issue. The Republican leaders in our state campaigned for their offices with assurances they would represent our best interests. It's time for them to speak up on behalf of those in need."   — The Oklahoman Editorial Board on the ongoing SNAP crisis affecting Oklahoma and the nation, driven in part by changes under H.R. 1, known to supporters as the One Big Beautiful Bill. The crisis is likely to worsen as Oklahoma works to reduce SNAP error rates, which are typically the result of administrative mistakes rather than fraud. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma News   State CFO tapped to run Oklahoma Health Care Authority: Oklahoma’s CFO will lead the state’s Health Care Authority after the current director said he would be stepping down after less than a year in the role. Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday announced he had appointed Aaron Morris, the chief financial officer for the state of Oklahoma, to be the interim director of the agency, which administers the state’s Medicaid program. Morris will serve in the role for the remainder of Stitt’s term as governor. [Oklahoma Voice] Oklahoma Medicaid agency director resigns after 9 months [The Oklahoman] Gov. Kevin Stitt appoints Oklahoma CFO to head state Medicaid agency [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU] Audit: Prior Washington town clerk misspent $1 million: A forensic audit released Wednesday found that the former clerk and treasurer of Washington misappropriated or improperly spent more than $1 million between 2020 and 2024, roughly one-third of the small McClain County town’s total expenditures during that period. [NonDoc] Audit finds former Oklahoma clerk spent thousands on personal debt, puppy [The Oklahoman] Audit: One-third of Oklahoma town's expenditures fraudulent or unauthorized [KOSU] Editorial: That SNAP disaster we warned about? It's here: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is reporting that 97,000 fewer Oklahomans are enrolled in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Based on February numbers, the latest available, this represents a 14% year-to-year decline. Enrollment is dropping across the nation, but Oklahoma is one of the states seeing the sharpest declines. Basically, a city full of people who once were receiving food assistance are now adrift. Food banks across the state are feeling the impact and struggling to meet the growing need. [The Oklahoman Editorial Board]   State Government News   Oklahoma ends ‘orphan tax’ amid pressure from the Trump administration: Gov. Kevin Stitt said Oklahoma will no longer use the so-called “orphan tax” to pay for children in foster care and instead preserve the benefits for future youth. Stitt said the change will help the youth leave the system with “greater opportunity and a stronger foundation for success." [Oklahoma Voice] Oklahoma becomes 30th state to end what's known as the 'Orphan Tax' [KOCO] Cash App settles with Oklahoma over fraud claims: Oklahoma Attorney Gentner Drummond on Wednesday announced Oklahoma’s share of a $45 million multistate settlement with the parent company of Cash App that will also establish more consumer protections for users in the state. [The Oklahoman]   Broadband officials open internet portal program in Oklahoma libraries: The Oklahoma Broadband Office will install about 175 broadband community access portals in libraries across the state. The project is part of a $14.5 million-initiative to help residents get connected to telehealth, workforce services and digital skills training. The money is through the American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Fund, according to an Oklahoma Broadband Office press release. [OPMX via KGOU]   Voter ID Measures, Campaign Funds for Parents and the Insurance Wildfire (podcast): A breakdown of State Question 846, a proposed constitutional amendment on voter identification in Oklahoma; a look at a little-known campaign funding rule that could make running for office more accessible for parents; and a discussion of two major homeowners insurance stories currently sweeping the state. [Oklahoma Watch]   Federal Government News   US House Republicans take ‘first step’ toward dismantling Department of Education: A major legislative package that would put into law President Donald Trump’s push to greatly reduce the responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Education advanced out of a U.S. House panel on Wednesday. [Oklahoma Voice]   US House passes bipartisan bill to make daylight saving time permanent: The U.S. House voted Tuesday to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide in a bipartisan move that pushes the country one step closer to ending the long-contested ritual of semiannual clock changes. [Oklahoma Voice] Daylight saving ending could have benefits for ranchers and kids alike. Here's how [The Oklahoman] US House GOP launches process to provide $60B for defense, up to $12B for farms: U.S. House Republicans released their latest budget resolution Wednesday, the first step in a long and complicated process that could allow Congress to approve a third party-line bill. [Oklahoma Voice]   Trump presses ICE to continue traffic stops despite fatal shootings: President Donald Trump directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to resume traffic stops Wednesday, reversing a one-day pause on the policy after officers killed two immigrants who were in their vehicles in Texas and Maine. [Oklahoma Voice]   Tribal Nations News   ‘Should not apply in Oklahoma’: 10th Circuit weighs Kunzweiler case on nonmember Indian jurisdiction: The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals is set to decide whether district attorneys in Oklahoma have concurrent jurisdiction over nonmember Indians who commit crimes within Indian Country reservations. Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler’s office has filed his response to the Muscogee Nation’s appeal of a lower court ruling in Kunzweiler’s favor. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s federal district courts appear to be waiting on the 10th Circuit’s ruling before deciding several other Indian law cases. [NonDoc]   Tulsa, Cherokee Nation partner to increase healthcare access, lung cancer screening: Tulsa and Cherokee Nation announced Wednesday they are combining efforts to improve healthcare access across the metro area over the next three years. Mayor Monroe Nichols and Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. signed a memorandum of understanding at City Hall agreeing to develop a plan centered on “deploying a culturally relevant lung cancer screening initiative.” Oklahoma ranks among the worst in the nation for lung health, the American Lung Association reported last year. [Oklahoma Eagle] City of Tulsa, Cherokee Nation partnership to make preventive care more accessible [Tulsa World] Voting and Election News   Oklahoma’s Most Powerful Local Office Is Going Uncontested. Here’s Why Nobody Is Running: In 23 of the 27 district attorney races in June, the lone candidate won by default. Among the four competitive races, two went to incumbents and two went to challengers. The same scenario played out four years ago. In some districts, it’s been even longer since voters had a say in their district attorney, a position that holds significant power in the community, representing the government in criminal cases, ensuring investigations are conducted properly, reviewing evidence and determining charges. [Oklahoma Watch]   Who's endorsed Mike Mazzei and Gentner Drummond for Oklahoma governor?: Political onlookers across the country are paying attention to Oklahoma's GOP primary for the governor's seat as a test of the president's influence within the Republican Party. Both candidates in the runoff have secured a host of endorsements seeking to influence who voters want leading the state for the next four years. [The Oklahoman] Trump reiterates Mazzei endorsement for governor, calls Drummond 'RINO' [Tulsa World] Education News   Education Watch: Epic Receives Poor Marks for Academics, But Finances Improving: Epic Charter School’s finances may be improving, but student academic achievement is struggling, according to new reports to the Statewide Charter School Board. [Oklahoma Watch]   Health News   Oklahoma confirms spike in cases of cyclosporiasis as U.S. outbreak spreads: With 56 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, Oklahoma is the latest state to report a spike in cases amid a national outbreak of the intestinal illness. There have been six hospitalizations in Oklahoma of the illness, which causes “explosive” diarrhea, but no deaths, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health dashboard. [Oklahoma Voice]   Justice System News   Lawsuit over Tulsa city jail death alleges officials ignored years of warnings about medical care: The estate of a man who died of a treatable throat infection at the jail alleges officials failed to provide adequate medical care despite a pattern of inmate deaths. [The Frontier]   Oklahoma County jail reports statistical decrease in jail deaths: The Oklahoma County Detention Center has gained notoriety for being one of the deadliest jails in the country because of numerous in-custody deaths that have occurred inside the facility. Jail officials hope a new rolling average of detainee deaths will improve public opinion about its safety. [KOSU]   No clemency for death row inmate who said 'it's time for me to pay': In a surprising move, death row inmate Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez said at his clemency hearing that he didn't want mercy. Cuesta-Rodriguez, 70, is set to be executed on Aug. 13 for the fatal shooting of his common-law wife in 2003 at their Oklahoma City home. [The Oklahoman]   Local Headlines Oklahoma City mayor focuses on growth, infrastructure in State of the City address [KGOU] Inside a city survey: Tulsans trust their neighbors. City leaders? Not so much. [Tulsa Flyer] Cry Baby housing? Tulsa wants to build on the hill and other vacant properties across the city [Tulsa Flyer] Tulsa councilors to seek Nov. 3 election for proposed hotel/motel tax increase [Tulsa World] Wagoner County officials defend denial of permit for solar power facility [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.