In The Know: Oklahoma Senate shoots down HB 1047’s sports betting proposal | Oklahoma Board of Education rewrites dozens of social studies standards | Hard work should pay enough to live

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, APRIL 23, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Policy Matters: Hard work should pay enough to live   At a recent League of Women Voters of Oklahoma forum, I spoke in support of State Question 832, which would gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and make sure it keeps up with rising costs. Opponents kept pointing to California as a cautionary tale. But if we’re looking for comparisons, there’s a more honest place to start: Oklahoma itself. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record] 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. 2,343   The number of children Oklahoma’s public pre-K programs declined by in a single year — dropping from the prior year to 36,114 enrolled in 2024–25. [The National Institute for Early Education Research] State Universal Pre-K Policies: Lessons from Florida, Oklahoma, and Vermont   High-quality universal pre-K programs have been shown to improve children’s academic outcomes, long-term earnings, and overall life outcomes, but access remains uneven across states and communities. Only a few states — like Oklahoma, Florida, and Vermont — have implemented truly universal programs, and their results vary widely depending on funding, quality standards, and program design. Programs with stronger teacher requirements, smaller class sizes, and more consistent standards tend to show more lasting benefits for students. Overall, expanding access alone isn’t enough — the quality and structure of pre-K programs play a major role in determining their impact. [Rockefeller Institute of Government] "We have to make more people aware of national and local studies showing that students who start academic learning at age four have better reading and math outcomes and are much more likely to reach a living wage. It’s not early – it’s on time. Their brains are ready."   — Ana Barros, who works with a Tulsa-based nonprofit focused on improving education outcomes, emphasizes the need to rebuild awareness and participation in Oklahoma’s pre-K programs as enrollment declines. [Oklahoma Watch] State Government News   Bad beat: Oklahoma Senate shoots down HB 1047’s sports betting proposal: After facing criticism from senators expressing ethical concerns about the darker side of how gambling affects communities, a bill to legalize sports betting failed in the Oklahoma Legislature’s upper chamber Wednesday. [NonDoc] Oklahoma Senate says no to sports betting [Oklahoma Voice] Oklahoma Senate rejects sports betting bill despite support [The Journal Record] Oklahoma Senate rejects sports betting deal endorsed by tribes, OKC Thunder [KOSU] Hear lawmakers' arguments for, against sports betting in Oklahoma (video) [The Oklahoman] Bill hiking state employee longevity pay heads to Oklahoma governor: The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday sent Gov. Kevin Stitt a bill that would increase longevity pay for state employees. Senate Bill 169, by Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, would increase longevity pay by 50% across all years of service. [Oklahoma Voice]   Bill shielding fossil fuel companies from climate, greenhouse gas lawsuits awaits Stitt’s signature: The state legislature passed a bill seeking to block liability lawsuits against fossil fuel companies for the effects of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]   Oklahoma set to invest in newly opened Trump investment accounts for children: Oklahoma will soon begin making $250 payments to newly opened Trump accounts, thanks to a bill signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday. [KOSU]   Long Story Short: Shadowed Reports and Unfinished Business (podcast): A deep dive into a lingering thread in the Epic Charter Schools investigation that just wouldn’t stay buried and a high-stakes standoff between State Farm and a retired federal judge over a hidden adjuster’s report. Plus, a breakdown of the legislative push to tighten Oklahoma’s conflict-of-interest laws. [Oklahoma Watch]   Editorial: OK House speaker to Cherokee chief: Don't disagree with us. You'll be banned: Last week in an editorial we urged the state Legislature to reconsider its apparent inclination to try to undo the constitutional expansion of Medicaid the people of the state approved in 2020. Two slightly different approaches to this rewind effort were still being considered as we pen this new editorial. Our belief, that state legislators shouldn't try to take away what state voters themselves said they wanted, was shared by Chuck Hoskin Jr., since 2019 the principal chief of the Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation. [The Oklahoman Editorial Board]   Federal Government News   Republican states, including Oklahoma, defend citizenship lists ordered by Trump as ‘optional’ election help: A dozen Republican state attorneys general are moving to defend President Donald Trump’s executive order on mail ballots from legal challenges mounted by Democrats. The GOP officials, led by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, argued in multiple court filings Monday and Tuesday in response to Democratic lawsuits that the March 31 order provides states with “optional resources” to help secure their elections and doesn’t endanger voting rights. [Oklahoma Voice]   Feds approve Oklahoma's plan to get more people online: The federal government has approved Oklahoma’s plan to connect more of the state to high speed internet. State broadband officials say this is a long time coming. [KOSU]   New poll shows Oklahomans split, declining on Trump approval: President Donald Trump's favorability has been trending downwards since the start of the year, and according to a new study, Oklahoma is on the edge of not favoring the Republican president. [The Oklahoman]   Voting and Election News   Tulsa County DA race pits experience against calls for change: Incumbent Steve Kunzweiler is running on a decade of high-profile prosecutions and stability. Challenger Colleen McCarty argues those same years show it’s time for a different approach. [The Frontier]   Education News   Divorcing from usual process, Oklahoma Board of Education rewrites dozens of social studies standards: Some educators are raising concerns about content in the newly approved, proposed 2026 academic standards for social studies — and the process by which the standards were revised. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]   Education Watch: Reading Reforms Signed into Law: Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday signed into law major revisions to schools’ early childhood reading policies. Literacy was a top agenda item for Stitt and the Legislature this session. [Oklahoma Watch] How Oklahoma's new literacy reform law will affect students, teachers [The Oklahoman] Editorial: Passing OK literacy bill is strong step in right direction [The Oklahoman Editorial Board] National Preschool Enrollment Surged Last Year; Oklahoma’s Continued to Fall: A new national report ranks Oklahoma fifth in preschool access for 4-year-olds, but researchers say public awareness needs to be heightened to help restore the program’s reach to prepandemic levels. [Oklahoma Watch]   Opinion: If Oklahoma wants better future, education must be priority: Just as people choose to live in cities because of the good schools, businesses choose to locate and invest in states with the best education. For the future of Oklahoma we need to vote for and elect leaders, regardless of party affiliation, who will promote and improve the education of our kids, who are the future of our state. [Charles Moles / The Oklahoman]   Health News   These 8 counties in Oklahoma get an 'F' for smog pollution: At least eight Oklahoma counties, including the most populated areas of the state, saw enough smog-filled days to get an "F" on the American Lung Association's 2026 air pollution report card. [The Oklahoman]   Criminal Justice News   Judge says victim's rights not violated in Jesse Butler plea negotiation: A Payne County judge has rejected an attorney's argument that a victim's right to be heard had been violated during plea agreements in the controversial sentencing of Jesse Butler for sexual assault. [The Oklahoman]   Community News   Push for reparations takes center stage with 3-day conference in Tulsa: Reparations. It’s a controversial topic for some, but for others, there’s an obvious right decision. The topic will take center stage this weekend during a three-day conference led by the City of Tulsa’s Beyond Apology Commission. It’ll feature national advocates, faith leaders and political strategists. [The Oklahoma Eagle]   Local Headlines Tulsa Mayor's $1.22B budget ask includes new emergency management office, rate hikes [Public Radio Tulsa] Tulsa leaders consider what to do with $103 million surplus in Vision Tulsa funding [Tulsa World] Two new restaurants approved by Edmond planners [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. 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“The Summer Policy Institute gave me an opportunity to learn so much about this state and the community that I live in and gave me real advice and lessons on how to improve it." —Past Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute participant Applications open for OK Policy's 2026 Summer Policy Institute! The application deadline for OK Policy's Summer Policy Institute is just a few weeks 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. 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.