Farewell and Thank You

View this email in your browser. Dear Friends: After twelve years with the organization, and ten years serving as director, today is my last day at Oklahoma Policy Institute. It has truly been the great honor of my life to be a part of this amazing organization and to watch it grow in size, reputation, and impact. With a strong Board, talented staff, dedicated supporters, and a clear and vital mission, the elements are all there for OK Policy’s continued success. And in Ahniwake Rose, the organization has chosen a new executive director with the skills, experience, and passion to build on what we have accomplished and to lead OK Policy moving forward. I have no doubt that OK Policy will continue to be leading the effort to expand opportunity and equity for all Oklahomans through effective research, analysis, and advocacy for many, many years to come. In my honor, and to help ensure the financial strength of OK Policy during this transition period and beyond, the Board has created the David Blatt Legacy Fund. I would be personally grateful to anyone who is able to make a donation. As an expression of my confidence in OK Policy under Ahniwake’s leadership, I have already made a three-year financial commitment to the organization. As many of you may know, the next chapter of my own journey starts in January, when I will join the Master of Public Administration program at the University of Oklahoma – Tulsa as a Professor of Practice teaching courses in public policy. I am excited at this chance to bring what I’ve learned over the past 20+ years working as a policy analyst and advocate into the classroom, and my family and I are delighted to be staying in Oklahoma. I hope I will have the chance to stay in touch with many of you. Going forward, I can best be reached by email at dblattok@gmail.com. To all of you who have lifted me up in this work with your support and friendship, please know that I will be forever grateful. Best, David Connect with Us Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S Detroit Ave, Suite 1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 (918) 794-3944 info@okpolicy.org Unsubscribe

[In The Know] Oklahoma's education report card released, criminal justice reform discussed, and more

View this email in your browser. 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. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions. New from OK Policy Prosperity Policy: Who deserves a raise? Do members of the Oklahoma Legislature deserve a raise? That’s the question the Legislative Compensation Board wrestles with every two years. This constitutionally created body has the exclusive and binding authority to set lawmakers’ salaries. [David Blatt / Journal Record] In The News State’s scores on ‘Nation’s Report Card’ remain far short of goal: Oklahoma has a long way to go to reach one of its major educational targets. The goal is to be ranked in the top 20 states on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also called the “Nation’s Report Card.” [Oklahoma Watch] Oklahoma test scores still trail U.S., but some gaps narrow. [Public Radio Tulsa] OK Policy analysis shows that state education funding cuts have caused myriad issues for Oklahoma's schools; progress recently has been made to restoring funding for essential services like education, however it will be a long rebuilding project to full budget recovery. Community leaders discuss criminal justice reform efforts: A four-person panel discussed criminal justice reform during a meeting of the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. Panelists spoke about a shift in public perception surrounding criminal justice reform and current efforts that are underway to look at the "entire pipeline." [The Oklahoman] While state leaders are taking action to address Oklahoma’s outdated criminal code, an OK Policy analysis showed key elements that should be taken into account during that process.  Popular Expungement Expos can help those with criminal records: Tulsa City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper’s Expungement Expos were so popular last year that the volunteers who helped organize and run them couldn’t keep up with the requests for assistance. [Tulsa World] OK Policy took a closer look at the expungement process in Oklahoma in this review of SQ 780 retroactivity.  Making a Difference: Information exchange improving access to medical records: Oklahoma still has much work to do to pull itself up from near the bottom of national health rankings, but a health information exchange network created a decade ago has helped move the state to near the front of the pack in some important ways, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer said. [Journal Record] People with disabilities unsheltered in tornado alley: More than 630,000 people in Oklahoma have a disability, but the state doesn’t know how many of them need storm shelters. Some local governments keep track of how many households already have one, but there is no shelter reporting requirement. [StateImpact Oklahoma] Oklahoma has set a record for the most tornadoes in a year, the National Weather Service said Wednesday. [Tulsa World] Electric vehicles in Oklahoma may require an alternative tax: Electric vehicle sales continue to increase each year, which is leading to less fuel tax revenue for Oklahoma. To preserve infrastructure funding, officials are looking at alternative taxes for EV owners. [KGOU] Permitless carry to take effect Friday, judge rules: Oklahoma’s permitless carry will take effect Friday, an Oklahoma County District Court judge ruled Wednesday. Judge Don Andrews struck down a legal challenge requesting a temporary injunction to prevent the law from taking effect Nov. 1 [The Oklahoman] A longtime firearms instructor discussed some of the questions he gets asked most often about the new law. [Tulsa World] See the Real ID-compliant license Oklahomans will need to board planes starting in October 2020: Oklahoma will roll out Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses and ID cards starting in August and issued samples of what the IDs will look like. [CNHI] Syphillis cases are on the increase in Oklahoma: Oklahoma health officials say the frequency of congenital syphilis cases has risen sharply in the state during the past five years and continues to increase. [AP News] Rotary Club of Tulsa hears panel discussion about Oklahoma's medical cannabis industry: At least 5 percent of Oklahoma residents can legally consume medical cannabis after the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority approved its 200,000th patient license earlier this month. [Tulsa World] Complexities of sheriff’s move out of jail dominate commissioners’ time: While the Oklahoma County commissioners’ normal business was handled quickly Wednesday, two executive sessions and a lengthy discussion about the sheriff’s proposed transition out of the Oklahoma County jail took far more time. [Free Press OKC] Assistant district attorney says Oklahoma County sheriff can walk away from jail Jan. 1. [The Oklahoman] ‘Quite a mess’: OU’s Cross Village risks ramifications: According to its October 2018 meeting minutes, the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents was circumvented in the enactment of two leases for OU’s controversial Cross Village housing development. With its bonds turned to junk, the $251.7 million project now sits largely empty, spurring talk of lawsuits, alleged securities violations and ramifications for future Oklahoma bond issuances. OU’s legal counsel believes the university executed its Cross Village contracts properly and acted within its rights. [NonDoc] "Poor boy from Oklahoma" addresses U.S. Senate committee about judgeship: U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard M. Jones told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that he views his nomination for a federal district judgeship as an opportunity to serve. Jones, 40, was nominated by President Donald Trump for a U.S. district judge position in the western district of Oklahoma, based in Oklahoma City. [The Oklahoman] Trump announces intent to appoint Tulsa area woman to anti-human trafficking council: President Donald Trump nominated a co-founder of The Demand Project, a local nonprofit that fights sex trafficking, to an advisory council aimed at ending human trafficking. Kristin Weis of The Demand Project was one of nine announced for a position on the Public-Private Partnership Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking. [Tulsa World] Quote of the Day “National employers wanted to bring jobs here because of our low costs of living, but were scared off by our high costs for health care and the poor health of Oklahomans.” -Dr. David Kendrick, CEO of MyHealth Access Network [Journal Record] Number of the Day 113,491 Total number of LGBTQ+ adult Oklahomans - 3.8% of the adult population of the state [Source: Movement Advancement Project] See previous Numbers of the Day here. Policy Note What New Orleans can teach other cities about reducing homelessness: City officials did it by fighting homelessness on a variety of fronts: They adopted a “housing first” policy: providing homes and services to New Orleans’ neediest, without requiring that they resolve mental health or substance abuse issues first. They expanded a health care clinic for the homeless and started conducting weekly check-ins to connect more people to counseling and other services. [Pew Trusts]  You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. Connect with Us Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S Detroit Ave, Suite 1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 (918) 794-3944 info@okpolicy.org Unsubscribe

 

 

Quote of the Day | October 30, 2019

“Sometimes folks in these rural counties are having to choose between feeding their kids, buying medicine, putting gas in their car or making their payments to avoid going to jail.”

-Tim Laughlin of the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System. [Journal Record]

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Quote of the Day | October 29, 2019

“This is a complicated solution to a simple problem. The simple problem is gerrymandering, and the complicated solution is creating multiple firewalls to prevent the influence of partisan politics from corrupting the redistricting process.”

-Andy Moore, executive director of People Not Politicians speaking about the group’s redistricting ballot initiative. [NonDoc]

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[In The Know] Lawmakers examine fines and fees, panel discusses steps to reduce incarceration, and more

View this email in your browser. 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. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions. New from OK Policy A chat with OK Policy's new Executive Director Ahniwake Rose: On Tuesday's edition of Studio Tulsa, host Rich Fisher sat down with former OK Policy Executive Director David Blatt and its new Executive Director Ahniwake Rose for a discussion. [Public Radio Tulsa] In The News Reform targets court fines, fees: A person who goes to court and is convicted of a crime might think of a judge’s sentence as time served. But there’s almost always more to it. Fees and court costs typically tacked on to sentences can be as burdensome for many to bear as initial terms of incarceration, and often can take longer to get past. Some people, in fact, are never able to pay off court assessments. Some end up back behind bars because of them. [Journal Record] Learn more from OK Policy about how excessive fees lock Oklahomans into the criminal justice system. Panel discusses next steps to reduce incarceration: A public defender, a representative of the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office and the leader of a foundation focused on helping children and “justice involved” individuals offered insights Tuesday about progress made so far and serious challenges that remain in reforming Oklahoma’s criminal justice system. [Journal Record] Steps are being taken to address Oklahoma's outdated criminal code, and an OK Policy analysis showed key elements that should be taken into account during that process.  Mental Health Association Oklahoma CEO: 'Joker' gives 'completely false impression' of mental illness: While the “Joker” movie continues to slay box office records, one of Oklahoma’s leading mental health advocates is concerned that the film may also wrongly lead some to link mental illness with violence. Violence committed by someone with a mental illness, even in an untreated state, is extremely rare, he said. [Tulsa World] Mike Brose, Mental Health Association of Oklahoma chief empowerment officer, addressed the “stigmatizing” potential of the film in the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma’s weekly podcast. [Mental Health Download podcast]  The Nation's Report Card: Oklahoma fourth- and eighth-graders lag behind rest of country in reading, math scores: Oklahoma fourth- and eighth-grade reading scores dropped from 2017 to 2019, while math scores improved slightly or stayed the same, according to a national report released Wednesday. [Tulsa World] The National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card, found average scores in Oklahoma consistently fell below national public-school averages. [The Oklahoman]  Declining ACT scores raise college readiness concerns: Oklahoma high school graduates’ scores on the ACT college-readiness exam declined in every subject this year, according to a report released Wednesday. Statewide, the average composite score was 18.9, out of a possible 36. That represents a drop of 0.4 points compared to 2018. Oklahoma is one of 15 states that tested 100% of its 2019 high school graduates. [Oklahoma Watch] Tulsa World editorial: Hofmeister proposes $220 million school budget hike to address a decade of neglect: State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister has proposed raising the state’s base school operational funding to the level it was a decade ago. If you’re looking for a statistic to capture perfectly how poorly the state addresses what should be its No. 1 priority, there it is. [Editorial Board / Tulsa World] OK Policy analysis shows that progress has been made recently on restoring funding for essential services like education, but it will be a long rebuilding project to full budget recovery. Hofmeister announces more than $1.7M in school safety grants: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister announced Thursday that the Oklahoma State Department of Education, in partnership with the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security and its subsidiary, the Oklahoma School Security Institute, has received three federal grants of more than $1.7 million to strengthen safety, security and mental health initiatives in public schools statewide. [CNHI] 324 new laws take effect Friday. Here are 23 interesting ones: More than 300 new laws are set to take effect Friday. Here are some highlights of measures signed into law by the governor amid the 2019 legislative session. [Tulsa World] Oklahomans can download mobile ID app this week: Oklahoma's mobile ID should be ready for download this week in app stores, the state's chief technology official said. With a mobile ID, Oklahoma residents have an option to carry their state-issued identification on their smartphones. It's an official document that can be used when interacting with government agencies or private retailers. Eventually, the app will connect with websites to verify users' identity. [The Oklahoman] Stitt taps energy companies, pharmacists for money in latest quarter: Gov. Kevin Stitt raised $208,000 in the most recent quarter, tapping oil and gas interests, physicians, home builders and others for donations. Stitt’s campaign account had about $600,000 at the end of September. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma County judge accepted $225 from corporate donors: An embattled Oklahoma County judge has refunded three donations made to her 2018 campaign by corporations. [The Oklahoman] Sheriff’s move from jail could be more complicated than anticipated: Oklahoma County Sheriff P.D. Taylor may have thought his move out of the jail would be a straight path, but a proposed transition committee could make it more complicated. [Free Press OKC] Less frequent bus service heading to Turley and far north Tulsa leaves some feeling left out: Residents of Turley and far north Tulsa will have less frequent bus service, at least temporarily, beginning Nov. 17. The recommendation was approved, though, on the condition that MTTA staff look for ways to restore current service levels. [Tulsa World] Little-known, small committee reviews City’s big legislative interests: The Oklahoma City Council’s Legislative Committee met Tuesday to prepare for the coming legislative sessions at the state and federal levels. The meeting consisted of a review of priorities, initiatives, issues to support, and issues to monitor. [Free Press OKC] Oklahoma to charge admission fees to some state parks: Starting next spring, state officials plan to start charging admission fees at some of Oklahoma’s most popular state parks. Only two states that border Oklahoma don’t charge fees, but Arkansas and Missouri pay for their park system through a tax on sporting goods and associated things like boat sales, an official said. [CNHI] Oklahoma gearing for Mother Road centennial: As plans for the 100th anniversary of Route 66 get underway, members of the Oklahoma state government are opening the state’s “front door” wide with the establishment of the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission. The commission, according to House Bill 1774, will work through June 30, 2027, to “to celebrate the important history of Route 66 in Oklahoma through commemorative, educational and community events.” [CNHI] Remerge to move into new building, serve 50% more women: The Remerge Oklahoma program is two weeks away from moving to its new building west of downtown Oklahoma City. Remerge is Oklahoma County’s only comprehensive female diversion program, offering an alternative to incarceration for pregnant women or mothers with young children who have nonviolent felony convictions, according to its website. [The Oklahoman] Quote of the Day "Sometimes folks in these rural counties are having to choose between feeding their kids, buying medicine, putting gas in their car or making their payments to avoid going to jail." -Tim Laughlin of the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System. [Journal Record] Number of the Day $23,360,311 Total Oklahoma medical marijuana license revenue in the month of September 2019 [Source: OklahomaState.OpenGov.com] See previous Numbers of the Day here. Policy Note #LGBTQHistoryMonth: Unjust: LGBTQ youth incarcerated in the juvenile justice system: Unjust: LGBTQ Youth Incarcerated in the Juvenile Justice System examines how LGBTQ youth who are incarcerated in juvenile detention and correctional facilities face bias in adjudication, and mistreatment and abuse in confinement facilities. LGBTQ youth also lack supportive services when leaving the criminal and juvenile justice systems, often forcing them back into negative interactions with law enforcement. [Movement Advancement Project] You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. Connect with Us Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S Detroit Ave, Suite 1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 (918) 794-3944 info@okpolicy.org Unsubscribe