[The Weekly Wonk] The business case for Medicaid expansion; the rift between lawmakers, Gov.

View this email in your browser. What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In The Know. Click here to subscribe to In The Know. This Week from OK Policy Policy Matters: The business case for Medicaid expansion: Absent a post-session change of heart, it appears Gov. Kevin Stitt’s health care proposal – which was supposed to start July 1 – will be delayed or maybe even withdrawn due to a lack of agreement on how to fund it. There could not be a worse time for tens of thousands of newly unemployed Oklahomans to be without health care coverage. This leaves State Question 802 as the only path for many Oklahomans to gain access to much-needed health insurance. [Ahinwake Rose / Journal Record] Examining the rift between legislators, Governor: It looks like a lot of work will need to be done if the relationship between the Legislature and Gov. Stitt is to be repaired. What began as a lovefest in 2019 deteriorated to a slugfest by the closing days of the 2020 Legislative session. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update] Weekly What’s That Medicaid/SoonerCare Medicaid is a public insurance program that provides health coverage to low-income families and individuals, including children, parents, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. The program, which was created by Congress in 1965 as Title XIX of the Social Security Act, is operated by the states and funded jointly by the federal government and the states. In Oklahoma, the Medicaid program is known as SoonerCare and is operated primarily by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. In FY 2018, the Medicaid program served more than 1 million individuals at some point over the course of the year. As of October 2019, SoonerCare’s total monthly enrollment was 787,235 people. Of these, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) were low-income children under the age of 21. The next largest category (20 percent) were Aged, Blind and Disabled individuals, followed by low-income working-age adults (9 percent). Oklahoma’s total Medicaid spending was $5.25 billion in FY 2018, with the federal government accounting for $3.05 billion of that amount. The federal matching rate (FMAP) for most expenses was 59.9 percent. Look up more key terms to understand Oklahoma politics and government here. Quote of the Week “We don’t know if social distancing will be required in the fall, but what we have to do now is be prepared for those scenarios while we have this gift of time to prepare. It’s really a time that we can’t underscore enough the significance of the learning loss that has occurred.” -Superintendent Joy Hofmeister speaking about school plans for the fall semester [The Oklahoman] Editorial of the Week Judges shoulder burden of avoiding mass evictions As landlords and tenants begin showing up when the small claims dockets are called in courtrooms across Oklahoma, we pray the judges presiding over a backlog of 2,300 eviction cases will be judicious in their decisions.  With a statewide unemployment rate of 13.7% in April and initial claims of newly jobless Oklahomans continuing to mount by the tens of thousands each week, removing families from their homes en masse would be a mistake. Crowding people into homes with members of their extended family or shelters accelerates the risks of a resurgence in COVID-19 cases as a sputtering economy tries to get traction. The $2.2 trillion economic stabilization package approved by Congress protects some tenants against evictions — the CARES Act prohibits the filing of new cases against tenants who live in federally financed or subsidized housing until July 24. States and local governments have provided some protection, but that varies by location, leaving renters at the courts' mercy.    [Muskogee Phoenix] Numbers of the Day 61% - Percentage of Latino Americans who said in April that they or someone in their household had experienced a job or wage loss due to the coronavirus outbreak, compared with 44% for Black Americans and 38% of White adults. [Pew Research Center]  100,000 - Estimated number of Oklahoma school children who lack home internet access [StateImpact Oklahoma] *3* - The number of medical marijuana patient licenses approved by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority as of May 1, 2020 [Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority] 53.7% - Percentage of Oklahomans who have completed their 2020 Census as of May 24, 2020, which lags the national average of 60.1%. [U.S. Census Bureau] See previous Numbers of the Day and sources here. What We’re Reading Three principles for an anti-racist, equitable state response to COVID-19 — and a stronger recovery [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities]  America’s next crisis is already here. State and local governments are being hit hard by the pandemic [The Atlantic] Another $15 billion for food stamps, but poor households find groceries out of reach [Pittsburg Post-Gazette] The other COVID-19 risk factors: How race, income, ZIP code can influence life and death [USA Today] 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] Saturday classes approved for next school year; infections rise inside two federal lockups; 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. Some stories may be behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and click here see past editions. Oklahoma News Saturday school? State board OKs one-year flexibility for Oklahoma schools grappling with COVID-19 contingency plans: On Thursday, the Oklahoma State Board of Education voted 5-2 to approve a flexibility waiver allowing schools to count any instruction offered on Saturdays toward the state’s minimum requirement of 180 days of instruction or the equivalent in hours and minutes. [Tulsa World] The Oklahoma State Department of Education encouraged districts to create multiple calendars and contingencies for the next school year in case another spike in COVID-19 cases occurs. All public schools in the state finished the 2019-20 school year with at-home distance learning to prevent spread of the coronavirus. [The Oklahoman] COVID-19 infections rise inside two federal lockups in Oklahoma: There are nearly 100 COVID-19 positive prisoners and 3 positive employees inside two federal lockups in Oklahoma. The Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City has 50 prisoners infected with the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, CI Great Plains, a private prison for federal detainees in Hinton, has identified 42 prisoners with the illness. The two facilities are holding a total of nearly 3,000 prisoners. [KOSU] The Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City ranks eighth out of 112 Bureau of Prisons facilities in confirmed inmate COVID-19 cases. [The Oklahoman] OK Policy and other Oklahoma organizations have urged officials to take action to manage the serious threat of a COVID-19 outbreak in correctional facilities.  Health department: State quadruples testing in May, positive results drop below 4%: The Oklahoma State Department of Health more than quadrupled its COVID-19 testing in May, delivering results on over 90,000 specimens as the rate of positive cases dropped to its lowest point since the pandemic began, according to Oklahoma State Health Department leaders. [The Oklahoman] How does Oklahoma count coronavirus recoveries? It’s not an exact science: As Oklahoma approaches the third phase of the governor’s plan to reopen the state, it’s unclear how long the novel coronavirus will linger in the state and how many lives the disease will take. But many people want information about a less-cited statistic: How many people are recovering? The Oklahoma State Department of Health reports confirmed cases daily, along with an estimate of how many people have recovered from the disease. The figure isn’t based on those no longer experiencing symptoms — the agency considers someone recovered when they are not hospitalized or dead, and they’re 14 days past their initial positive test or onset of symptoms. [The Frontier] Coronavirus in Oklahoma daily update: 41 new cases; 4 new deaths: Oklahoma's number of positive COVID-19 cases now stands at 6,270, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. [The Oklahoman] Visit coronavirus.health.ok.gov for the latest COVID-19 numbers in Oklahoma. State Government News DHS to close half of its brick-and-mortar facilities: The Department of Human Services plans to close half of its brick-and-mortar facilities, but it will not cut employees or services, the agency’s director said Thursday. The agency has 92 offices, warehouses and storage spaces, said Justin Brown, DHS director. About half will be closed, he said. Most are leased by the agency, but the state-owned facilities will be sent to surplus, Brown said. [Tulsa World] Oklahoma weekly first-time jobless claims hold steady after 4% decline; totals still well above pre-pandemic levels: For the third consecutive week, first-time jobless claims for unemployment insurance benefits held steady at about 32,000 filings, a 4% decline from the prior week, yet still 16 times the typical number filed pre-COVID-19. [Tulsa World] The number of initial claims for unemployment benefits filed with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission for the week ending May 23 continues to reflect the effect of business closures due to the COVID-19 and oil industry crises. [Journal Record] Initiative petition on redistricting clears one hurdle, but faces unclear future: The wording of an initiative petition calling for a public vote on the creation of a Citizens' Independent Redistricting Commission is legally adequate, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. That doesn't mean Oklahomans will necessarily get to vote on the issue in November. In fact, what happens next is up in the air due to COVID-19. [The Oklahoman] Op-Ed: A question of fairness – redistricting in Oklahoma: The current system is broken. Democratic supermajorities drew the lines in the 20th century; Republican supermajorities do so now. The primary goal was the same: protect the political status quo, the interests of workaday Oklahomans be damned. [Arnold Hamilton / Journal Record] Lawmaker plans to revive occupational license proposal: A state senator who championed a bill to make it easier for people with occupational licenses issued in other states to begin work in Oklahoma said he’ll revive the measure next year after time ran out for it to achieve a final vote in the waning days of this year’s pandemic-shortened legislative session. [Journal Record] Column: Test-driving REAL ID: In early May, the Department of Public Safety asked if I’d be interested in obtaining an advanced copy of the federally compliant driver license for $25 as part of the first phase of a pilot program. As DPS Capt. Randy Rogers put it: “We’re trying to solve issues and bugs before we get into the full rollout.” More than 600,000 Oklahomans are expected to apply for a Real ID before October 2021. That’s when residents will need a federally complaint license to hop onto planes and enter military bases or other federal facilities. [Janelle Stecklein / CNHI]  Criminal Justice News Angered and devastated': Pastors, other leaders in Tulsa's black community react to George Floyd death in Minnesota: In uniting to condemn the handling of a Minnesota man’s arrest that ended in his death this week, some of Tulsa’s black pastors and other leaders are calling for justice and for the nation to demand better of its police. [Tulsa World] Bill settles insurance woes threatening the Oklahoma County Jail Trust: Finding insurance coverage for the Oklahoma County Jail Trust has proven near impossible, but a bill recently signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt should remove that hurdle. House Bill 2668, which did not receive much fanfare when it was pushed through the Legislature at the end of session, clarifies existing law to explicitly allow counties with over 600,000 residents and a trust running the county jail to pay for judgments from lawsuits against the jail through local property tax rolls. [The Oklahoman] Economy & Business News Survey: Few businesses spared during COVID-19 pandemic: A survey of companies involved in the energy industry in Oklahoma revealed that more than half expect failures to occur if per-barrel oil prices hover around the $30 mark for more than a year. The survey of businesses in sectors ranging from energy to retail trade to manufacturing was conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Results were released this week. It reflected, among other things, that the COVID-19 pandemic has pounded the state’s economy from top to bottom, with few if any businesses spared. [Journal Record] Tulsa impact to national American Airlines' cuts in management staff to materialize in coming months: While American Airlines on Thursday announced plans to reduce management and support staff (MSS) nationally by 30%, it is not immediately clear how that will affect Tech Ops-Tulsa, the airline’s largest maintenance facility. [Tulsa World] Gov. Kevin Stitt and local officials make pitch for Tulsa during meeting with Elon Musk: Some state and local officials, including Gov. Kevin Stitt, got a chance to make their case for Tesla in Tulsa at a dinner in Florida this week with Elon Musk. Musk and the Tulsans were guests of National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator Jim Bridenstine for Wednesday’s planned launch of a SpaceX rocket carrying two NASA astronauts into space. [Tulsa World] Navistar and IC Bus come to terms with Tulsa on new 20-year lease: Ending a months-long impasse, the city of Tulsa and Navistar/IC Bus of Oklahoma on Thursday announced a new 20-year agreement that will keep the bus manufacturer and 1,600 jobs at Tulsa International Airport. [Tulsa World] Education News Senator says he was asked to delete Epic Charter School emails: A state senator says he was asked to delete emails by the official who oversees the Oklahoma Virtual Charter School Board weeks after she downplayed her communication with him to an attorney representing Epic virtual charter school. [The Frontier] State board issues final rejection to proposed new charter school in Tulsa: A last-ditch effort at sponsorship by proponents of a new charter school as part of a yet-to-be constructed housing development in northwest Tulsa failed on Thursday. One Oklahoma State Board of Education member said he could not support the idea because it “feels like state-sponsored gentrification.” [Tulsa World] General News Cherokee Nation announces $332 million spending package for COVID-19 aid: The Cherokee Nation announced its first spending plan for some of the $8 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds, with $332 million going to the tribe’s operations, safety precautions, economic recovery and health programs. [Tulsa World] Tribes awarded federal grants to combat COVID-19: Four Oklahoma tribes have been awarded federal grants totaling nearly $1.2 million to help combat COVID-19 in rural tribal areas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday. The Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes and Cherokee Nation each will receive $300,000, the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma will receive $299,816 and the Chickasaw Nation has been awarded $295,316. The grants are part of $15 million in grants awarded to 52 tribes located in 20 states. [The Oklahoman] Choctaw Nation will enter Phase II of COVID-19 response plan: Following review of key health indicators with our health and emergency management professionals, CNO leadership has determined to move into Phase II of the CNO Recovery Plan beginning Friday, May 29. During Phase II, additional CNO businesses and operations will begin to reopen. This includes re-opening the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Headquarters in Durant to the public on May 29. [CNHI] Opinion: Can politicians give us the best outcome?: To be religiously avoided is language or assertions that risk the general public interpreting what is said as both good reason to question the veracity of the scientific or medical community, and to view those communities as the obstruction to getting the economy back on track. [Op-Ed / Tulsa World] Opinion: Giving blood is the least I can do: Donating blood products has no significant down side for the donor, and there is nowhere else the medical community can acquire these products. It is quick and easy, won’t make you sick if you are healthy, and will – I repeat WILL – save lives. [Opinion / Ada News] Oklahoma Local News Man who stabbed officer fatally shot, OSBI says; incident near McAlester under investigation [Tulsa World] OKC Municipal Court to start phased reopening [The Oklahoman] Masks to be required for entry into Tulsa federal courthouse [Tulsa World] Phase 2 begins tomorrow for Reopen Norman plan [Norman Transcript] Payne County Commission approves early Phase 3 re-opening [CNHI] Yes on 802 campaign makes stop in Duncan [Duncan Banner] Quote of the Day “COVID-19, in both the state and federal system, has exposed many cracks in our social safety nets. It has shown that prisons are not only largely ineffective at deterring crime but they’re also ineffective at keeping communities safe. It’s evident that they also pose a public health risk. So, I think at both the state and federal levels, officials should be working to reduce the prison populations to manageable levels." -Kris Steele, director of criminal justice advocacy group Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform [The Oklahoman] Number of the Day 61%  Percentage of Latino Americans who said in April that they or someone in their household had experienced a job or wage loss due to the coronavirus outbreak, compared with 44% for Black Americans and 38% of White adults. [Pew Research Center]  See previous Numbers of the Day here. Policy Note 3 principles for an anti-racist, equitable state response to COVID-19 — and a stronger recovery:  COVID-19’s effects have underscored the ways our nation’s history of racism, bias, and discrimination are embedded in our health, social, and economic systems. People of color are experiencing disproportionately more infections and hospitalizations — and among Black people, highly disproportionate death rates — with people of color also overrepresented in jobs that are at higher infection risk now and in the jobs hardest hit economically. Shaping these outcomes are structural barriers like wealth and income disparities, inadequate access to health care, and racial discrimination built into the health system. States therefore have critical policy choices to make: they can repeat and exacerbate these inequities, which also will damage the economy, or they can set another course — toward anti-racist, equitable, and inclusive communities and an economic recovery that extends to all people. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities]  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

 

 

 

[In The Know] Making business case for Medicaid expansion; looking at life in Oklahoma after COVID-19; 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. Some stories may be behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and click here see past editions. New from OK Policy Policy Matters: The business case for Medicaid expansion: Absent a post-session change of heart, it appears Gov. Kevin Stitt’s health care proposal – which was supposed to start July 1 – will be delayed or maybe even withdrawn due to a lack of agreement on how to fund it. There could not be a worse time for tens of thousands of newly unemployed Oklahomans to be without health care coverage. This leaves State Question 802 as the only path for many Oklahomans to gain access to much-needed health insurance. [Ahinwake Rose / Journal Record] Oklahoma News Medicaid expansion campaign kicks off with ads, tour: The drive to expand Medicaid in Oklahoma kicked off this week with a major television advertising campaign and a tour of Oklahoma towns by supporters of the June 30 ballot question. [The Oklahoman] OK Policy has provided information and resources to better understand SQ 802. Rebuilding America: How will life in Oklahoma look after COVID-19? In a new project from The Oklahoman and the USA Today Network, journalists from The Oklahoman spotlight how the coronavirus has affected every part of the state, from tourism and retail to food and entertainment. The paper also examines what changes we might see in places like movie theaters, restaurants and school campuses as the pandemic continues. [The Oklahoman] 'Rebuilding America' chronicles the reopening of the US after coronavirus pandemic closures [The Oklahoman] Mask wearers facing partisan divide: The growing partisan divide over facemasks was on full display in the Legislature last week. On one side of the chamber, Democrats stood out — their mouths and noses covered by a wide variety of masks meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In stark contrast, many of their Republican counterparts chose to adopt the Legislature’s pre-pandemic style — no face coverings. Some observers say the decision to wear facemasks is shaping into a partisan issue. GOP and Democratic leaders are starkly divided over whether personal freedoms and comfort should trump medical experts’ recommendations on how to slow the progression of the deadly virus. [CNHI] Coronavirus in Oklahoma daily update: 92 new cases; 4 new deaths: Oklahoma's number of positive COVID-19 cases now stands at 6,229 , according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. [The Oklahoman] Visit coronavirus.health.ok.gov for the latest COVID-19 numbers in Oklahoma. State Government News Shelley Zumwalt tapped to lead state employment office: The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission has named Shelley Zumwalt as the agency's interim director. Zumwalt will lead the agency, which oversees unemployment claims. She replaces Robin Roberson, who resigned last week amid a statewide economic crisis and personal health issues. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma AG paid D.C. firm $200,000 for help on Creek case: Attorney General Mike Hunter’s office spent just over $200,000 for outside legal help this year on a high-stakes case before the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Muscogee (Creek) Nation land in eastern Oklahoma. [The Oklahoman] Opinion: Doing the math on cheap gas and the petroleum recession in Oklahoma: The reduction in Oklahomans driving and filling up their cars results in the state of Oklahoma getting $142.8 million less in a year. If you think of state budgeting as an action and reaction process, that all would work out to roughly $142.8 million less for transportation funding. It will actually mean less money available for schools, cops and everything else the state does over the long term. [Opinion / Tulsa World] Criminal Justice News Policies, union contracts among significant factors in limiting police misconduct, expert says: Ten policy points can make a big difference in controlling excessive force by law officers, a national analyst said during a teleconference with the annual John Hope Franklin symposium. The points range from ending arrests for some low-level offenses to curtailing what’s become the militarization of particular departments, but he concentrated on two: use of force policies and accountability structures. [Tulsa World] Norman officer disciplined for sending inappropriate images: An internal investigation found that a Norman police officer violated policy "regarding prohibited speech, expression and conduct" when he sent images from the movie "Django Unchained" of Ku Klux Klan members wearing hoods and carrying torches during an email discussion about the wear and maintenance of department-issued face coverings. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma U.S. Attorneys select coordinator for murdered and missing indigenous persons cases: Oklahoma's three U.S. Attorneys have named a coordinator to ensure effective and timely responses to missing and murdered Native Americans in Oklahoma. [CNHI] Op-Ed: Driver gets lesson in Oklahoma fines and fees: Some Oklahoma communities have municipal budgets utilize “taxation by citation,” which is what happens when local governments issue tickets to raise revenue rather than solely to protect the public. A new report from the nonprofit Institute for Justice, published April 30, focuses on state laws that enable and even encourage taxation by citation. Oklahoma ranks 10th worst in the nationwide analysis, "Municipal Fines and Fees: A 50-State Survey of State Laws."  [The Oklahoman] Economic Opportunity Op-Ed: SNAP is key to fighting hunger, boosting economy during COVID-19: Oklahoma is the fifth-hungriest state in the nation. The COVID-19 pandemic combined with a slumping energy industry has put even more Oklahomans in economic peril and in need of food assistance. [Op-Ed / The Oklahoman] OK Policy: SNAP is a critical piece of our pandemic response, and Congress needs to give it a boost. How long does it take workers to earn the equivalent of a $1,200 stimulus check?: There’s no doubt the $1,200 stimulus check has helped us keep finances afloat in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. But the money especially has been a lifesaver for those who work in traditionally lower-paid occupations. [The Oklahoman] Food bank assisting those who test for COVID-19: The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma announced Wednesday that it has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide emergency food boxes to individuals who test for COVID-19 at health departments in 28 Oklahoma counties. [The Oklahoman] Economy & Business News OSU survey targets best ways toward economic recovery for Oklahoma: OSU Extension specialists and researchers with the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics are conducting a survey of Oklahomans – including farmers and ranchers, agricultural companies and other business operators, and heads of households – to take the pulse of current opinions on the economy and comfort level with group meetings. [CNHI] Future remains at arm's length for hospitality industry: No one in the industry believes there is an easy fix or a one-size-fits-all solution on the horizon, but to map a road to recovery will require federal funding, modified business models, and the wherewithal to recognize sustainable practices on the fly for safe-keeping. [The Oklahoman] Banking slows overall, but more are going mobile: While mobile banking was already an option for many bank customers before the coronavirus pandemic, restrictions on business operations and personal choices to remain distant from others triggered an uptick in the number of people going online to handle their money. [The Oklahoman] Gov. Stitt posts picture of himself with Tesla CEO Elon Musk: Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday posted a picture of himself and Tesla CEO Elon Musk on social media. “Today’s NASA Space X #LaunchAmerica has been postponed until Saturday due to the weather. If only there was something Elon Musk and I could talk about to pass the time …” the caption read. The Associated Press recently reported that Tulsa and Austin, Texas, were finalists for Tesla’s new Cybertruck factory. [Tulsa World] Opinion: Local support will drive effort to rebuild Oklahoma: We’ve said it before and now it’s time to put our dollars behind it — "Support Local" is more than a slogan. Supporting local is what will bring tax dollars back to our state and money back into services. Back into our schools. [Opinion / The Oklahoman] Education News Here’s what school could look like for Oklahoma students next fall: The Oklahoma State Department of Education has issued a series of guidelines for schools. Local school boards will ultimately be the decision makers. District leaders are scrambling to figure out how exactly to deal with the situation. And the summer will be a critical time in  making those decisions. [StateImpact Oklahoma] Oklahoma schools 'likely' to have disruptions this fall, officials say: The 2020-21 school year is “likely to include short-term disruptions” because of the coronavirus, the Oklahoma Education Department has warned. The state agency advised school districts they could see “possibly even long-term disruptions in the fall.” State education officials released updated recommendations on May 13 for schools to consider during the COVID-19 pandemic. [The Oklahoman] Tulsa Public Schools to release survey to hear community's thoughts on returning to school in fall [Tulsa World] OU parent sues for fee refund: The father of a University of Oklahoma student has sued the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to recoup fees for campus services that were suspended because of COVID-19. [The Oklahoman] Health News Grant program to help in COVID-19 fight by increasing frontline access to patient data: A new grant program will give more of the state’s front-line health care workers real-time access to patient information, including COVID-19 test results. [Tulsa World] General News Local sports leaders are game to play, safely: The OSSAA earlier this month unveiled a multi-phase plan to bring high school sports back, beginning June 1. But what was once considered normal likely will be a thing of the past, at all levels of sports around the state. [The Oklahoman] School sports restart plans begin to take shape [Muskogee Phoenix] Editorial: Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association board shows 'gross disregard' amid the COVID-19 pandemic: The board’s decision creates an ugly situation in which each superintendent and coach has to weigh the risk of spreading a disease to their players and the community at large against the possible edge gained by a full resumption of activities. [Tulsa World] Oklahoma Local News Frontline Tulsa Transit employees to get bonuses as part of CARES Act funding [Tulsa World] Some Tulsa County dockets temporarily moving to Family Justice Center [Tulsa World] Sales tax collections up in Tahlequah, down in Cherokee County [CNHI] McAlester mayor says 'better things ahead' in State of the City address [McAlester News] Pontotoc County COVID-19 cases remain relatively low [CNHI] Quote of the Day “We don’t know if social distancing will be required in the fall, but what we have to do now is be prepared for those scenarios while we have this gift of time to prepare. It’s really a time that we can’t underscore enough the significance of the learning loss that has occurred.” -Superintendent Joy Hofmeister speaking about school plans for the fall semester [The Oklahoman] Number of the Day 100,000 Estimated number of Oklahoma schoolchildren who lack home internet access [StateImpact Oklahoma] See previous Numbers of the Day here. Policy Note America’s next crisis is already here. State and local governments are being hit hard by the pandemic: The dollars that state and local governments rely on to support public services are withering. Closed shops and offices, empty streets, and the obliteration of the travel and entertainment industries threaten nearly every source of state and local revenue. The loss of essential services hurts a community’s health, safety, and quality of life. It is also politically dangerous. When governments fail to protect their constituents during a pandemic and cut back on social services in its aftermath, they can sour their constituents on democracy and help fuel political extremism. [The Atlantic] 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

 

 

 

You can help Oklahomans vote safely

Dear Friend, We need your help to ensure that Oklahomans can vote safely in the upcoming election. Please sign up to help notarize ballots for voters in your community for the June 30th election! Voters will have two choices to verify their identity on absentee ballots:  provide a copy of an identification card, or  get their ballot notarized  You can help ensure that everyone who needs access to a notary can get it.  If you are commissioned as a notary, complete this sign-up form.  Our field organizers will contact you if someone in your community needs a ballot notarized and help connect you with the voter. The June 30th election is especially important for Oklahomans. In addition to the primary elections, voters will decide the fate of Medicaid expansion via State Question 802. You can help make sure everyone has the opportunity to weigh in on this crucial issue and can do so safely. Click here for information on how to become a notary in Oklahoma. After you are commissioned, you can use the form above to be able to connect with community members who need a notary. Together we can make a difference, Sabine Brown Outreach and Legislative Director TogetherOK’s success depends on your engagement – and there are many ways for you to get involved. Join Us   Together OK | 907 S Detroit Ave, Suite 1005, Tulsa, OK 74120 | (918) 794-3944 click here to unsubscribe | update subscription preferences | view email in browser