[Weekly Wonk] Moving towards justice | FY22 budget | Managed care isn't silver bullet | Ins & outs of Medicaid expansion

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 FY 2022 Budget Highlights: The FY 2022 budget reverses service cuts but remains at among lowest level in decades. The budget reflects a dramatic, if short-term, turnaround from last year due to the economic uptick coming out of the pandemic as well as the unprecedented investment of federal relief funds. The FY 2022 budget also includes $346.9 million of annual tax cuts, or about 4 percent of the current budget, which will likely never be reclaimed due to the supermajority requirements of SQ 640. [Emma Morris / OK Policy] Policy Matters: Moving toward healing, reconciliation, justice: Our public schools educated generations of Oklahomans without mentioning the destruction of Greenwood’s Black Wall Street. Our collective ignorance of this event was not an oversight. Oklahomans kept themselves – and their children – from facing uncomfortable facts. [Ahniwake Rose / Journal Record] Tulsa Race Massacre: After the national spotlight fades: The national spotlight will shine on our state in the coming days as we gather to commemorate the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre and its aftermath. Soon, however, this attention will fade and many long-standing issues will remain for Oklahomans to address.  [OK Policy] Managed care isn’t a silver bullet: Improving Oklahoma’s health outcomes requires multi-faceted investments: Oklahoma has the tools at its disposal right now to begin prioritizing the health of our friends and neighbors. The answer, despite recent claims, is not outsourcing the administration of our Medicaid program, also known as SoonerCare. Rather, we must look at the factors that actually impact health and increase our investment in the mental, physical, and economic well-being of all Oklahomans. [Emma Morris / OK Policy] Lawmakers expand private school scholarship tax credits (Capitol Update): Public school advocates argue that state tax credits to pay for private school scholarships take money from public schools and hinder their education programs. They will surely feel they lost a round in this battle over public school funding. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update] Connecting to Health Care: The Ins and Outs of Enrolling for Medicaid Expansion: Nearly 200,000 Oklahomans will be eligible for health care as the state expands Medicaid. This presentation is designed to help answer questions about who may be eligible for Medicaid coverage, how and when Oklahomans can apply, and how organizations can help connect community members to health care. Presented by the Cover OK Coalition and OK Policy. [YouTube]

[In The Know] Legislature adjourns, Republicans tout wins | Managed care 'guardrail' bill law | Tulsa Race Massacre

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 Governor lets Medicaid bill become law without signature: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said Thursday he has let a bill putting some restrictions on his plan to privatize Medicaid become law without his signature. Stitt has pushed forward with a plan to outsource management of the state’s Medicaid system to for-profit insurance companies, maintaining that that approach will maximize health care quality while cutting costs. [AP News] Oklahoma Legislature adjourns 2021 legislative session with Republicans touting wins: The Oklahoma Legislature on Thursday concluded its regular 2021 legislative session after lawmakers passed a state budget for the upcoming fiscal year and sent a record number of bills to Gov. Kevin Stitt's desk. But like so many items voted on by the legislature, opinions about the session were divided on party lines. Republican legislative leaders praised the accomplishments of their supermajorities in both chambers. Democrats, on the other hand, were critical of many policy priorities pursued by their colleagues across the aisle. [The Oklahoman] Republican leaders called it the most productive session in recent history. “I think this is the most comprehensive session that I have seen in the nine years of my service I have experienced here in the House of Representatives,” said House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka. [Tulsa World] Lawmakers tout their $9 billion budget, which included personal and corporate income tax cuts, and significant changes to education policies this session, but they also did things like pass a flurry of new abortion restrictions, change state law to name a stretch of panhandle highway after former President Donald Trump, make Oklahoma a Second Amendment sanctuary state and suspend rules to get bills heard after deadlines. [Public Radio Tulsa] Lawmakers are expected to return for a special session in the fall to approve a redistricting plan for the state’s five U.S. House seats. [AP News]  Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial News Unearthing history: Tulsa massacre victims search resumes: As the U.S. marks 100 years since one of its most shameful historical chapters, researchers, including descendants of Black victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre, are preparing to resume a search for remains believed to have been hastily buried in mass graves. [AP News] Cornel West calls for peace, truth in addressing 'vicious contempt' of Race Massacre [Tulsa World] As Tulsa commemorates massacre, African Americans hope for justice amid shifting tide [Reuters] Calls for reparations as Tulsa anniversary looms [Reuters] Last Tulsa Race Massacre survivors push for reparations [CNHI via Ada News] Greenwood Conversations: Tulsa City Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper [Tulsa People] 'A hot-button issue': Not all Black Tulsans are happy about Greenwood Rising [Tulsa World] President Joe Biden to mark Tulsa Race Massacre centennial by meeting survivors: President Joe Biden will visit Tulsa on Tuesday to mark the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, according to the White House. Biden's visit will cap off a long weekend full of events, speakers and concerts to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the tragedy that marks one of the lowest points in Oklahoma history. [The Oklahoman] City, economic groups plan to pour $4 million into new Greenwood entrepreneurial services [Tulsa World] Visits with centenarian Tulsa Race Massacre survivors will stay possible through interactive exhibit unveiled at Gilcrease Museum [Tulsa World] How did 1921 Black Wall Street residents defy America's 'caste' system? Author Isabel Wilkerson gives talk at reconciliation symposium: A Pulitzer Prize-winning author made the connection between the Tulsa Race Massacre and ideology that America was founded with a built-in caste or hierarchy system with Black people at the bottom. [The Oklahoman] 'Remember and Rise' is canceled but here's how to watch other Tulsa Race Massacre centennial events [The Oklahoman] | [Tulsa World] 'Art speaks': Greenwood Art Project unveils wide-ranging commemoration of Tulsa Race Massacre [The Oklahoman] | [Public Radio Tulsa] Health News How high levels of COVID found in OKC sewage led to vaccine pop-up clinic: Fifty-two people got a COVID-19 shot Wednesday outside the Feria Latina Supermarket on Southwest 47th Street — a location selected by the Oklahoma City-County Health Department for a pop-up clinic by monitoring several data trends. The store's zip code lagged behind others in vaccination rates, and sewage surveillance showed COVID-19 was present at higher levels in the area compared with other parts of Oklahoma County. Those reasons, coupled with lower vaccine uptake among Hispanic residents, led health officials to land on the grocery store for a pop-up site. [The Oklahoman] 'Everyone needs to be vaccinated,' even teens, an Oklahoma doctor says [Tulsa World] ‘Deep need’: OU-Tulsa dental care expansion approved: While also discussing other developments in the health care arena, the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents approved an OU-Tulsa dental care program expansion during its meeting today. The effort to improve oral health care access and expand College of Dentistry capacity will feature the construction of a 5,800-square-foot dental clinic on the third floor of the OU Health Physicians Schusterman Center Clinic building in Tulsa. [NonDoc] State & Local Government News New unemployment claims in Oklahoma spike in final weeks of extra benefits: The number of new unemployment claims spiked nearly 80% as Oklahoma enters the final month of offering pandemic-related benefits. Oklahoma's jump comes while the number of new claims across the United States has fallen by more than half since January. [The Oklahoman] The 80% increase in weekly claims is also the largest rate of increase in weekly claims in the state since the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. State officials blamed the large increase in initial jobless claims on fraudsters trying to scoop up federal benefits before they disappear. [Tulsa World] ‘Megacenters’ coming to OKC, Tulsa for Real ID delays: Oklahoma residents who face monthslong delays in getting driver’s license renewals or Real IDs will be able to visit “megacenters” this summer in Oklahoma City and Tulsa to help clear a backlog that has been building since the coronavirus pandemic started. [Oklahoma Watch] State lawmakers appropriated $6.6 million for the temporary centers that will be located in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. [The Oklahoman] A spokeswoman for DPS said Wednesday that the agency is now two months behind in processing online driver’s license renewals. [CNHI via Ada News] Civil rights lawyers' claim for fees in panhandling case should be cut by nearly half, city says: City of Oklahoma City attorneys say their lead opponent in a battle over a panhandling ordinance is only entitled to be paid at 80% of his hourly rate. The team led by University of Oklahoma College of Law Professor Joseph Thai won a ruling last summer that the 2015 panhandling ordinance violated the First Amendment. [The Oklahoman] Federal Government News Federal highway bill promises $4.4 billion for Oklahoma roads and bridges: Oklahoma would receive nearly $4.4 billion for roads and bridges over the next five years, under a bipartisan highway bill approved this week by a U.S. Senate committee. First-year funding of $840 million would represent a 21% increase over the current federal allocation to Oklahoma. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma Farm Bureau members encouraged to participate in congressional redistricting town halls: Oklahoma Farm Bureau encourages its members to attend congressional redistricting town hall meetings to represent the voices and perspectives of rural Oklahoma. Five in-person town halls will be hosted in each congressional district, along with two virtual town halls. The meetings provide Oklahomans an opportunity to offer input as House and Senate redistricting committees prepare to draw new congressional district lines. [OK Farm Bureau]  Federal authorities seek to protect lesser prairie chicken in Oklahoma, surrounding states: A long-running effort to list the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act has taken flight once again. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the species under the act, reversing course from a decision agency officials made several years ago that left the bird's fate in the hands of conservation programs adopted by nonprofits and businesses. [The Oklahoman] See redistricting meeting schedule from the Oklahoma House of Representatives.  Lankford says he opposes independent, bipartisan Jan. 6 commission proposal passed by House: Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said Wednesday evening that he will vote against the House-backed formation of an independent, bipartisan commission to examine the Jan. 6 pro-Trump insurrection. [Public Radio Tulsa] Tribal Nations News Hoskin testifies before Senate committee in support of Native languages bill: Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Wednesday to express support for a piece of language preservation legislation named for the late Cherokee linguist Durbin Feeling. [Public Radio Tulsa] Cherokee Nation approves $2,000 in direct payments to all of its citizens: The Cherokee Nation will use part of its pandemic relief money to provide direct aid to its citizens. The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council approved legislation Thursday evening laying out a framework for how the tribe will spend $1.8 billion in COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. [Tulsa World] Criminal Justice News Oklahoma death row inmate dies after contracting COVID-19: An Oklahoma death row inmate awaiting execution for a 2004 slaying in Oklahoma City died of COVID-19, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Thursday. Nicholas Davis, 46, died on April 7 at a prison hospital in Lindsay after contracting the coronavirus, according to a medical examiner’s report. [AP News] Education News State Department, Board of Education will have separate legal counsel: During a special meeting Thursday, the State Board of Education received the resignation of its general counsel, Brad Clark. The board also heard an update from Oologah-Talala Public Schools regarding accreditation probation and entered into executive session to discuss a lawsuit filed by Western Heights Public Schools. [NonDoc] Epic Charter Schools cuts ties with Epic Youth Services, co-founders Ben Harris and David Chaney: The Epic Charter Schools board, Community Strategies, voted Wednesday night to terminate their contract with the private educational management company Epic Youth Services as of July 1. Epic Youth Services is owned by the schools’ co-founders, Ben Harris and David Chaney. [NonDoc] State and federal officials have been investigating since last year for allegedly embezzling millions in state funds by illegally inflating student enrollment counts. Among the biggest concerns of state investigators and a grand jury is Epic Youth Services, which has received a 10% management fee paid for by public funds. [AP News] Quote of the Day "I am 107 years old and I have never seen justice. I pray that one day I will." -Viola Fletcher, a Tulsa Race Massacre survivor who testified before Congress earlier this month [Reuters] Number of the Day 86 of 1,000 In Oklahoma, 86 of 1,000 employees is likely affected by depression. Employees with untreated depression lose an average of 45 work days annually to absenteeism and presenteeism. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth [Source: Healthy Minds Initiative] Policy Note Oklahoma’s Untapped Workforce: The economic case for addressing mental health: Healthy Minds has released a new report on the relationship between mental health and Oklahoma’s workforce. By addressing mental health and embracing practices proven to strengthen and grow the workforce, Oklahoma and its business community can benefit from increased workforce productivity and participation leading to economic gains. [Healthy Minds Initiative] 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] AG announces resignation | Epic Charter Schools severs ties with co-founders | FY 2022 budget highlights

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 FY 2022 Budget Highlights: OK Policy staff have analyzed the FY 2022 budget, which was signed by the governor. The FY 2022 budget reverses service cuts but remains at among lowest level in decades. The budget reflects a dramatic, if short-term, turnaround from last year due to the economic uptick coming out of the pandemic as well as the unprecedented investment of federal relief funds. The FY 2022 budget also includes $346.9 million of annual tax cuts, or about 4 percent of the current budget, which will likely never be reclaimed due to the supermajority requirements of SQ 640. [Emma Morris / OK Policy] Oklahoma News Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announces resignation: Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter on Wednesday announced his resignation, citing “certain personal matters that are becoming public.” In a statement released by his office, the 64-year-old Republican said he plans to step down June 1. In the statement, Hunter expressed concern that his personal issues could overshadow the work of his office. Although the statement did not describe the personal matter, Hunter filed for divorce from his wife, Cheryl, on Friday. The couple has been married for nearly 40 years and has two adult children. Hunter’s resignation means Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt will name his replacement, allowing the governor to put an ally in the post. Stitt and Hunter, both Republicans, have occasionally clashed on various matters, including over Stitt’s decision to renegotiate the state’s gaming compacts with Native American tribes. [AP News] Read more from [Tulsa World] | [The Oklahoman] | [NonDoc] | [Public Radio Tulsa] | [KGOU] | [New York Times] What we know about attorney general Mike Hunter's resignation [The Oklahoman] 'This relationship is done': Epic breaks with co-founders: Epic Charter Schools on Wednesday severed all ties with its co-founders and restructured its school board, signaling a turning point for the embattled virtual charter school system. Serving 52,000 students, Epic is the largest public school system in Oklahoma. Ben Harris and David Chaney, who founded Epic in 2011, will no longer have any financial interest or control in the school system. Their company, Epic Youth Services, managed Epic since the school's inception. [The Oklahoman] Epic’s seven-member board of education unanimously approved a mutual termination agreement, effective July 1, to end its contract with Epic Youth Services, which reportedly has made millionaires of founders David Chaney and Ben Harris. [Tulsa World] Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial News Century after massacre, Black Tulsans struggle for a voice: Tulsa and Oklahoma City are now increasingly Democratic, with seven African American legislators. But the Legislature’s conservative Republican leadership keeps this group on the margins. Seventy-two of the 81 bills introduced by Black legislators this year never received a committee hearing, according to an Associated Press analysis. Only two made it to the governor’s desk. [AP News] Black caucus member critical of Senate's resolution commemorating Tulsa Race Massacre [Public Radio Tulsa] From Black Wall Street to George Floyd, the echoes of trauma shape Black Americans' reality: From a small office inside the Greenwood Cultural Center on a recent Saturday afternoon, Tiffany Crutcher could look south and see a Black Wall Street mural under a freeway, then east and see Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church, the only Black-owned building that remains from the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. [The Oklahoman] Police chief calls for community vigilance ahead of Tulsa Race Massacre centennial, presidential visit: The Tulsa Police Department has long been planning security for the events of the 100th anniversary of the race massacre, but with a presidential visit now in the mix, the agency is asking residents to be vigilant in the days ahead. [Tulsa World] Tulsa is preparing for its second consecutive June featuring thousands of visitors, demonstrations and a visit from the President of the United States, and the head of the city's police force said Wednesday they're better prepared from having experienced it last year. [Public Radio Tulsa] Biden to meet with Tulsa Race Massacre survivors during visit [Public Radio Tulsa] Rev. Jesse Jackson to be here for Tulsa Race Massacre centennial events [Tulsa World] Rep. Cori Bush, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Nina Turner to attend Black Wall Street Legacy Fest [The Black Wall Street Times] 'What happened here?' Sculptor hopes art inspires curiosity about the Tulsa Race Massacre: Edward Dwight creates memorials to tell stories that leave people hungry for more information. Dwight's Tower of Reconciliation and other sculptures at John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park were designed with this premise in mind, the prominent artist said on Wednesday during the National Reconciliation Symposium in Tulsa. [The Oklahoman] Greenwood Art Project hopes to add culture to centennial events [Public Radio Tulsa] Greenwood Art Project officially unveiled at public event: 'Powerful to see' [Tulsa World] 'Fresh and new' even after a century: Historic Tulsa church shows off restored stained glass [Tulsa World] A skillful narrative of excavating the truth about the Tulsa Race Massacre [New York Times] Once overlooked in classrooms, Tulsa race massacre now seen as 'important' lesson in Oklahoma schools [NBC News] Tulsa mayor says he's tuning out international media coverage of centennial, focusing on local 'mourning' [Public Radio Tulsa] Health News OU Health to close public COVID testing site in Oklahoma City as demand declines: OU Health will close its public COVID-19 testing site in Oklahoma City at the end of the month, as cases and demand for the tests have declined. The site, located at 1200 Mark Everett Drive near Oklahoma Children's Hospital, will close May 31. At one point, OU Health was conducting over 800 tests a day. [The Oklahoman] COVID-19: State reports more than 800 new virus cases in last week as averages continue to drop [Tulsa World] State Government News Gov. Kevin Stitt signs bill allowing Oklahoma Legislature to fight 'federal overreach': Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday signed legislation Republican state lawmakers say will allow Oklahoma to push back against federal overreach. Stitt signed House Bill 1236 that allows the Oklahoma Legislature to ask the state's attorney general to review and evaluate the legality of federal actions, including executive orders from President Joe Biden. [The Oklahoman] House passes anti-vaccination measure, may be finished for the session: The Oklahoma House of Representatives apparently heard its last few bills of the session Wednesday afternoon, including one that would prohibit schools, colleges and universities from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. Senate Bill 658, by Sen. Rob Standridge, also would make it more difficult for schools to impose mask mandates and would ban them from requiring unvaccinated students to wear masks. [Tulsa World] Lawmakers Borrow From State's COVID Vaccination Playbook To Help With Driver's License Delays: State lawmakers promised Wednesday help is on the way for thousands of Oklahomans facing months-long delays in getting driver’s licenses. Sen. Chuck Hall (R-Perry) said to help clear a roughly 300,000 person backlog, they’re taking a page from the state’s COVID-19 vaccination clinics and unemployment claim events and standing up "megacenters." [Public Radio Tulsa] Lawmakers set aside $6.6 million for the centers, Hall said. [Tulsa World] Mulready: Mental Health Awareness Month – know what’s covered: May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and many people have been experiencing greater stresses since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many families are still facing economic challenges and anxieties about the health of loved ones. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I would like to take a moment to remind Oklahomans that all comprehensive major medical insurance plans are required by law to cover mental health and substance abuse services. [The Journal Record] Federal Government News Justices signal they could limit Indian Country ruling: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted Oklahoma’s request to retain custody of a man who has been on death row for killing three Native Americans, a sign the court may be willing to limit the fallout from last year’s ruling that much of eastern Oklahoma remains a tribal reservation. [AP News] The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to keep Oklahoma death row inmate Shaun Michael Bosse in state custody while justices consider reviewing a key question about criminal jurisdiction on Native American reservations recently affirmed in the state. [The Oklahoman] Supreme Court May Revisit Ruling on Native American Rights in Oklahoma [New York Times] Criminal Justice News Oklahoma City family questions police pursuit that killed pregnant mom Star Shells: Criticized by some experts as highly dangerous to innocent bystanders and in many cases ineffective when it comes to catching suspects, police-involved vehicular pursuits have increased here, with the Oklahoma City Police Department reporting 383 such chases in 2020, or the most in the last five years. [The Oklahoman] 'Change starts in this room.' Local Oklahoma leaders engage in conversations aimed at unity: Framed by the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and set amid the backdrop of the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Tuesday's "Breaking Bread" breakfast, organized by the OK Justice Circle, had one focus — unity. [The Oklahoman] Commutation hearing for death row inmate Julius Jones set for September: After spending more than two decades on Oklahoma’s death row for a murder he maintains he never committed, Julius Jones will finally receive a commutation hearing at 10:00 a.m. on September 13. [The Black Wall Street Times] OKCPD officer fired following 10 allegations of misconduct: An Oklahoma City Police Department officer was terminated after an administrative investigation into 10 allegations of misconduct arising from an incident in September 2020. [The Oklahoman] After hearing testimony and documentation of the allegations, the Deputy Chief sustained the allegations and so did Chief of Police Wade Gourley. [OKC Free Press] Education News Oklahoma continues to battle teacher shortage, but pandemic hasn’t caused a mass exit yet: Annually, more than 4,000 of Oklahoma’s roughly 45,000 teachers leave the profession in the state and the number of new hires is consistently lower. And at Stilwell, the job is just plain hard. More than 90% of the school’s students are economically disadvantaged and nearly ⅔ are below target for academic achievement on the state’s school report card. That means there’s lots of trauma in the school, Faith Phillips said. [StateImpact Oklahoma] Oklahoma seeking greater access, diversity in computer science education: A nationwide push for a more inclusive computer science workforce is taking hold in Oklahoma. Educators, lawmakers and nonprofits are advocating for expanded access in the state to classes that teach computing systems and programming. Only 37% of public high schools in the state teach any level of computer science, placing Oklahoma in the bottom 10 in the nation, according to the 2020 State of Computer Science Education report. [The Oklahoman] OU’s proposed Cross Village settlement leaves bondholders feeling ‘swindled’: When First Bethany Bank & Trust President Priscilla Cude bought $500,000 worth of bonds in 2017 to help finance the University of Oklahoma’s controversial $251.7 million Cross Village housing project, she thought she was simultaneously supporting her alma mater and making an investment for her customers that would yield substantial interest returns over the next decade. [NonDoc] General News Native American groups fight 'erasure' after Instagram posts disappear: Leading up to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day on May 5, Sutton King and her team at the Urban Indigenous Collective took to Instagram to spread the word about their missing persons project. But on May 6, she woke up to find some of the organization’s Instagram Stories - which should stay up for 24 hours - and permanent posts had disappeared. Then, other indigenous people and groups started reporting their posts had also been deleted. [Reuters] Quote of the Day “When you’re pulled over, you’re wondering, ‘OK, is this going to be my last day on this Earth?’ You’re tense, you’re nervous, you make sure you don’t say the wrong thing, don’t tick nobody off, make sure you follow all the commands. Keep your hands visible and be very polite and respectful. That’s a part of it and something you've got to endure and live with. I don’t get a fair shake. Sometimes you’ve got to be better than the other person just to be on the same level.” -Lloyd Ware, a 63-year-old Black man who recently came from Tennessee to revisit Tulsa's Greenwood District [The Oklahoman] Number of the Day 421:1 Oklahoma’s average student-to-counselor ratio currently, compared to the recommended ratio of 250:1. [Source: Oklahoma Policy Institute] Policy Note The Pandemic’s Impact on Children’s Mental Health: The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the nation’s mental health, and a new issue brief shows that children are also facing worsening emotional and cognitive health. The brief examines factors contributing to worsening mental health and substance use outcomes among children and adolescents during the pandemic, looking closely at those who are at higher risk for negative mental health impacts, such as LGBTQ youth and children of color. [Kaiser Family Foundation] 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] Tulsa Race Massacre: 'A conspiracy of silence' | Generational wealth loss for Black Tulsans | 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 Connecting to Health Care: The Ins and Outs of Enrolling for Medicaid Expansion: Nearly 200,000 Oklahomans will be eligible for health care as the state expands Medicaid. The state is accepting applications starting June 1. This video presentation is designed to help answer questions about who may be eligible for Medicaid coverage, how Oklahomans can apply, and how organizations can help connect community members to health care. Presented by the Cover OK Coalition and OK Policy. [YouTube] Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial News 'A conspiracy of silence': Tulsa Race Massacre was absent from schools for generations: The story on the tape couldn’t be real. That’s what state Sen. Kevin Matthews thought as he watched a VHS film, given to him by his great-uncle, depicting a white mob destroying Tulsa’s Greenwood District. Matthews, 61, was in his 30s at the time. He had grown up in Tulsa and graduated from Tulsa Public Schools. But, he had never heard this story before. [The Oklahoman] Tulsa Race Massacre seen through segregated media [The Oklahoman] Skewed view of Tulsa Race Massacre started on Day 1 with 'The Story That Set Tulsa Ablaze' [The Oklahoman] Black Wall Street wealth lost in Tulsa massacre spans generations, experts say: Generations lost millions in waves of Black Wall Street destruction — first the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, then through construction and urban renewal. A century after that massacre, the nation’s attention is on Greenwood, and while awareness is heightened, thanks to television shows and documentaries, the story of the community’s rebuilding and repeated loss of generational wealth are often left out of the storytelling. [The Oklahoman] How the Tulsa Race Massacre destroyed Greenwood and impacted generations of Americans [The Oklahoman] In pursuit of reparations, Tulsa Race Massacre survivors ask city to 'do the right thing': Across the United States, renewed calls for reparations to help right decades-old racial injustices have been part of a racial reckoning that seemed to gain momentum in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. As the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre is commemorated and survivors of the tragedy are honored, a demand for justice in the form of reparations will continue to be part of the conversation. [The Oklahoman] Reparations fund created by Tulsa faith community for victims of attack on Black Wall Street [The Oklahoman] | [Public Radio Tulsa] 'We survived it, thank God.' Tulsa Race Massacre survivor discusses tragedy 100 years later: Star Penny Johnson remembers when she learned her grandmother had survived one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history. It was about six or seven years ago when her grandmother, Lessie Benningfield Randle, started talking about the events of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. [The Oklahoman] 'Dodging bullets' and coming home to 'nothing left': An illustrated history of the Tulsa Race Massacre. [The Oklahoman] Black Wall Street then and now: See the difference in 100 years [The Oklahoman] 100 years after Black Wall Street burned, Greenwood continues rebuilding from Tulsa massacre: Greenwood, America's 'Black Wall Street,' was destroyed in the bloody Tulsa Race Massacre. But even after a second destruction, its legacy lives on. [The Oklahoman] For mayor, Tulsa Race Massacre mass graves investigation is 98 years too late but still absolutely necessary [Tulsa World] Led by modern-day 'Moses,' Tulsa's Mount Zion Baptist rose from ashes after race massacre [The Oklahoman] 100 years after Tulsa Race Massacre, the damage remains [AP News] When violence has been the chosen answer: Lessons from the Tulsa Race Massacre [J.D. Baker / NonDoc] From Black Wall Street to George Floyd, the echoes of trauma shape Black Americans' reality [The Oklahoman] President Biden to visit Tulsa for Race Massacre events: President Joe Biden plans to appear in Tulsa on Tuesday, the 100th anniversary of the destruction of Tulsa's all-Black Greenwood neighborhood during the 1921 Race Massacre. No details of Biden's visit were available, but the White House confirmed he will be coming to the city.  [Tulsa World] | [The Oklahoman] | [Public Radio Tulsa] | [AP News] Following Congressional testimony last week, several Tulsans attended a West Wing meeting to discuss a range of topics including H.R. 40 on reparations, The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and a now-confirmed visit to Tulsa for the Massacre centennial, though the president himself wasn’t there at the time. [The Black Wall Street Times]  State & Local Government News Senate OK's bill prohibiting schools from requiring vaccinations for attendance: The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday passed a measure that would prohibit schools from requiring COVID-19 vaccines for attendance. Senate Bill 658, by Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, heads to the House for consideration. The measure prohibits schools from requiring a vaccine passport as a condition of admittance or attendance. [Tulsa World] The state health department said last month individual governing boards may have authority to issue such requirements, but a statewide one would not happen. [Public Radio Tulsa] Oklahoma bill focuses on limiting masking and vaccine requirements [KFOR] Gov. Kevin Stitt says he will sign bill aimed to help charter, public schools with low revenue: Gov. Kevin Stitt said Tuesday that he will sign a bill that will help traditional public and charter schools that have low or no revenue from property taxes. Senate Bill 229 will provide up to $38.5 million in medical marijuana taxes for a building fund to benefit brick-and-mortar charter schools and traditional districts with below-average property taxes. The bulk of the funds would go to public schools. [Tulsa World] 'A whole new age': Oklahoma name, image, likeness bill passes, would let college athletes earn compensation: College athletes in Oklahoma would be able to hire an agent and earn money beginning this summer if Gov. Kevin Stitt gives final approval to legislation that cleared the Oklahoma Legislature on Tuesday. Sixteen other states have already passed similar bills to allow college athletes to receive financial compensation on their names, images or likenesses, something for decades that had been prohibited by the NCAA. [The Oklahoman] Sales, use tax collections surge to highest in OKC history: Oklahoma City’s most recent sales and use tax report shows combined General Fund collections at their highest levels in the city’s history, a dramatic increase compared to the same time frame last year and well above projections. [The Journal Record] Gov. Stitt signs FY 2022 state budget into law: On Monday, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law the Fiscal Year 2022 state budget package included in House Bill 2900, the general appropriations bill. The FY 2022 budget cuts taxes for all Oklahomans, invests a record $3.2 billion in education, and replenishes over $800 million in state reserve funds that were significantly reduced to offset pandemic-related revenue reductions last year for $1.3 billion in savings for the state of Oklahoma. [KGOU] Many police reform bills introduced during Oklahoma's legislative session don't get out of committee: The calls have been loud for police reform legislation one year since the death of George Floyd. But depending on where you are, there have been few or no reform bills passed. There were multiple bills aimed at police reform in the past year in Oklahoma, but most did not make it past committee. [KOCO] Finish line in sight for President Donald J. Trump Highway as bill heads to governor's desk: The much-traveled President Donald J. Trump Highway bill completed its final lap in the Legislature and coasted on down to the governor’s desk Tuesday morning. [Tulsa World] Criminal Justice News A year after George Floyd's death: What has changed in Oklahoma City?: Angelique Chandler spoke for many in Bricktown, after a week of racial justice demonstrations a year ago sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, when she said, "Let's just seek out change after this." A year later, the promise of change hangs in the air, animating some Oklahoma City policymakers but leaving police reform advocates increasingly frustrated. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma City police pursuit ends in crash, woman killed: A woman died after the car she was driving was struck by a stolen pickup truck being pursed by Oklahoma City police. The truck, reported stolen Monday, was tracked by the owner using his telephone, relaying its location to officers who spotted and began pursuing it, according to Capt. Dan Stewart. [AP News] Economic Opportunity Editorial: Oasis Fresh Market ends food desert for north Tulsa residents: We join the cheers and celebration about last week’s Oasis Fresh Market opening, which finally ends an unconscionable food desert. The market at 1725 N. Peoria Ave. is stocked with fresh, affordable food with an array of options for healthier lifestyles. It provides the same types of amenities that large grocers in other sections of the city offer. [Editorial Board / Tulsa World] Oklahoma Local News Arts Festival, homeless services, “period poverty” taken up in OKC Council [OKC Free Press] Lawton City Council approves 2021-2022 budget [OKC Free Press] Tulsa Public Schools bond campaign supporters reiterate call for 'yes' vote [Public Radio Tulsa] Quote of the Day "Mabel Little lost her home and business in 1921 and then lost her home and business again during urban renewal. The city paid her $16,000. She was denied that generational wealth twice. And there were many families in Greenwood who shared that same story."  -Carlos Moreno, author of "The Victory at Greenwood," speaking about Greenwood resident Mabel Little who lost everything in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and again in 1971 when her home and business were taken to build a highway through the heart of Greenwood. He estimates her estate could have been worth about $1.3 million in present value, far more than what she had left when she died in 2001. [The Oklahoman] Number of the Day 46th Oklahoma's ranking in state mental health agency per capita mental health services expenditures. [Source: Kaiser Family Foundation] Policy Note Amid progress on COVID-19, a mental health crisis looms: May is Mental Health Awareness month. This particular May also marks what some are calling a turning point in the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, with states across the South and the rest of the country this week reporting the lowest level of positive cases in months. Yet even as increased vaccinations are leading to a decline in COVID-19 cases and deaths, the mental toll of the virus continues. And it may not be fully measured for years to come, if ever. But before COVID-19 struck, 1 in 5 U.S. adults — nearly 50 million people — were already living with mental illness. People with mental illness are already more like to have lower incomes and be uninsured.  And though studies have found an association between Medicaid expansion and greater insurance coverage among low-income adults with depression, most states in the South — the country's poorest and Blackest region — have refused to expand Medicaid, making it harder for residents to get the care they need. [Facing South] 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