[Weekly Wonk] Throwing people in jail for experiencing homelessness doesn’t solve the problem | Immigrants are vital to Oklahoma's well-being | Proposed changes to judicial nominating process are unnecessary and increase polarization

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.

SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2024 Subscribe // View latest headlines Throwing people in jail for experiencing homelessness doesn't solve the problem   Senate Bill 1854 and House Bill 3686 would prohibit unauthorized camping on state-owned land. Violators would be subject to fines or even jail time. Not only are these proposals harmful and cruel, they are counterproductive. Research shows us that the best way to combat homelessness is to increase access to affordable housing. [Sabine Brown / OK Policy] Capitol Update: Proposed changes to the judicial nominating process are unnecessary and increase politicization   The Judicial Nominating Commission assures qualified candidates for appellate judicial offices who are vetted on their merits, their judgment, and their perceived ability to interpret the law and constitution, not their association with a politician or one of his friends or donors. Competence counts. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update] Policy Matters: Immigrants are vital to Oklahoma's well-being   America's history centers on welcoming immigrants to make new lives and become part of the great American mosaic. Even just a generation ago, this belief was bedrock. Today, however, this principle has come under attack from national pundits making immigration a wedge issue. [Shiloh Kantz / Journal Record] REGISTER NOW for the 2024 Day of Action at the State Capitol "Allyship is bound in uncomfortable action. I think what several folks have mentioned today that I can only echo is that our lives are difficult, and made so every day by the policy thought of, spoken of and passed in this building."   - Oklahoma Rep. Mauree Turner, a non-binary lawmaker representing Oklahoma City,  speaking at an annual gathering called The People's Hearing at the Oklahoma State Capitol. "The People's Hearing," is a storytelling event aimed at fostering solidarity among trans and gender-nonconforming Oklahomans. [KOSU] -6% - Percentage change of larceny reports nationwide in the 4th quarter of 2023 when compared with the same period in 2022. [FBI Crime Data Reporter]    24 - Black families owned about 24 cents for every $1 of white family wealth, on average. Hispanic families owned about 19 cents for every $1 of white family wealth, on average. [Federal Reserve Bank of St, Louis]   19.5 - The data show that poverty is especially concentrated for Oklahoma's children with 19.5 percent, or almost 1 in 5 children, living at or below the federal poverty level. For a family of three, this means the child lived in a household that earned around $23,000 or less in 2022. While Oklahoma was one of 11 states that saw a decrease in child poverty, Oklahoma had the nation's 8th highest rate of children living in poverty during 2022. [U.S. Census Bureau via OK Policy]   $16 billion - Undocumented immigrants in 2016 contributed $16 billion to major federal programs —$13 billion into the Social Security funds and $3 billion to Medicare — despite not being able to receive benefits from these programs. [Marketplace]   18,900 - Estimated number of Oklahoma adults who identify as transgender. [Williams Institute / UCLA School of Law] Sunday, March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility celebrating the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the poverty, discrimination, and violence the community faces. The Movement Advancement Project ranks Oklahoma as the 4th most hostile state for its policies specifically about gender identity, or those most impacting transgender and nonbinary people.   Voter ID Requirements   In 2010, Oklahoma voters approved State Question 746, which established new voter identification requirements. The state question requires voters to present a valid government-issued document that includes their name and picture or a voter identification card issued by their county election board. A person who cannot or does not provide one of those forms of identification may sign a sworn statement and cast a provisional ballot.   SQ 746 was approved with 74.3 percent of the vote and took effect in July 2011. After a lengthy legal challenge, the Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously upheld Oklahoma's voter ID law in 2018.   Look up more key terms to understand Oklahoma politics and government here. Tulsa World: Gov. Stitt should renew the mutually beneficial Cherokee Nation tag compacts   Gov. Kevin Stitt has an opportunity with the Cherokee Nation car tag compacts to continue an agreement that has been working for everyone. We encourage him to take it.   Stitt, who is a Cherokee citizen, and most of the American Indian tribes have developed a contentious relationship in various attempts at renegotiating compacts on everything from gaming to fishing. Tensions worsened after the U.S. Supreme Court found in McGirt v. Oklahoma that — for law enforcement purposes — the Muscogee Nation Reservation was never de-established. Following that precedent, a lower court has ruled the same for several other Oklahoma tribes.   A welcomed change would be extending the existing Cherokee Nation tag compacts, which have been mutually beneficial to the state and the tribe.   In 2002, the Cherokee Nation entered into the first tag compact with the state and added another compact in 2013. The first one is for tags sold to tribal citizens living in a county at least partially within the tribe's reservation. The other is for tags sold to citizens living elsewhere in the state.   Of the income the tribe receives from tag sales, 38% is given directly to public schools, 20% goes for roads, 5% goes to law enforcement and municipalities, and the rest is retained for tribal services, including health, food and language preservation.   The agreements include the sharing of vehicle information with the state.   Over the last two decades, the tribe has donated $92 million in car tag revenue to public education, reports Tulsa World journalist Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton. Also, it donated $50 million for roads and infrastructure and $9 million for northeastern Oklahoma law enforcement.   On Tuesday, the Cherokee Nation awarded public school districts in Tulsa County $1.72 million, more than any other county within the tribe's reservation received. The breakdown includes nearly $200,000 to Tulsa Public Schools, $342,062 to Broken Arrow, $164,055 to Union, $144,811 to Owasso and $111,855 to Jenks.   These are unrestricted funds, meaning schools can spend the money however they want. Districts have used it for teacher salaries, technology or bills.   If the compacts expire, future funding disappears.   A spokeswoman with Stitt's office said negotiations are happening "in good faith" but pointed to the Choctaw and Chickasaw compacts as "the better deal."   We caution against using a cookie-cutter approach to tribal compacting. Every tribe operates differently based on its resources, laws and infrastructure. What works for one tribe may not apply to another.   Choctaw and Chickasaw citizens buy tags through the state's tag offices and receive a 20% rebate from their tribes later. Cherokee citizens purchase tags through their tribe's Tax Commission, and income is distributed directly to state entities.   The Cherokee Nation Tax Commission employs 80 people and has seven tag offices. The nation takes on the cost of issuing tags, and the state gets a cut of its profits.   A bonus to beneficiaries is not having to go through the sometimes cumbersome processes to get the funds.   Last year, the Legislature passed House Bill 1005x to extend vehicle compacts for a year (expiring Dec. 31). The bill was vetoed by Stitt, and his veto was overridden by the Legislature, which led to a lawsuit filed by the governor. That remains pending.   If an agreement is not reached in the next few weeks, lawmakers may need to intervene again. We hope it doesn't come to that.   [Editorial / Tulsa World] The U.S. crime rate is still dropping, FBI data shows: New FBI data confirms previous indications that crime in the U.S. declined significantly in 2023, continuing a post-pandemic trend and belying widespread perceptions that crime is rising. Why does the public think it's going up? "There is definitely more disorder in cities than there was five years ago," said one expert. "People confuse disorder and crime." [NBC News]   Innovating for Equity: Unlocking Value for Communities and Businesses: Racially and ethnically marginalized communities offer untapped potential for global economic growth. This new insight report takes a fresh look at the issue, focusing on how working with social innovators who are advancing racial and ethnic equity is a smart business decision. [World Economic Forum]   Families slip back into poverty after pandemic-era child tax credit expires (Video): During the pandemic, lawmakers dramatically, but temporarily, expanded the social safety net, including more money for families with children. The impacts of those changes are still being felt and debated to this day. Amna Nawaz and producer Sam Lane report on that for our series, America's Safety Net. [PBS News Hour]   New data shows why the U.S. needs more immigrants: An analysis by nonpartisan congressional economists shows how much the U.S. economy — and Social Security — depend on a growing immigrant workforce. [Center for Public Integrity]   2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health: The Trevor Project's 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health demonstrates that rates of suicidal thoughts have trended upward among LGBTQ young people over the last three years, making our life-saving work all the more important. Capturing the experiences of nearly 34,000 LGBTQ youth ages 13 to 24 across the United States, with 45% of respondents being LGBTQ youth of color and 48% being transgender or nonbinary, our fourth annual national survey is one of the most diverse surveys of LGBTQ youth ever conducted. [The Trevor Project] Support Our Work with a Donation 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. Contact Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S. Detroit Ave #1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 United States  918-794-3944 | info@okpolicy.org   Connect with us:   If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.

[In The Know] Judge says ‘suck it up’ after executions put strain on prison staff | No attorneys left in State Ed. Dept.? | School board elections on Tuesday

In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024 Subscribe // View latest headlines 18,900   Estimated number of Oklahoma adults who identify as transgender. [Williams Institute / UCLA School of Law] Sunday, March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility celebrating the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the poverty, discrimination, and violence the community faces.  2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health   The Trevor Project's 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health demonstrates that rates of suicidal thoughts have trended upward among LGBTQ young people over the last three years, making our life-saving work all the more important. Capturing the experiences of nearly 34,000 LGBTQ youth ages 13 to 24 across the United States, with 45% of respondents being LGBTQ youth of color and 48% being transgender or nonbinary, our fourth annual national survey is one of the most diverse surveys of LGBTQ youth ever conducted. [The Trevor Project] NOTE: The Movement Advancement Project ranks Oklahoma as the 4th most hostile state for its policies specifically about gender identity, or those most impacting transgender and nonbinary people.   "Who's to say next month you won't come in and say I need 120 days? This stuff needs to stop, and people need to suck it up, realize they have a hard job to do, and get it done in a timely, proficient, professional way."   -Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Gary Lumpkin, speaking during a hearing Tuesday on the state's request to further delay the time between executions from 60 days to 90 days to reduce strain on staff. The Court of Criminal Appeals set an aggressive execution schedule in 2021 with plans to execute 25 prisoners in less than three years, eliminating 58% of Oklahoma's death row. [The Frontier] Thursday, April 25 DAY OF ACTION AT THE CAPITOL   Join advocates and community activists from all across the state on Thursday, April 25, for our 2024 Day of Action at the State Capitol, hosted by OK Policy and Together Oklahoma. Tap into your political power and work toward changes that make our communities safer, healthier, and more equitable. [REGISTER TODAY] Oklahoma News   A judge says 'suck it up' after executions put strain on Oklahoma prison staff: An Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals judge said Department of Corrections staff tasked with carrying out the state's backlog of executions need to "suck it up." Judge Gary Lumpkin made the remarks during a hearing Tuesday on the state's request to further delay the time between executions from 60 days to 90 days to reduce strain on staff. [The Frontier] The state Education Department's attorneys all are gone: The Oklahoma State Department of Education's team of attorneys apparently has no one left, which left the State Board of Education in a unique situation for its monthly meeting on Thursday. Instead of having an attorney employed by the agency present agenda items concerning legal matters to the board, the person presenting those items during the meeting instead was a contracted attorney for the board, which is not common practice. The likely reason? A recent run of departures from the state Education Department. [The Oklahoman] Tensions flared ahead of monthly Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting [Oklahoma Voice] State superintendent faces more criticism over safety of LGBTQ+ students [Tulsa World] Walters announces school choice resource, LGBT advocates rally at state board meeting [Fox 25] Public comment focused on death of Nex Benedict at Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting [KOCO] OSDE approves charter school requests in March board meeting [KFOR]   State Government News   Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat warns Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt not to meddle in Senate elections: Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat on Thursday warned Gov. Kevin Stitt against targeting Republican senators who are up for reelection. "It is going to be very unwelcome if he tries to take out members of our caucus, and I know there are strong rumors to that end that he is seeking to take out good members of the Republican caucus. That would not be received well inside this building nor would it be received well outside this building," Treat said. [Oklahoma Voice] State Senate leader opposes governor's involvement in legislative races [Tulsa World] This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Minimum wage initiative petition, Congressman Tom Cole, Superintendent Ryan Walters and more (audio): The panel talks about a delay in the signature gathering for an initiative petition to raise Oklahoma's minimum wage as opponents call for a rehearing by the State Supreme Court, Congressman Tom Cole vying to be the next chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations and Budget Committee and another State Department of Education employee resigning. [KOSU]   Opinion: Walters' turbulence tests Oklahoma lawmakers: In the session's final nine weeks, Oklahoma lawmakers face two must-dos – one is a required assignment, the other a moral imperative. They are duty-bound, of course, to produce a state budget for the next fiscal year that begins July 1. But they also must summon the courage to formally evaluate whether Ryan Walters is properly fulfilling his duties as state superintendent – and whether he should remain in office. [Arnold Hamilton / Journal Record]   Federal Government News   Mullin says border and debt seem foremost on Oklahomans' minds: U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin said Thursday that the most consistent concerns he's heard while touring the state this week have involved border security and the federal government's mounting debts. [Tulsa World]   Tribal Nations News   Editorial: Gov. Stitt should renew the mutually beneficial Cherokee Nation tag compacts: Gov. Kevin Stitt has an opportunity with the Cherokee Nation car tag compacts to continue an agreement that has been working for everyone. We encourage him to take it. [Editorial / Tulsa World]   Voting and Election News   Tuesday, April 2 Board of Education General Election and Special Elections: Elections will be held statewide on Tuesday, April 2. Visit the OK Voter Portal to view a list of elections in your community, polling places, view sample ballots, and more. [Oklahoma Election Board] Early voting for this election will be held through 6 p.m., Friday, March 29   Tulsa Public Schools District 2: KanDee Washington, Calvin Moniz seek to end high board turnover: Voters in Tulsa Public Schools District 2 are preparing for an April 2 election to select their fourth board member of the 2020s, with both Calvin Moniz and KanDee Washington competing for the highest-turnover school board seat in TPS. [NonDoc]   Tulsa Public Schools District 6: Sarah Smith, Maria Seidler compete for open seat: Voters in Tulsa Public School District 6 will choose between Sarah Smith and Maria Mercedes Seidler on April 2 in the race to succeed Jerry Griffin, who resigned Jan. 2 and left the seat vacant. [NonDoc]   Husband of school board candidate tied to attack ads: A political action committee tied to the husband of Tulsa Public Schools board candidate Maria Seidler is responsible for mailers attacking her opponent and two other board candidates, he confirmed Thursday. [Tulsa World]   Embezzlement, ties to political groups at issue in Tulsa Public Schools District 5 school board race: Tulsa's school board election is coming up. One of the more closely watched races is between Teresa Peña and John Croisant in District 5. [Public Radio Tulsa]   Opinion: Enid voters: Do you really want someone tied to white nationalism representing you?: In 2023, the residents of Ward 1, in Enid, elected Judson "Judd" Blevins to be city commissioner. Whether they knew his background at that time is irrelevant. Everybody knows now. He was recalled, and there will be an election on April 2 for that seat. It has been reported he associates with white nationalist/white supremacist causes. He has never renounced or apologized for the beliefs of white nationalism/supremacy, including the belief that Aryans (a geographically and historically misplaced and misappropriated term for white people of European origin) are genetically superior to all other races. [Michael Korenblit / The Oklahoman]   Health News   'The program is not ready': Oklahoma provider raises concerns with SoonerSelect: An Oklahoma provider told News 4 she's concerned the new SoonerSelect program isn't ready to serve a major portion of Oklahoma. The change impacts about 80 percent of the more than one million Oklahomans enrolled in the state's Medicaid program. [KFOR]   Officials celebrate groundbreaking of Oklahoma's largest mental health hospital: Officials broke ground on a new $150 million mental health hospital, Donahue Behavioral Health Hospital, that will bring top of the line care for adults and children across Oklahoma. [KFOR]   Opinion: It's time for Okla. Legislature to recognize valuable contributions of physician assistants: As a Physician Assistant with over a decade of experience, I experienced firsthand the devastating consequences of a disparity in the right to practice for PAs and Nurse Practitioners, which not only jeopardized my livelihood but also undermined patient access to quality care. With a bill pending on Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt's desk that solely addresses independent practice for NPs and not PAs, Oklahoma is poised to follow Illinois should he opt to sign it and the Legislature fail to take action. [Nicole Mason / The Oklahoman]   Criminal Justice News   Legislators raise more concerns about increase of violence in Oklahoma prisons. 'It's serious and real': A state legislative leader says he's concerned that violent incidents, deaths and rapes will increase in Oklahoma prisons if something doesn't change. [The Oklahoman]   Death row inmate James Chandler Ryder spared from execution because of mental health issues: A death row inmate cannot be executed for a fatal 1999 bludgeoning because he is mentally incompetent, a judge has ruled. James Chandler Ryder was to have been the first inmate executed in Oklahoma this year. The Feb. 1 execution was called off after the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals issued a 100-day stay in December. [The Oklahoman]   Oklahoma's Prison Rodeo could be closer to coming back despite bill getting pushback: Oklahoma's Prison Rodeo may be coming back as it's possible a bill to fund the event and a new stadium is one step closer to becoming law. [KOCO]   Someone tried to steal a house? OKC family home nearly taken through fraudulent records: Oklahoma County Clerk Maressa Treat said Thursday that property thefts obtained through title changes are a national problem that also is being seen in Oklahoma County. [The Oklahoman]   Oklahoma City councilwoman raises concerns over police access to school cameras: An Oklahoma City leader is sharing her concerns after council voted to allow police to monitor school camera feeds. [Fox 25]   Housing & Economic Opportunity News   Opinion: Oklahoma continuing momentum for reducing barriers to professional licenses: Opening access to work for people with criminal records is incredibly important, as enhanced economic opportunities can help prevent recidivism, or relapses into criminal behavior. [Benjamin Ayanian / Tulsa World]   Economy & Business News   Fair or foul? Report finds grocery stores might've padded profits under cover of inflation: A report from the Federal Trade Commission found that some grocers potentially took advantage of inflationary conditions and supply chain disruptions to pad their profits. Whether that was right or wrong is in the eye of the beholder. [Fox 25]   Education News   State Superintendent Ryan Walters says school choice just got easier with new office in Education Dept.: The Oklahoma State Department of Education announced a one-stop-shop for parents to choose their child's school with the launch of the new Office of School Choice. [KOCO]   Document shows 16 OSDE employees are working as subs in Tulsa school district: Sixteen employees from the Oklahoma State Department of Education are, indeed, serving as substitute teachers in the Tulsa Public Schools district, records obtained by The Oklahoman show. [The Oklahoman] Tulsa Public Schools officials update state board on Teacher Empowerment Program participation [Tulsa World] Epic Charter Schools paid co-founder's personal credit card charges, forensic auditor testifies: A forensic auditor for the state testified Thursday that Epic Charter Schools' student Learning Fund was used to pay more than $375,000 in personal credit card charges by one of the school's co-founders who received at least $23 million from the school. [Tulsa World] Fourth day of Epic Charter Schools preliminary hearing [KFOR] Oklahoma school removes Bible verse display following a claim that it was unconstitutional: A Putnam City school took down a bible verse that was displayed inside the building after the Freedom From Religion Foundation said it was unconstitutional. [Fox 25]   Stitt appoints OU alum, Texas oilman to fill open seat on university's board of regents: Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed Tyler, Texas, businessman Kenneth Waits to the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents. [The Oklahoman]   Community News   What box will you check? US changes how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity: For the first time in 27 years, the U.S. government is changing how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity, an effort that federal officials believe will more accurately count residents who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage. [KFOR]   Local Headlines Concern over Tulsa USPS center's fate reaches City Hall [Public Radio Tulsa] Development guru: Norman needs a plan [Journal Record] Development agreement lays out more details of $800 million data center in east Tulsa [Tulsa World] You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Support Our Work with a Donation Contact Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S. Detroit Ave #1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 United States  918-794-3944 | info@okpolicy.org okpolicy.org    Connect with us:   If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.