In The Know: Former Governor, U.S. Senator, OU President David Boren dies | House advances mental health consent agreement | Clara Luper showed how one small action can create change | Who opened the door for you?

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.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025 Subscribe // View latest headlines Policy Matters: Who opened the door for you?   In a world where language shapes our perceptions, phrases like representation, fairness, and belonging have taken on a negative connotation for some. These concepts are increasingly viewed as inflammatory or divisive. But I ask you to consider this: Who opened the door for you on your life's journey? [Shiloh Kantz / OK Policy] Clara Luper resisted Oklahoma City segregation. What change will you make?   History teaches us that the biggest changes often start with the smallest actions. A single voice, a single act of courage, a single refusal to accept injustice — each can ripple outward in ways no one could have predicted. And yet, those ripples don't start on their own. Someone has to be willing to make the first move. This is a testament to the power of small actions in creating meaningful change, giving us hope and optimism for the future. [Angela Monson / The Oklahoman] 17.2%   In Oklahoma, more than 120,000 public school students — 17.2%, or more than 1 in 6 — have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Legally binding documents, IEPs establish what special education services and accommodations a school must provide to a student who has a qualifying disability. [Urban Institute] How Dismantling the Education Department Could Affect Disabled Students Across the US   The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975 opened doors for millions of disabled students who had been institutionalized or denied an education on the basis of disability. Fifty years later, this law—in tandem with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act—continues to ensure students with disabilities in every community are provided with a "free appropriate public education." Now, disabled students' right to public education is at risk. The Trump administration says it plans to close the US Department of Education (ED), revisiting efforts that began in the president's first term. [Urban Institute] "It's a dark hole of information governed by emotion and ideology over data and evidence."   -Tulsa World editorial about the need for Oklahoma's elected officials and policy makers to identify and fix problems with state's private school tax credit/voucher program before lawmakers consider expanding the program. [Editorial / Tulsa World]  Oklahoma News   David Boren, former representative, governor, U.S. senator and OU president dies at 83: David L. Boren, the former United States Senator, governor, state representative, college professor and president of the University of Oklahoma died early Thursday morning after an extended illness. [The Oklahoman] David Boren, popular elected official and OU president, dies at 83 [Tulsa World] David Boren, among Oklahoma's last leading Democrats before the state's turn to the right, has died [Oklahoma Voice] Former OU president, Oklahoma Gov. David Boren dies [NonDoc] State Government News   Oklahoma House advances mental health settlement agreement to Senate: House lawmakers on Wednesday approved a landmark settlement agreement that would give mental health officials 16 months to reduce wait times to treat defendants unable to stand trial. [Oklahoma Voice]   Lawmakers OK bill seeking to financially penalize Oklahoma agencies that require DEI programs: A Senate panel on Wednesday advanced a bill that would bar mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state agencies despite concerns it could have unintended consequences. [Oklahoma Voice]   'Abolition of Abortion Act' fails in Oklahoma Senate Judiciary Committee: Sen. Dusty Deevers' second attempt at legislation that would adjust the state's definition of homicide to include abortion failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday with a vote of six to two. The bill would have allowed women to be prosecuted. [KGOU]   Proposed Covenant Marriage Bill voted down by committee: A senator's controversial marriage bill won't become law this year. The author said the measure would have strengthened marriage, but challengers argued that the bill, as written, excludes many people, with a lot of loopholes throughout the language of the bill as well. [KFOR]   Oklahoma lawmakers consider funding student tutoring program: As federal funding winds down for the Oklahoma State Department of Education's high-dosage tutoring program, lawmakers are considering dedicating state dollars to continue the initiative. [Oklahoma Voice]   Panel kills bill calling for Ten Commandments monument to be restored at Oklahoma Capitol: A Senate panel on Wednesday killed a bill that sought to return a Ten Commandments monument to the Capitol amid concerns that resurrecting it would violate the will of voters. [Oklahoma Voice]   Trump's agenda complicates Oklahoma's plan to clean up abandoned oil and gas wells: The state expected millions of dollars to plug wells abandoned by their owners. But the funds are in limbo under a new federal administration. [KGOU]   Senate bill could mark Nov. 5 as President Donald J. Trump Day in Oklahoma: Nov. 5 could soon be recognized as President Donald J. Trump Day in Oklahoma after one senator authored a bill seeking to add the holiday honoring the current president into the state statutes. [The Oklahoman] Donald J. Trump Day could become newest Oklahoma state holiday [Oklahoma Voice] Opinion: Tough question: How do we bypass the slogans and make government more effective?: Cuts in the Federal Aviation Agency even reached Oklahoma, where an uncertain number of FAA employees got emails last week saying they'd lost their jobs. The FAA is responsible for ensuring the safety of air travel, and given the number of recent airplane crashes and a chronic shortage of air traffic controllers, some have questioned whether job cuts are the right way to increase the agency's effectiveness. [William C. Wertz / The Oklahoman]   Opinion, OTA board member: Why increase turnpike toll rates? Improve safety, travel time and ease congestion: We at OTA understand that no one ever likes a cost increase. But we hope the public sees that OTA never takes for granted the role it plays in keeping Oklahoma's people and goods moving and the responsibility to provide a turnpike system that is safe, reliable and efficient. [Gene Love / Tulsa World]   Opinion, Parents of Saint Francis mass shooting victim: Enough of this senseless death: To reduce gun violence, we need a different approach. We cannot be silent; we must let our legislators know our position on gun violence. We assure you that the gun lobby is actively communicating and helping lawmakers draft pro-gun legislation. There are no do overs; a bullet can't be taken back. By supporting common sense, bipartisan legislation and speaking out, perhaps you can protect your family or your neighbors. [Greg and Joyce Husen / Tulsa World]   Opinion: Oklahoma Legislature should stop giving blank checks to private schools: It's long been agreed that the government should never write a blank check with taxpayer dollars. But in the case of new tax credits that subsidize private school tuition, not only is Oklahoma writing a huge blank check, but some would like to make the check even larger. [David Blatt / Tulsa World]   Editorial: Don't expand private school vouchers until oversight problems are fixed: This is a major problem with Oklahoma's private school voucher scheme — no transparency. Everything from who's benefiting to academic outcomes can be hidden. That's unlike the situation in other states that offer private school subsidies. [Editorial / Tulsa World]   Federal Government News   Democrats warn of potential Medicaid cuts in House GOP budget bill: Senate Democrats are warning that a budget proposal by House Republicans could include billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid. Nearly 80 million adults and children across the country rely on Medicaid. The government health insurance program provides coverage for people with low incomes and people with disabilities. [KFOR] The House Republicans' plan to cut Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the rich would slash incomes for the bottom 40% [Economic Policy Institute] Here's the latest on how states are cooperating with Trump's deportation plans: Conservative cities and states across the country have taken to President Donald Trump's deportation plans and are increasing cooperation with federal authorities — even seeking new laws against illegal immigration that would be enforced by local and state police. [Oklahoma Voice]   Can fired federal workers collect unemployment benefits in Oklahoma? Here's what to know: President Donald Trump, adviser Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency are working to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Oklahomans who worked for federal agencies are unexpectedly finding themselves out of a job and wondering if the state's unemployment benefits are available to them. [The Oklahoman]   Tribal Nations News   Cherokee Nation election filing draws 33 candidates: Nine seats on the the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council, the legislative branch for Oklahoma's largest tribe by population, drew 33 candidates over the four-day filing period in Tahlequah earlier this month. All nine seats drew at least two candidates, setting up a competitive election season for the Cherokee Nation this summer. [NonDoc]   Applications open for Tar Creek Apprenticeship Program, encouraging long-term restoration: The program, known as "T-CAP", is funded through multiple settlements with the seven tribes part of the Tar Creek Trustee Council. [KOSU]   Voting and Election News   Voting by mail? Oklahoma bill would require voters to give reason for absentee ballots: More than one out of every four Oklahomans voted early or by mail during the November presidential election. One lawmaker wants to know why. Logan County's newest state representative, Republican Molly Jenkins, filed House Bill 1515 this session, which would require anyone who votes early or requests an absentee ballot to vote by mail, to explain why they're doing so by selecting one of nine choices. [The Oklahoman]   McCall, others announced their 2026 bid for Oklahoma governor: Who's running? What to know: While Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt still has two years left in his term, at the end of it he will have reached his term limits as governor. Two prominent Oklahoma politicians have announced their candidacy, along with an entrepreneur with city government experience — but these three likely won't be the last. [The Oklahoman] New poll shows Drummond leading among state GOP gubernatorial hopefuls [The Oklahoman] Opinion: Oklahoma's closed primaries teach wrong lessons. It's time for change: We tell young people that their voices are important, that they should pay attention to the world around them, and that civic engagement is essential to a functioning democracy. But the reality of Oklahoma's election system tells them something very different. Our closed primary system actively discourages civic participation, making voters feel like their voices don't count. [Vanessa Drummond / Tulsa World]   Education News   Oklahoma private school tax credit applications open again to high demand: Tax credits supporting private-school students opened again to high demand in the program's latest round of awarding funds. The Oklahoma Tax Commission announced it received more than 31,000 applications for the tax credits on Tuesday, the first day of the application period for the 2025-26 school year. [Oklahoma Voice] Second year of Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit application window launches, OTC to manage in-house [KGOU] From OK Policy: Oklahomans must demand thorough, independent, annual evaluations of the cost, effectiveness, and budget impacts of the tax credits in the aggregate. Criminal Justice News   Oklahoma City agrees to settlement in excessive force case: Oklahoma City has reached a $70,000 settlement with a man who claimed police used excessive force during an interaction outside a Love's store. [The Oklahoman] See bodycam footage of 2021 incident at center of excessive force lawsuit against OKC (video) [The Oklahoman] Housing & Economic Opportunity News   Social service agencies spending hours finding those who need shelter from the cold: When it gets cold, really cold, outreach teams from multiple social service agencies fan out across Tulsa to get homeless people off the streets and into warm, secure shelters. It's happening again this week. [Tulsa World]   Housing Forward: Fixing Tulsa's Barriers to Housing Growth: Housing Forward released a report today that includes guidance on how the City of Tulsa can best modify and improve its permitting, zoning and community engagement processes. [The Black Wall Street Times] Smart Growth Report: City of Tulsa Housing Development Analysis [Housing Forward] Economy & Business News   Tariffs drive consumer spending shifts, report finds: One in 5 Americans are buying more items than usual and 1 in 4 have made large purchases, according to the report that examined consumer spending habits since President Donald Trump was elected. [The Journal Record]   Is Oklahoma ranked #4 in the nation in GDP growth? No: US News and Forbes used data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis to analyze annual growth rates of real GDP per state in order to account for inflation. US News and Forbes analyzed data over a three- and five-year period up to 2024 respectively, with Oklahoma consistently ranked at 44th. [Oklahoma Watch]   Community News   Anyone can now explore Oklahoma City's Black history on newly launched app: Historic Black churches, the only existing historically Black theater in Oklahoma City and historic buildings where the city's first Black doctors lived and worked are among the sites highlighted on a first-ever mobile app offering Oklahoma City Black history tours. [The Oklahoman]   Opinion: Teens are watching, and we are responding: Any youth leadership program will tell you about brave teenagers who changed the world, but how? What can you do, in today's world, to make a difference? [M. Hope-Hernandez: / Tulsa World]   Opinion: Fight divisive national DEI narratives: You have to be twice as good as them to get half of what they get. For many Black professionals, this saying was on repeat in our households. These words framed our daunting journey toward professional success. While many of us found progress, it required breaking ceilings — some glass, others concrete. [Jonathan Long / 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.