In The Know: #okleg sends budget to governor | Tribal-state relations are 'bit of a mess' | Oklahoma is cutting its way to poverty; business, industry scouts will turn away

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, MAY 23, 2025 Subscribe // View latest headlines Oklahoma business leaders say investments are more important than tax cuts.   Oklahoma business leaders are looking for talent, not tax breaks. They're telling us clearly: we need policies that grow people, not just profit margins. Yet, Gov. Kevin Stitt is pushing for cutting and even eliminating the state's income tax without addressing the needs that business leaders are asking for. [Aanahita Ervin / OK Policy] 63x   The richest 1% of Oklahomans would receive an average tax reduction of $76,500 per year under the new U.S. House's tax plan, which is nearly 63 times larger than the $1,220 average tax reduction for Oklahomans in the middle income bracket ($43,400 and $73,500 annually). [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy] Analysis of Tax Provisions in the House Reconciliation Bill: National and State Level Estimates   The House of Representatives recently passed major tax and spending legislation titled the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." For working-class Americans, the tax cuts in the House bill are extremely modest and overall taxes would rise for these families when the impact of higher import taxes, or tariffs, are accounted for. The richest 1 percent of Americans would receive a total of $121 billion in net tax cuts in 2026. The middle 20 percent of taxpayers on the income scale, a group that is 20 times the size of the richest 1 percent, would receive half that much. The $121 billion in net tax cuts going to the richest 1 percent next year would exceed the amount going to the entire bottom 60 percent of taxpayers. The poorest fifth of Americans would receive 1 percent of the bill's net tax cuts in 2026 while the richest fifth of Americans would receive 68 percent. [Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy] "At the same time as we preach the importance of workforce development, this year's budget cut the biggest resource organization in the state ― CareerTech ― by $16 million. But, you might get an extra 50 bucks back on your yearly tax return. You might not have a teacher with an education degree teaching your children or a mental health in-patient bed for your brother, but you'll have $50."   - Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn, writing in an op-ed about lawmakers moving forward with plans to reduce state revenue through income tax cuts — including automatic rate reductions in the future — despite the state's many outstanding needs and the growing uncertainty of federal funding. [The Oklahoman]  Oklahoma News   St. Isidore decision: Split SCOTUS means Oklahoma Catholic charter school still blocked: Split 4-4 in a decision announced this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court left in place the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to block the creation of a Catholic charter school. [NonDoc] Gov. Stitt vows to keep fighting after Supreme Court blocks Oklahoma religious charter school [The Oklahoman] Split Decision Halts Oklahoma's Plan to Open Religious Charter School [Oklahoma Watch] SCOTUS tie ends Oklahoma plan to open nation's first publicly funded Catholic charter school [Oklahoma Voice] Supreme Court blocks Oklahoma's first-in-the-nation public, Catholic school [KGOU] Supreme Court blocks creation of religious charter school in Oklahoma [NPR] After St. Isidore ruling, Walters calls to support other legal fights in favor of state-funded religious schools, with a caveat [KFOR] Deadlocked Supreme Court Rejects Bid for Religious Charter School in Oklahoma [New York Times] Supreme Court blocks creation of Oklahoma Catholic leaders' proposed religious charter school [Tulsa World] Opinion: Right ruling against St. Isidore. Wrong response from Gentner Drummond [Ginnie Graham/ Tulsa World] Opinion, Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn: Oklahoma is cutting its way to poverty. Business, industry scouts will turn away: Why does the state of Oklahoma consistently race at breakneck speed to get to the bottom? With passage of appropriations this year, we will once again prove that we are satisfied with being 45th to 50th in every measurable outcome that humans and businesses quantify. [Leslie Osborn / The Oklahoman]   State Government News   Oklahoma Legislature passes nearly $12.6 billion budget, sending it to governor: The Oklahoma Senate has approved a $12.59 billion general appropriations bill for the state, sending it to Gov. Kevin Stitt's desk for his signature. The Senate voted 27-19 on Thursday, May 22, to approve House Bill 2766, after about 45 minutes of questions and debate. The House had approved the measure 73-20 two days earlier. In both chambers, a group of far-right Republicans joined with all Democrats in opposing the budget bill. [The Oklahoman] Senate sends state budget bill, tax cut to Oklahoma governor [Oklahoma Voice] $12.59 billion Oklahoma budget bill heads to governor's desk [KFOR] Oklahoma lawmakers pushing to restructure TSET board in act of 'retaliation,' Dem says: Republicans are moving forward with legislation to restructure a voter-approved state board that oversees a multi-billion dollar trust after it didn't immediately allocate $50 million to pay for a new University of Oklahoma hospital, Democrat lawmakers said. Republicans are moving forward with legislation to restructure a voter-approved state board that oversees a multi-billion dollar trust after it didn't immediately allocate $50 million to pay for a new University of Oklahoma hospital, Democrat lawmakers said. [Oklahoma Voice]   Summer food aid for kids once again rejected by Gov. Stitt: Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has once again rejected the federally funded summer food program, leaving hundreds of thousands of children without meal support. Here's who it hurts most. [The Black Wall Street Times]   Oklahoma Health Care Authority addresses impacts to Medicaid proposed in House budget bill: As proposed cuts to Medicaid move forward through a federal budget reconciliation bill, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority outlined potential impacts to the state during its Wednesday board meeting, including work requirements and a moratorium on new or increased provider taxes. [KGOU]   Gov. Stitt questions audit focus, calls out 'political' claims in ODMHSAS report: In his weekly press briefing on Wednesday, Gov. Kevin Stitt addressed a recent audit report of the current financial situation at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. [Fox 25] Financial issues found leading up to Mental Health Commissioner appointment [KFOR] "I don't think anybody takes the guy seriously": Governor reacts to Walters' tax cut ideas: Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt held his weekly press briefing on Wednesday, and after a question regarding State Superintendent Ryan Walters, the Governor was all smiles and laughs. [Fox 25] 'I don't think anybody takes the guy seriously': Gov Stitt responds to Ryan Walters after budget criticism [KFOR] Motor vehicle excise tax change signed into law: House Bill 1183 will simplify how motor vehicle excise tax is determined for vehicle purchases by requiring the tax to be based on the actual sales price of the vehicle. Any consideration to the average retail price of the vehicle is removed from the formula for determining the tax. [Fox 23]   Cosmetologists try to convince lawmakers to override governor's veto: Cosmetologists flooded the halls at the state capitol, hoping to convince lawmakers to override Governor Kevin Stitt's veto on a bill that would have kept the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology alive. [KFOR]   Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Budget deal announced, Board of Education nominations, immigration law halted and more (audio): The panel talk about a budget deal announcement from Gov. Kevin Stitt and legislative leaders, new information on a review of the State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and a Senate Committee's approval of three nominations for the State Board of Education. They also discuss the halt of Oklahoma's controversial immigration law by a federal judge and Stitt using his veto pen more this year than at any other time in his tenure. [KOSU]   Editorial: Time has come for a clean sweep of Oklahoma's mental health agency: As a new state audit has made clear, the department, one of the state's largest agencies with a budget of more than $750 million, is a massive locomotive without an engineer, off the tracks and out of control. The time has come for a clean sweep of that department, bringing in a seasoned professional with strong management, financial and communications skills to give it a fresh start. [The Oklahoman Editorial Board]   Federal Government News   U.S. House Republicans push through massive tax and spending bill slashing Medicaid: The U.S. House early Thursday approved the "big, beautiful bill" that Republican leaders spent months negotiating with centrists and far-right members of the party — two distinct factions that hold vastly different policy goals — over intense opposition from Democrats. [Oklahoma Voice] Work requirements could transform Medicaid and food aid under US budget bill [AP via KFOR] U.S. House GOP revamps giant budget bill in bid to appease hard right [Oklahoma Voice] Proposed GOP tax bill could cut SNAP benefits in Oklahoma: Congress is considering a GOP tax bill that would cut approximately $290 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade, impacting families who rely on food stamps across the United States, including in Oklahoma. [KOCO] Oklahoma has 'pandemic-level' needs; Congress, Ag slay dollars [The Journal Record] Court order blocks Trump from eliminating U.S. Education Department: The U.S. Department of Education must temporarily reinstate the hundreds of employees laid off earlier this year and cannot follow through on an executive order from President Donald Trump seeking to dismantle the agency, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled Thursday. [Oklahoma Voice]   South African President Counters Trump's 'White Genocide' Claims: Amid growing misinformation, South African officials confront Trump's narrative with law, testimony, and white South African leaders. [The Black Wall Street Times]   Tribal Nations News   'Bit of a mess': Legislative workaround stalls, Muscogee compact dispute lingers with Stitt: After months of conversations and attempted diplomacy, Rep. Scott Fetgatter said Wednesday that the Oklahoma Legislature will not be proposing a new tobacco taxation compact with the Muscogee Nation despite growing frustration about Gov. Kevin Stitt's insistence it accompany agreements with the tribe on motor vehicle tags and turnpike tolls. [NonDoc] Lawmakers send $100,000 to defend state prosecutors against tribal sovereignty lawsuit [The Oklahoman] From OK Policy: This legislative session again put Tribal sovereignty in the spotlight Oklahoma Tribes urge lawmakers to override Gov.'s MMIP veto: Tribal nations, advocates, and families of the missing are calling out Governor Kevin Stitt after he vetoed a bill designed to remove critical funding barriers in the fight to solve cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). [The Black Wall Street Times]   Tribes say the US misappropriated funds to pay for Native American boarding schools: Two tribal nations filed a lawsuit Thursday saying that the federal government used the trust fund money of tribes to pay for boarding schools where generations of Native children were systematically abused. [Associated Press]   Education News   Despite social studies standards controversy, OSBE meeting a stark contrast to past tense months: Tensions rose for a second time — albeit mildly — over the official record of an Oklahoma State Board of Education vote to approve controversial social studies standards. [The Oklahoman]   Regents questioned accounting of $41.5 million in state money before Kayse Shrum left OSU: The pressure that ultimately led to Dr. Kayse Shrum's departure from the Oklahoma State University presidency had been building for months, communications obtained through an Oklahoma Open Records request show. [Tulsa World]   Criminal Justice News   Oklahoma's Pending Purchase of Lawton Prison Brings Hope of Reduced Violence: Family members of prisoners at the Lawton facility said they are optimistic about the Department of Corrections' pending purchase of the 2,600-bed prison, Oklahoma's largest and only privately operated correctional facility that houses more than 10% of the state prison population. [Oklahoma Watch]   Tulsa County Judge orders release of certain police disciplinary records: Only six records remain to be released to The Frontier following Wednesday's hearing. The records show disciplinary actions by the Tulsa Police Department against its officers. Tulsa's Fraternal Order of Police has fought against the release of the records. [The Frontier]   Condemned inmate sues state Parole Board: Attorneys for death-row inmate John Hanson filed a lawsuit in state court Thursday that seeks to overturn a state Pardon and Parole Board vote that denied him a chance at clemency. [Tulsa World]   Housing & Economic Opportunity News   Citing 'private property rights,' Stitt vetoes pair of housing bills: At a time when homelessness and cost burdens are on the rise in several Oklahoma communities, supporters of two housing-related bills vetoed by the governor (SB 128 and SB 333) are pushing back on his claims that the measures, respectively, would place an undue burden on property owners and improperly interfere with private industry. [NonDoc] From OK Policy: Statement: Gov.'s veto of SB 128 rejects bipartisan solution that would have helped landlords and kept Oklahomans in their homes Community News   Mayor reminds north Tulsa residents of June 1 Race Massacre commemoration: More than 300 people made their way to Crossover Community Impact in north Tulsa on Thursday night for the last of five Community Conversations with Mayor Monroe Nichols. [Tulsa World] City of Tulsa: As many as 30 graves still in Oaklawn Cemetery [Public Radio Tulsa] Opinion: Despite government action, our faith guides us to press on caring for people: Partners in ministry that I know well were handed devastating news a couple weeks ago when federal funding for Project Transformation was suddenly pulled with many other recent blanket cutbacks to promised funds that make communities better and improve the lives of our neighbors. At Project Transformation, selfless people are the hands and feet of Jesus, giving elementary children in under-resourced communities a chance to accelerate their education and improve their reading skills. What do we do with the program? Again, our roots guide us. [Rev. Derrek Belase / The Oklahoman]   Local Headlines Tulsa school board delays vote on 26 principal contracts [Tulsa World] Tulsa Parks to add two more inclusive playgrounds [Tulsa World] Education Pioneer Mrs. JoAnn Goodwin Fields Gilford Dies at Age 91 [The Oklahoma Eagle] 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.