Oklahoma News
Oklahoma governor apologizes for disparaging remarks, celebrates session victories: Gov. Kevin Stitt said Wednesday he had apologized to a state senator after making disparaging remarks about him and his wife last week. Stitt also defended his choice for interim commissioner of the state mental health department, despite his lack of experience in mental health. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Gov. Stitt apologizes to senator and senator's wife for bringing her into political debate [The Oklahoman]
- Gov. Stitt regrets calling out Senator's wife before Friesen firing [KFOR]
Opinion: Republicans in the Oklahoma Legislature flex their muscle and independent spirit: So even though Gov. Kevin Stitt got most of what he wanted out of the 2025 legislative session — he pronounced it his best session ever — there were encouraging signs that the Republican supermajority in Oklahoma is not all of one mind. [William C. Wertz / The Oklahoman]
State Government News
Wondering what went down during Oklahoma's 2025 legislative session? Here's a recap: Oklahoma lawmakers approved a quarter of a percent income tax cut this legislative session, complete with Gov. Kevin Stitt's signature, and despite some big budgetary questions. Here's a rundown of what happened to key bills and other legislative initiatives this year. [KOSU]
Stitt touts 'one of my best' Oklahoma legislative sessions featuring tax cuts, vetoes: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is proud of his legislative victories. And he took a victory lap on Wednesday afternoon in front of reporters to tout them. He immediately celebrated the recent tax cut signed last week. House Bill 2764 will reduce Oklahoma's top income tax bracket from 4.75% to 4.5%, with the intention of eventually eliminating the income tax. [OPMX]
Oklahoma House bill providing free childcare to industry workers set to become law: A new law passed by the legislature this session will allow early childhood educators to receive no-cost childcare. House Bill 2778, written by state Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, is an effort to bolster the childcare workforce by offering free childcare for those in the industry. Language for the measure was taken from House Bill 1849 and transferred to the bill reserved for the budget process. [The Journal Record]
Federal Government News
Senate GOP talks cutting Medicare 'waste, fraud' to offset cost of Trump tax bill: Senate Republicans on Wednesday discussed the need to cut out waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare to achieve more deficit reduction in President Trump's landmark bill to extend the 2017 tax cuts, provide new tax relief, secure the border and boost defense spending. The House-passed bill would cut more than $800 billion from Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, but some GOP lawmakers argue that other mandatory spending programs, such as Medicare, should also be reviewed for "waste" to further reduce the cost of the bill. [The Hill]
Senators object to Trump push to ax Education Department programs for low-income students: U.S. senators from both parties pressed Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Tuesday over the Trump administration's proposal to eliminate funding for key programs administered by the Education Department for disadvantaged and low-income students. [Oklahoma Voice]
Bill to Make the Tulsa Race Massacre Site a National Monument Faces Uncertain Future: Legislation to designate the site of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 as a national monument breezed through the Senate last month, but its path through the House is less certain. The bipartisan effort from Sens. James Lankford and Cory Booker would also establish an advisory commission appointed by the interior secretary that would be made up in part by descendants of massacre victims. At least one House Republican from Oklahoma is hesitant to outright endorse the existing legislation. [Tulsa World]
- Did the survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre ever directly receive any legal settlement or reparations? [Tulsa World]
Tribal Nations News
Cheat sheet: In expansive Cherokee Nation District 11, 3 candidates vie for seat: With each embracing social media antics to appeal to voters, three Cherokee Nation citizens are campaigning to represent Tribal Council District 11, which spans the northern boundary of the Cherokee Reservation. [NonDoc]
Cheat sheet: Joshua Sam challenged by Derrick Ross for Cherokee Nation District 7 seat: Incumbent Councilor Joshua Sam faces a lone challenger, Derrick Ross, for reelection to his Cherokee Nation District 7 Tribal Council seat. District 7 lies along the Cherokee Reservation's eastern border in parts of Adair and Sequoyah counties. It includes the communities of Belfonte, Dahlonegah and Stilwell. [NonDoc]
Cheat sheet: Cherokee Nation District 9 sees 7 seek open seat: From local school board officials to small business owners, retirees and a rural water board member, seven candidates are seeking to represent Cherokee Nation District 9 of the Tribal Council. Spanning primarily rural areas, District 9 encompasses the southern tip of Craig County including part of Big Cabin, northern Mayes County excluding Pryor and Salina proper, and southwestern Delaware County with all of Lake Eucha. [NonDoc]
Jennifer Blalock challenges Danny Callison in Cherokee Nation District 15: In the Cherokee Nation District 15 race, challenger Jennifer Blalock is facing incumbent Tribal Council member Danny Callison at the ballot box June 7. Cherokee Nation District 15 encompasses portions of Rogers and Mayes counties, including Pryor, Chouteau and Locust Grove. [NonDoc]
Voting and Election News
HD 97 debate: Candidates differ on development bill, Oklahoma County Jail funding intervention: While outlining their respective paths to becoming candidates for the open House District 97 special election, JeKia Harrison and Aletia Timmons differed on state intervention into the Oklahoma County Jail funding crisis and on a bill that would promote more transparency on why development projects are rejected by municipal governing boards during a debate Tuesday night hosted by NonDoc and News 9 at Metro Tech. [NonDoc]
Todd Russ formally announces campaign for re-election as Oklahoma's state treasurer: Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ has formally announced he's running for a second term in 2026. The state treasurer serves on ten boards: the State Board of Equalization, the Council of Bond Oversight, the Teacher's Retirement System, the Public Employees Retirement System, the State Pension Oversight Commission, the Oklahoma College Savings Plan, the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, the Capitol Improvement Authority, the Industrial Finance Authority and the Oklahoma Broadband Governing Board. [The Oklahoman]
Education News
How Oklahoma made universal pre-K work: Proponents of public school pre-kindergarten programs generally argue that it has two benefits: that it helps children succeed in school, and that it is a reliable, free source of child care for working parents. There's some debate about what the data say about that first point, but few argue with the latter. Despite that, not every school district offers pre-kindergarten — and some districts have even seen fierce battles to stop the expansion of pre-K programs. One state avoided that fight, however, and has one of the US's most successful public, universal pre-K programs: Oklahoma. [Vox]
Ryan Walters' agency says Oklahoma students' 2025 standardized test results will be delayed: The Oklahoma State Department of Education says preliminary scores of students who took standardized tests this spring in English language arts, math and science in grades 3-8 will be delayed. The agency, led by state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, made the announcement in an email from its Office of Assessments on Tuesday, June 3, the day school districts had been scheduled to receive the scores. The announcement said the preliminary scores had been scheduled to be available to parents on June 10, but said that release date also has been pushed back. [The Oklahoman]
Oklahoma school district slashes nearly 360 jobs in 'streamlining measures': Epic Charter Schools, one of Oklahoma's largest school districts, announced mass layoffs Tuesday, resulting in 357 job losses. In a move the district called in a statement, "significant streamlining measures," Epic has not renewed contracts for 83 teachers and 274 administrators for the next school year. That accounts for about 6% of teachers and more than one-third of administrators. [StateImpact Oklahoma]
First Watch: Stuff You Should Know: When is campaigning not campaigning? Rejoice Christian School in Owasso told reporter Paul Monies that the email they sent to parents before the primary runoff election was merely intended to educate people about the issues. The school sent a questionnaire to five Republicans and a Democrat, asking for their views on the Parental Choice Tax Credit. [Oklahoma Watch]
Economic Opportunity News
Opinion: Community college partnerships boost workforce success: Oklahoma has the highest rate of students attending community colleges who transfer to a four-year institution within six years. SSC recently launched some new 2+2 Programs which aid students in seamlessly transferring to complete a bachelor's degree for several high-demand occupations. [Lana Reynolds / The Journal Record]
Economy & Business News
Economic uncertainty drives sharp drop in Oklahomans' spending: Consumer confidence has fallen sharply across multiple surveys, with Americans expressing the most pessimistic outlook in years. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 86 in April, down 7.9 points from March and the lowest reading in nearly five years. [The Journal Record]
PSO monthly bills to rise with regulatory approval of power plant purchase: The utility asked the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) to approve its request to recover costs from a $730 acquisition of a power plant in Jenks. Commissioners voted 2 to 1 during their Wednesday meeting, with Todd Hiett splitting from Kim David and Brian Bingman's approval. The discussion lasted more than an hour with a break in between. [StateImpact Oklahoma]
Community News
Fate of Oklahoma-Texas Heartland Flyer uncertain: The fate of passenger rail service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth is on shaky ground after the Texas Legislature declined to fund that state's portion. "The state of Oklahoma cannot fund that operation of our own accord," Tim Gatz, Oklahoma Department of Transportation executive director, told his governing board Monday. [Oklahoma Voice]
- Oklahoma's only major passenger train route's future uncertain without Texas funding [KOSU]
Local Headlines
