In The Know: Death-row inmate's fate now with the governor after Pardon and Parole Board recommends clemency for Tremane Wood | Undocumented students in Oklahoma seek court intervention for tuition rates | Better laws begin with better listening

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. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Policy Matters: Better laws in Oklahoma begin with better listening   In Oklahoma, public participation in lawmaking is often treated as a special event rather than a function of democracy. Each fall, when the Legislature shifts into "interim study" season, lawmakers invite experts — and sometimes citizens — to discuss issues that need deeper exploration. In theory, it's meant to be a reflective pause in the legislative process. In practice, it can lack genuine dialogue about what's working and what isn't. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record] 94%   The share of Oklahoma voters who are effectively barred from signing initiative petitions under new county-level signature caps established by Senate Bill 1027. For statutory initiatives, campaigns can only collect signatures equal to 11.5% of the last gubernatorial vote in each county; for constitutional initiatives, the cap rises to 20.8%. Note: SB 1027 remains under legal challenge, and its future is still being decided in the courts. [Oklahoma Policy Institute] When Voters Pass a Ballot Measure, Does the Legislature Have the Right to Kill It?   State legislatures increasingly have the legal authority to override or repeal voter-approved ballot measures — especially when those measures are enacted as statutes rather than constitutional amendments. Some courts have pushed back, ruling that legislative changes must be narrowly tailored and respect the will of voters. In response, reform efforts are shifting from direct repeal to making it harder to qualify future measures — raising signature requirements, imposing tougher thresholds, or altering ballot access rules. Safeguarding initiative power may require constitutional protections or stricter limits on legislative interference to ensure voter decisions endure. [Governing] "We'd like Harmon County to know we'll take the time to come see you, but if 1027 holds, only 117 of you are allowed to sign my petition. Does 1027 incentivize me to come your direction or in fact does it disincentivize?"   — Jed Green, who leads Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action, discussing the impact of Senate Bill 1027 on the group's failed efforts to return recreational marijuana to the ballot. The new law — which limits signature collection in each county to no more than 20.8% and is now facing legal challenges — poses a serious obstacle for anyone seeking to advance a citizen-led initiative. [KOCO] You're invited to our Community Insights + Action Meetings!   OK Policy hosted listening sessions across Oklahoma to hear directly from residents about the challenges and opportunities in their communities. Now, we're going back — this time to share what we heard and turn those conversations into action. At our Community Insights to Action meetings, attendees will review local and statewide data, discuss key takeaways from the listening sessions, and learn practical ways to advocate for change in their communities and across the state. All Oklahomans are invited to join the conversation and help shape a stronger future for Oklahoma.    Make your voice heard — find a session near you and join the conversation. TONIGHT: Tulsa   Thursday | November 6 | 6:00 p.m. Rudisill Regional Library | 1520 N Harford Ave, Tulsa Register for Free Oklahoma News   Pardon and Parole Board recommends clemency for death-row inmate Tremane Wood: By a 3-2 vote yesterday afternoon, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency for Tremane Wood, who faces an execution date later this month for a 2002 murder. Unless a pending appeal alleging the withholding of exculpatory evidence is upheld by either the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals or the U.S. Supreme Court, Wood's ultimate fate now rests in the hands of Gov. Kevin Stitt, who can now choose to commute Wood's sentence to life in prison with or without parole. [NonDoc] Oklahoma governor to decide the fate of convicted killer [Oklahoma Voice] Death row inmate Tremane Wood gets clemency recommendation [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommends clemency for Tremane Wood [KOSU] Oklahoma board urges Gov. Kevin Stitt to spare convicted murderer's life [KOCO] Opinion: Forgiveness, Not Execution: Why Clemency for Tremane Wood Honors True Justice [Rev. Joey H. Crutcher / The Black Wall Street Times] State Government News   Lawmakers examined OSSAA's eligibility and recruiting rule after parent complaints. Here's what they said: The executive director of the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association faced questions from lawmakers about OSSAA eligibility and recruiting rules during a hearing that included what, at times, was emotional testimony. [The Oklahoman]   Oklahoma Legislature gearing up for "Literacy Session" in 2026, in support of new state superintendent: Oklahoma's new state superintendent is vowing to stay out of the driver's seat when it comes to education policy, but one Tulsa lawmaker says the state Legislature is gearing up to support his top priority in what is being termed the "Literacy Session" in 2026. [Tulsa World]   New state superintendent focused on 'united front' with schools after contentious Walters term: Lindel Fields is nearly a month into his time as interim state superintendent of education. The former CareerTech administrator took over following the resignation of Ryan Walters in September. In an interview with the Flyer, the Tulsa Public Schools parent shared what his team has been working on since he took office. [Tulsa Flyer]   New records show Walters offered $50K in bonuses to chief of staff on top of $190K salary: News 4 has uncovered even more records showing former State Superintendent Ryan Walters paid his executive staff massive bonuses—this time, offering his chief of staff yearly bonuses worth more than the average Oklahoma teacher makes in a year, on top of a nearly $200,000 salary. [KFOR]   Federal Government News   Democratic leaders fresh from election wins demand Trump meeting over shutdown: Following major Democratic wins in local and state elections across the country on Election Day, top Democratic congressional leaders pushed for a meeting with the president to end the federal government shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest in U.S. history at day 36. [Oklahoma Voice]   Trump threatens legal action against mail voting in California redistricting election: President Trump on Tuesday threatened legal action over mail-in ballots cast in California, while also slamming the state's redistricting measure. [KFOR]   Tribal Nations News   Oklahoma Indigenous leaders at odds over whether Lumbee Tribe should be federally recognized: During a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing on Wednesday, leaders of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina advocated for federal recognition through the Lumbee Fairness Act — an issue on which Chief of the Shawnee Tribe Ben Barnes and Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin disagree. [KOSU]   Cherokee Nation film incentive fuels $3.6M in Oklahoma productions: Cherokee Nation's efforts to grow the TV and film industry in northeast Oklahoma are paying off, with several incentive-supported productions premiering this fall. [The Journal Record]   Voting and Election News   Oklahoma recreational marijuana ballot effort falls short: Supporters of an initiative petition drive that sought to legalize recreational marijuana have withdrawn it. Supporters of State Question 837 were allowed to begin collecting signatures on Aug. 6. They needed 172,993 signatures by Monday to get it on the ballot. [Oklahoma Voice] Recreational marijuana will not be on Oklahoma ballots as group falls short of signature minimum [KOCO] Education News   Group hopes to restore Oklahoma in-state tuition for some immigrants: A group of immigrant students in Oklahoma, represented by a Latino civil rights group, is seeking to appeal a federal judge's ruling that they cannot pay in-state tuition anymore. [Oklahoma Voice] Undocumented students in Oklahoma seek court intervention for tuition rates [KOCO] From OK Policy: Leaders' decision to target immigrants won't improve Oklahoma education outcomes Education Watch: Teacher Files New Lawsuit Over Revocation of Certificate: In 2022, Boismier drew the ire of Ryan Walters, then secretary of education, for her classroom protest of House Bill 1775. Boismier hung paper over the bookshelves in her Norman High School English classroom and wrote "books the state doesn't want you to read." She also posted a QR code to the Brooklyn library. [Oklahoma Watch]   Health News   Oklahoma is seeking part of a $50 billion rural health fund. Could it transform care amid other cuts?: Alongside the passage of billions of dollars in Medicaid spending reductions over a decade, Oklahoma is also vying for an opportunity available to all 50 states to fund sustainable rural health care initiatives. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]   Cancer patients' treatment 'in limbo' as they await repairs at Oklahoma Proton Center: Patients of the Oklahoma Proton Center in Oklahoma City are facing an uncertain future with their cancer treatment after learning their sessions will remain on hold for an indefinite time due to an equipment failure. [The Oklahoman]   Criminal Justice News   Reduced Oklahoma Prison Phone Call Rates Aren't Coming Back: The Federal Communications Commission voted 2-1 on Oct. 28 to roll back the 6-cent-per-minute rate cap on prison phone calls it enacted in July 2024. Phone calls from prisons will now be capped at 11 cents per minute, with up to 2 cents per minute going to corrections officials to pay for call monitoring. Rate caps at county jails will depend on the facility's population. [Oklahoma Watch]   OK County jail beefing up temporary medical staff amid search for permanent provider: The Oklahoma County jail is beefing up in-house medical care with temporary staffing until a permanent healthcare provider can be brought on to treat the ailing and injured among its 1,500-plus detainees. [The Oklahoman]   Case of teen rapist Jesse Butler draws protest from Stillwater community: Loud and persistent chants of "No means No!" and "No justice, no peace!" erupted in front of the Payne County Courthouse as upward of 150 people gathered to protest a ruling that allowed a teen who faced years of incarceration on charges of sexually assaulting two girls to avoid prison. [The Oklahoman]   New open container charges for medical marijuana are now in effect: A new law that took effect recently means Oklahoma drivers now need to keep medical marijuana products sealed and out of reach or potentially face an open container charge. [KFOR]   Housing & Economic Opportunity News   Young homebuyers lose more ground in housing market as states struggle to help: Young homebuyers have been priced out of the market even more than previously, according to a report released Nov. 4 by the National Association of Realtors. [Oklahoma Voice]   Tulsa launches new rehousing initiative for homeless, shows off early success: Mayor Monroe Nichols and other local leaders gathered Wednesday morning at the heavily wooded eagle preserve south of River Spirit Casino on Riverside Parkway to formally launch the city's Safe Move Tulsa Rehousing initiative. [Tulsa World] Mayor launches Safe Move Tulsa plan to fix street homelessness [Tulsa Flyer] Economy & Business News   PSO, OG&E announce lower electric bills due to falling natural gas prices: Most Oklahomans' electric bills will go down $7 to $12 per month because of lower natural gas prices, the state's two largest electric utilities announced within a week. [Tulsa World]   Tariffs heighten concerns for critical holiday shopping season: The Holiday Outlook 2025 report reveals top external worries are inflation/rising costs (32%) and weak customer spending (22%). Nearly half (46%) of the businesses surveyed report being negatively impacted by recent tariff policies, forcing many to take steps like cutting expenses (46%) or raising prices (43%). [The Journal Record]   Starbucks Workers United authorizes a strike, Oklahoma workers are prepared to join: Ahead of the start of Starbucks's holiday season, union baristas have voted to authorize a strike against the company. Workers in Oklahoma recently announced they are ready to join the strike. [KGOU]   Community News   Oklahoma food banks make plans for weekly $1 million influx of state funds: Oklahoma's two Feeding America food banks will split $1 million per week for seven weeks or as long as the federal government remains shut down — whichever happens sooner. [KOSU] Here's how far Oklahoma's emergency food bank funding will go. TL;DR not far. [Tulsa Flyer] OKC Homeless Alliance prepares to help more people amid government shutdown: Experts say many of the nearly 700,000 Oklahomans on SNAP face the decision to pay rent or buy groceries. Leaders at the Homeless Alliance said their resources are stretched, and they expect more demand. [News 9]   Local Headlines OKC mayor David Holt, U.S. mayors call for immediate action on SNAP benefits [The Oklahoman] Tulsa city councilors question timing, process behind Nichols' proposed sales tax increase [Tulsa World] Food on the Move event among options for Tulsa-area families in need [Tulsa World] Rising costs delay Oklahoma Department of Transportation projects across Green Country [Public Radio Tulsa] 'Cans for a Cause' to benefit Lawton Food Bank [The Lawton Constitution] 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.