In The Know: Gov. Oklahoma spares Tremane Wood from execution with minutes to spare | State Supreme Court sides with Stitt in Cabinet dispute | Oklahoma has a chance to build a youth justice system rooted in hope. Will we?

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, NOVEMBER 14,  2025 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Opinion: Oklahoma has a chance to build a youth justice system rooted in hope. Will we?   Recent issues at Tecumseh's secure placement facility for Oklahoma youths — and the subsequent resignation of the state director for the Office of Juvenile Affairs — highlight that we need to rethink youth justice in our state. When it comes to the future of Oklahoma's children, we have both a moral and practical obligation to act. [Jill Mencke & Polina Rozhkova / The Oklahoman] From OK Policy: Reimagining Youth Justice in Oklahoma: A Landscape Report of the Youth Justice System and Recommendations for Reform Clara Luper Plaza dedication honors Oklahoma's role in civil rights history (Capitol Update)   Occasionally, something happens that makes you especially proud of your state. One of those moments occurred Saturday, November 1, when the Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza in downtown Oklahoma City was dedicated to honor Ms. Clara Luper and the original 13 students who staged the nation's first sit-in at Katz Drug Store in downtown Oklahoma City, beginning August 19, 1958. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update] From OK Policy archive via the Oklahoman: Clara Luper resisted Oklahoma City segregation. What change will you make? $55.9 million   Amount spent on 2024 federal elections in Oklahoma. This is compared to $19.7 million (or $28.7 million, when adjusted for inflation) spent in the state during the 2008 presidential election cycle, the last before the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United that the First Amendment protects the right of wealthy individuals and corporations to spend unlimited money on elections. [Open Secrets]  State Legislatures Can Push Back Against Citizens United   The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision sparked an explosion of big money in American politics. This Court has shown no interest in revisiting this decision, but a strategy that helped antiabortion activists in their quest to overturn Roe v. Wade could also work for campaign finance reform: enacting state trigger laws that directly challenge the legitimacy of the Court's decision. State lawmakers can fight the influence of big money in politics by passing trigger laws that would go into effect if the Supreme Court's misguided ruling is reversed. [Brennan Center for Justice] "You may care little about the street-corner panhandlers or the shanty towns near you. You may care even less if your neighborhood and environs rarely see either. But you should care about how your elected public policymakers approach problems involving the least among us. What they say and do goes a long way toward determining what kind of communities we live in."   -Arnold Hamilton, writing about the differing approaches that the governor and Tulsa's mayor are taking to the issue of homelessness. [The Journal Record] From OK Policy: Homelessness in Oklahoma – Information and Resources 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. NEXT WEEK: Ada, Lawton, & Enid!  Tuesday | November 18 | 6:00 p.m. Pontotoc Co. AgriPlex (North Room), 1710 N Broadway Ave, Ada, OK 74820 Register for Ada Thursday | November 20 | 6:00 p.m. Owens Multipurpose Center Gymnasium, 1405 SW 11th St, Lawton, OK 73501 Register for Lawton Thursday | November 20 | 5:30 p.m. Enid Public Library, 120 W Maine St, Enid, OK 73701 Register for Enid State Government News   Oklahoma high court resolves dual office-holding spat: The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that state agency heads may simultaneously serve in the governor's cabinet. Vice Chief Justice Dana Kuehn, writing for the court's 7-2 majority, found that serving as an agency head and as a gubernatorial Cabinet secretary does not violate a state law that bars dual office holding. [Oklahoma Voice] OK Supreme Court rejects Drummond opinion that shook up state bureaucracy [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma Supreme Court sides with Stitt in Cabinet dispute [Tulsa World] Appeals court asks if pronouns lawsuit filed against Ryan Walters can be resolved: Taking a page from the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals has asked attorneys in a lawsuit filed by a Moore Public Schools student against former state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters over gender markers if Walters' resignation might lead to a resolution of the case. [The Oklahoman]   Rep. Pittman officially served but still not answering questions: The state officially served Representative Ajay Pittman this week after filing a lawsuit accusing her of fraud. News 4 has tried time and time again to get a statement or hear from Representative Pittman, but she has avoided questions. [KFOR]   Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Recreational marijuana petition fails, Rep. Forrest Bennett resigns, Tulsa sales tax and more (podcast): The panelists talk about the failure of an initiative petition to legalize recreational marijuana in Oklahoma, a new investigation on a state-owned vehicle issued to an assistant to former Superintendent Ryan Walters, the resignation of Oklahoma City Democratic Representative Forrest Bennett, and more. [KOSU]   Federal Government News   Trump administration to mostly pay full SNAP benefits 'within 24 hours' of shutdown end: The Trump administration will release full benefits for most participants in the nation's major federal nutrition program within 24 hours of the reopening of the federal government, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson said Wednesday. [Oklahoma Voice] Tulsa schools stepped up to feed families during the SNAP freeze. Many will continue through the holidays. [Tulsa Flyer] Government reopens after record shutdown, but impacts could linger. [USA Today] Federal subsidies are set to expire for the Affordable Care Act, forcing some Oklahomans to forgo health insurance: For years, federal subsidies kept health insurance within reach for families on the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. However, they're set to expire at the end of this year, and insurance premiums are skyrocketing, forcing some people to forgo insurance altogether. [KFOR] From OK Policy: What Oklahomans need to know about expiring ACA premium tax credits Oklahoma's senators discuss health care subsidies and the filibuster's future: The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history ended this week after President Donald Trump signed a bill to fund the government. [Public Radio Tulsa]   USDA searched for terms like 'diversity,' 'climate modeling' to target grants for cancellation: The U.S. Department of Agriculture directed its staff to identify grants for possible termination in the early months of the second Trump administration by searching for more than two dozen specific words and phrases related to diversity and climate change. [Reuters]   Tribal Nations News   Stitt appoints special prosecutor for Indigenous Oklahoma hunters without state licenses: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed a special prosecutor to go after Indigenous hunters who are cited for hunting without a state license on tribal reservations. [KOSU]   Trump Administration Removes Report on Missing and Murdered Native Americans, Calling It DEI Content: The Trump administration took down a congressionally mandated report on missing and murdered Native Americans from the Department of Justice's website nearly 300 days ago to comply with an executive order against diversity, equity and inclusion. It's still not back online, and the senators who worked to pass the law are furious. [Oklahoma Watch]   Voting and Election News   Some candidates pledge to donate six-figure raise given to next State Superintendent: Several candidates running to be Oklahoma's next state superintendent say they won't accept the massive raise a state board just approved for the position—part of a series of pay increases handed out to top elected officials this week. [KFOR]   Education News   Oklahoma State University reveals $2 billion fundraising campaign: Oklahoma State University has set its sights on raising $2 billion for scholarships and athletics, having quietly collected nearly $900 million toward that goal over the past four years. [Oklahoma Voice]   Opinion, Oklahoma Chancellor for Higher Education: Oklahoma's public college and university graduates stay here, fill critical jobs: While our focus as a higher education system is on student success – and rightly so – degrees lift up more than the individuals who earn them. College graduates don't just expand their own career potential; they form a stronger workforce, which boosts our state economy. In fact, every dollar of state appropriations invested in our public institutions generates $17.48 in economic output. When graduates stay and pursue careers here, it helps secure a more prosperous future for all of us. [Sean Burrage / The Journal Record]   Health News   Oklahoma mental health agency purchases vacant OKC hospital to replace Donahue project: The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health is purchasing a vacant hospital in Oklahoma City to serve as the state's largest psychiatric facility for people with severe mental illness. [KOSU] Oklahoma mental health agency buys vacant OKC hospital for Griffin Memorial relocation [The Oklahoman] State to acquire southwest Oklahoma City campus for mental health treatment [Tulsa World] VA takes ownership of new downtown Tulsa hospital: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is equipping and staffing a new $181.4 million VA medical center in downtown Tulsa following an ownership transfer ceremony on Veterans Day. The 58-bed medical-surgical hospital will begin accepting patients in late spring 2026. [The Journal Record]   OU Stephenson cancer hospital breaks ground in Tulsa, aims for 2028 opening: University of Oklahoma officials were joined Thursday by city, state and tribal leaders to officially break ground on an expansion that will bring OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, the state's only National Cancer Institute-designated hospital, to Tulsa. [Tulsa World]   New health center headed to east Tulsa will serve 3,000 more families: Community Health Connection will soon break ground on a new maternal and child health center to expand its services to women and children in Tulsa. [Tulsa Flyer]   New Tulsa health coalition brings experts and patients together for better outcomes: Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols launched a new coalition Thursday as part of his effort to improve well-being and address health issues in Tulsa. The coalition supports the city's first ever Office of Health and Wellbeing. [Tulsa Flyer]   Opinion: Gov. Stitt gives doctors another reason not to practice in Oklahoma: A governor's order requires all physicians and providers to sign an attestation regarding abortion care. Refusal or inability to sign the attestation results in the loss of Medicaid contracts. This attestation is unnecessary and confusing — unnecessary because abortion is already outlawed in Oklahoma, and confusing because it seems to restrict doctors from providing medical care during obstetric emergencies. [Dr. Dana Stone / The Oklahoman] Oklahoma Health Care Authority pauses requiring providers to disclose abortion-related activities [KGOU] From OK Policy: Policy Matters: Policies are driving doctors out of Oklahoma Criminal Justice News   Oklahoma spares Tremane Wood from execution with minutes to spare: Gov. Kevin Stitt granted death row prisoner Tremane Wood clemency less than an hour before his scheduled execution on Thursday. It is the second time since 2021 that Stitt has granted clemency for a death row prisoner claiming innocence. [The Frontier] Convicted murderer Tremane Wood 'fine' after passing out hours after avoiding execution [The Oklahoman] Hours after last second clemency, Tremane Wood found unresponsive in cell [KOSU] Stitt halts Tremane Wood execution, commutes sentence to life without parole [NonDoc] Oklahoma governor spares convicted killer shortly before execution [Oklahoma Voice] Oklahoma governor grants clemency for death row inmate Tremane Wood [KOSU] Convicted murderer Tremane Wood was to be executed then the governor intervened at last minute [The Oklahoman] Death row inmate receives rare reprieve [Gaylord News] From OK Policy: Oklahoma Death Penalty Tracker Tulsa to pay $26.25 million to man wrongfully convicted of rape after decades-long fight: The settlement comes after William Henry Jamerson spent more than two decades in prison for a rape conviction that was overturned last year. [The Frontier]   Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association backs strengthening cockfighting laws: The Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association is calling cockfighting a public safety crisis. The OSS wrote a letter to the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation, strongly supporting the FIGHT (Fighting Illegal Gaming and High-Risk Animal Trafficking) Act, or HR 3946. [KJRH]   Opinion: What I've learned in prison about political disagreements: A recent political discussion between myself and a friend in the college lab at my prison could have ended like other political discussions these days, with insults, yelling, then ignoring each other. But such behavior is not allowed in the college department at Oklahoma's Mabel Bassett Correctional Center for women, and it would get us banned. [Lindsey Smith / The Oklahoman]   Opinion: Locking up women doesn't stop addiction. It breaks up families, burdens taxpayers: It's time for policies that prioritize rehabilitation and recovery over costly incarceration, not just because it's compassionate, but because it works. [Erin Engelke / The Oklahoman]   Housing & Economic Opportunity News   Specialized Tulsa outreach team helps chronically homeless off streets: A specialized outreach team is helping Tulsa's most vulnerable homeless population get into stable housing. The Tulsa Day Center introduced the "Blue Team" three years ago to help the most chronically unhoused people get off the streets. [Public Radio Tulsa]   Opinion: Two leaders, two visions for the unhoused: You may care little about the street-corner panhandlers or the shanty towns near you. You may care even less if your neighborhood and environs rarely see either. But you should care about how your elected public policymakers approach problems involving the least among us. What they say and do goes a long way toward determining what kind of communities we live in. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]   Community News   Tulsans gather to hear Nichols' State of the City address: 'We're stepping up': Mayor Monroe Nichols broke with tradition Wednesday night and gave the State of the City address in front of anyone who wanted to make the trip downtown to hear it. [Tulsa World] 'Be serious about reality': Tulsa mayor talks tough topics in State of the City speech [NonDoc] Mayor delivers annual State of the City address [Public Radio Tulsa] 3 things to know about the mayor's first State of the City speech [Tulsa Flyer] Local Headlines Dozens hospitalized, 1,000 evacuated following ammonia spill in Weatherford [KOSU] 'Systemic problems': City of Spencer audit addresses compliance, State Auditor Cindy Byrd says [KFOR] Spencer residents react to audit highlighting 'systematic problems' [KFOR] Tulsa Fire Department to start charging drivers' insurance for the cost of car crash cleanups [The Oklahoma Eagle via Tulsa Flyer] 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. 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