In The Know: Oklahoma braces for winter storm, snow | Lawmaker proposes state oversight of homeless shelters | Judge will let tribal sovereignty case against Oklahoma DAs continue

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, JANUARY 23, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) 96%   In Oklahoma City, 96% of residential land is zoned for only detached single-family homes by right. Cities and states can use zoning reform to address their housing shortages and rising housing costs. [OK Policy] How to Change the Politics Blocking the Housing We Need   So why aren't we addressing the core issues around creating more housing? It boils down to politics. If we're serious about lowering housing costs, we need to acknowledge and design around the political realities that stand in the way of meaningful action. Local politicians resistant to new housing aren't hostile to affordability; often, they're simply responding to the political incentives in front of them. Lowering costs means shaking up who has power at the local level and building units faster so that time-limited politicians can take credit for progress. Our policies should reflect these political realities, not wave them away. [Governing] "Duplicative administrative processes will pull time, staff capacity and resources away from direct care and housing navigation, without addressing the core drivers of homelessness or accelerating exits to stable and dignified housing."   —Rachel Freeman, president and CEO of the Oklahoma City and Norman City Care shelters, raising concerns about HB 3131 that would create state oversight of homeless shelters. [The Frontier] Learn how advocacy actually works — and how YOU fit into it   Most people care about what's happening at the Capitol. Far fewer know how to actually influence it. We'll break down how advocacy really works — who to contact, when it matters most, and how everyday people have changed decisions simply by showing up consistently. You'll learn practical skills like making effective calls, writing letters, meeting with lawmakers, and telling your story in a way that lands. View all upcoming Advocacy Training dates, locations, and registration details. Find an Advocacy Training in Your Community Join advocates and community activists from all across the state on March 3 for our 2026 Day of Action, hosted by OK Policy and Together Oklahoma.   Our Day of Action provides you with an opportunity to engage with legislators and get the information, tools, and resources you need to advocate for the changes that you would like to see in your community. Register Now Oklahoma News   Oklahoma braces for winter storm, snow: A severe winter storm is expected to bring a glaze of ice, dangerously cold temperatures, and potentially a foot of snow to Oklahoma City over the weekend. The storm is part of a major, widespread winter system that's likely to spread damaging ice and heavy snow across several southern states, like Texas and Oklahoma, into the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic states. [The Oklahoman] Winter weather moves into Oklahoma Friday, Saturday [KFOR] EMSA warns of hypothermia, frostbite risk ahead of Oklahoma snowstorm [The Oklahoman] OKC trash schedule adjusted amid winter storm: See changes, updates [The Oklahoman] State and OKC prepare the roads ahead of winter weather [KFOR] Friday closures announced ahead of predicted winter storm [Tulsa World] How to navigate power outages and freezing pipes during Tulsa winter storm [Oklahoma Eagle] Boil water notices could be issued during winter storm. Here's what you need to know. [Tulsa Flyer] How Tulsa's 2007 ice storm led to the birth of a crucial winter weather prediction tool [Oklahoma Eagle] Winter Storm Fern draws utility cost concerns [The Journal Record] OKC ICE center designed for 'worst of the worst' stirs worries at school: The Department of Homeland Security says it is targeting murderers, rapists, gang members and "other criminals" in its immigration detention sweeps, leading to questions about the safety of children attending school on the same street where the agency is looking to convert a warehouse into a processing and detention center for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. [The Oklahoman]   Data centers not behind PSO's proposed 15% rate increase, utility clarifies: A proposed 15% increase in bills to be paid by residential customers of Public Service Co. of Oklahoma isn't the result of anticipated future impacts of data centers or other "large load" consumers of electricity. Rather, it's a reflection of the impacts of inflation identified from the recent past, according to the company. [Tulsa World] PSO's proposed rate hike draws opposition from industrial energy consumers [Tulsa World] Oklahoma Cattlemen Tackle Taxes, Leases, and Labels at Winter Policy Meeting: The most pressing issue for the Oklahoma Cattlemen Association this session involves potential changes to property taxes. An official expressed deep concern regarding State Question 843, a proposal that would eliminate property taxes on residential homes. While the idea might sound appealing to homeowners, he warns of the unintended consequences for agriculture. [Oklahoma Farm Report] From OK Policy: Local governments need property taxes to provide community services State Government News   Oklahoma lawmaker proposes new oversight of homeless shelters, with funding at stake: Homeless shelters would lose public funding if they don't comply with regulations set by the state, according to a measure proposed ahead of the 2026 legislative session. Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, introduced House Bill 3131 to create state oversight of homeless shelters, an idea he and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, have toyed with since June when the lawmakers proposed an interim study on the topic. [The Frontier]   Oklahoma lawmakers address concerns about growth of data centers across state: Oklahoma lawmakers are addressing concerns about the rapid growth of data centers across the state. Senator Kendal Sacchieri has introduced senate bill 1488. This legislation would establish a moratorium, or pause, on the construction of new data centers until Nov. 1, 2029. [KSWO]   House budget chairman targets tobacco trust fund for Oklahoma's Promise: Oklahoma's House budget chair wants to nix the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust's board of directors and redirect the trust fund's earnings through a vote of the people. [The Oklahoman] Capitol Update: What Oklahoma got right with tobacco lawsuit settlement money Oklahoma lawmaker aims to protect Oklahomans' 'right to race': SB 1195 is the "Racing Facility and Racetrack Nuisance Immunity Act," It specifically protects racetracks from public nuisance complaints by homeowners within a three-mile radius if they preexist surrounding residential development. [KOSU]   Influential business group wants laws to improve literacy, change tax policy in OK: Ahead of the 2026 legislative session, one of Oklahoma's most influential business groups is seeking to improve literacy, expand research and development capacity and create continued progress on tax policy and incentives. [The Oklahoman]   Administrator says new Oklahoma driver's licenses will be 'most secure in the world': Oklahoma will soon begin issuing driver's licenses that are among the most secure in the world, Service Oklahoma Executive Director Jay Doyle told a legislative panel on Thursday. [Tulsa World]   Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: 2026 legislative session, OKC immigration detention center, Broken Arrow mosque and more: The panel talks about about state lawmakers getting ready for the 2026 legislative session next month, Senator James Lankford and local officials seeking answers about an ICE detention center in Oklahoma City and the Islamic Society of Tulsa looking into possible legal action after development for a mosque was blocked in Broken Arrow. They discuss a petition from State Treasurer Todd Russ to the Supreme Court to avoid a deposition of his office's use of a self-deleting app for messaging and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt's support of State Question 836 to open primaries in the state. [KOSU]   Tribal Nations News   Judge will let tribal sovereignty case against Oklahoma DAs continue: A federal judge has rejected efforts by two Oklahoma prosecutors to dismiss the tribal sovereignty case against them. Eastern Oklahoma district attorneys Carol Iski and Matt Ballard are defending their actions in federal district court after the U.S. government and several Native American tribes sued to block them from prosecuting tribal members whose alleged crimes occurred on a tribal reservation. [The Oklahoman]   Cherokee Nation, OU partnership to bring nursing school campus to rural northeast Oklahoma: A partnership between the Cherokee Nation and the University of Oklahoma will bring a $30 million OU nursing satellite campus to Tahlequah, making health care careers more accessible to tribal citizens. [KOSU]   'Straight as a drone flies': Choctaw Nation using technology to close rural health care gaps: Drones and robotic dogs demonstrated their transportation powers during an event recognizing a nearly $2 million federal grant that Choctaw Nation leaders say could fundamentally change how health care is delivered in rural Indian Country. [NonDoc]   Voting and Election News   Deadline to get Oklahoma open primary question on ballot is approaching: The deadline for Oklahoma voters to collect enough signatures to force a statewide vote on "open primary" elections is Jan. 26. Supporters of putting Oklahoma State Question 836 on the ballot have until Monday to reach 172,993 signatures. If the constitutional amendment proposal makes it to the Nov. 3 ballot and earns approval, it would end the state's "closed primary" system that allows only registered members of a political party to vote in a party primary. [Tulsa Flyer] State Question 836 nears end of signature-gathering [Tulsa World] From OK Policy's What's That?: Open Primaries Oklahoma agency sues vendor over ethics reporting system debacle: The Oklahoma Ethics Commission has filed suit against a Texas vendor for allegedly failing to deliver a campaign finance reporting system despite repeated assurances and deadline extensions. [Oklahoma Voice]   Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association pulls gubernatorial endorsement of Drummond: The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association has rescinded and made void its gubernatorial endorsement of Attorney General Gentner Drummond. It will also no longer endorse any political candidate. [KOSU]   Education News   State board wants to banish Walters' rule on U.S. Naturalization test for new teachers: The Oklahoma State Board of Education took another step Thursday in disentangling state policy from former State Superintendent Ryan Walters' legacy. [Tulsa World] Oklahoma officials aim to strike U.S. Naturalization Test from teacher licensing [Oklahoma Voice] New Oklahoma education leadership boots Walters' U.S. Naturalization Test requirement for teachers [KOSU] OSBE reinstates former Glenpool administrator's credentials [Tulsa World] Opinion: Why can't students read? Answer may lie in teaching strategy: Since the 1990s, I've urged educators to do both — listen to students and teach them to control, not be controlled, by digital technology. But, we did a lousy job. And, that's not the adults' only failure. We've allowed test-driven, competition-driven, corporate school reforms to undermine the joy of teaching and learning. [John Thompson / The Oklahoman]   Health News   Oklahoma governor amends executive order requiring Medicaid providers sign abortion attestation: Oklahoma Health Care Authority CEO Clay Bullard announced that Gov. Kevin Stitt revised and reissued an executive order on abortion last week during the OHCA Board's January meeting. This followed concerns from agency board members related to its requirement for Medicaid providers to submit a signed attestation disclosing abortion-related activities. [KGOU]   Medicaid, maternal care and medical freedom: Here are some Oklahoma health bills to watch this year: This legislative session, Oklahoma lawmakers will consider hundreds of health bills on various topics, including Medicaid, maternal health and medical freedom. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]   Study Finds Colon Cancer Deaths In The US On The Rise: In a striking reversal of long-term medical trends, colorectal cancer (CRC) has shifted from a disease predominantly associated with the elderly to a growing crisis for young and middle-aged Americans. [The Black Wall Street Times]   Criminal Justice News   Lawmakers Eye Parole, Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform: Oklahoma lawmakers will look to tackle a broad array of criminal justice issues in the coming months, including raising the burden of proof for civil asset forfeiture and expanding parole eligibility for Oklahoma's aging prison population. [Oklahoma Watch]   Stillwater judge in Jesse Butler case cleared of wrongdoing accusations: An Oklahoma state agency investigating allegations of misconduct has found no wrongdoing in a judge's decision-making in a teenage rape case that sparked massive outcry in the college town of Stillwater. [The Oklahoman]   Economy & Business News   'We are all in:' Tulsa makes its push to be global leader in autonomous systems: Robot soldiers, self-driving cars and more flying drones than you can count are all in store for Tulsa's manufacturing space. At least that's a possibility, according to Michael Robbins, president and CEO of AUVSI — the world's largest advocacy organization for autonomous technology. He joined Tulsa Innovation Labs Thursday for a strategic briefing on autonomous vehicles. [Oklahoma Eagle]   Community News   'Heck of a class' is honored at 2026 Oklahoma Governor's Arts Awards: 21 individuals and organizations were honored for their contributions to the arts at the 2026 Oklahoma Governor's Arts Awards Tuesday, Jan. 20, at the Capitol. Hundreds of people crowded the fourth-floor rotunda to cheer on the diverse group of honorees from across Oklahoma. [The Oklahoman]   Local Headlines Ardmore proposes 1% sales tax increase for road repairs [KTEN] Support Our Work with a Donation 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. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. 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.