In The Know: Senator Mullin faces tough confirmation hearing | Candidates for Oklahoma offices set to file next month | It’s past time for Oklahoma lawmakers to open the books on the state budget

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.

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Policy Matters: It's past time for Oklahoma lawmakers to open the books on the state budget   We're approaching the halfway point of the legislative session — do you know where your state budget bills are? If you don't, you're in good company: most of our elected officials don't know where they are either. That's because most of the budget decision-making happens behind closed doors, in conversations the public and most legislators are not allowed to see. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record] Apply Now for the 2026 Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute   OK Policy's Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute (SPI) brings together highly-qualified college students, recent graduates, and new policy professionals for a three-day learning experience that informs participants about Oklahoma's policy landscape and provides tools and resources to create change in our state. Apply by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, May 10, 2026. Learn More & Apply Know someone who would be a good fit for SPI? Please send them the link above. 5.3%   The percentage of pregnant people ages 15-44 who reported using illicit drugs in the past month as of 2024 — a 0.4 percentage point increase from 2023. [SAMSHA] Drug Overdoses Are Skyrocketing Among Mothers. Why Is Rehab Unavailable?   Access to addiction treatment is especially constrained for women — particularly mothers — due to the scarcity of gender-responsive programs that integrate essential supports like childcare and trauma-informed care. As a result, many either forgo treatment or enter through less effective pathways such as mental health or primary care settings. Addressing this gap will require expanding specialized services that meet women's complex needs and removing structural barriers that limit entry into traditional treatment programs. [The Marshall Project] "By supporting the entire mother and getting to the root of why they have developed addictive and criminogenic behaviors, we are ensuring their children will not do the same. Every child deserves to be with their mother — their parent — and be raised in a nurturing, healthy home."   — Erin Engleke, executive director of ReMerge, describing the program's trauma-informed, family-centered approach to diversion for justice-involved mothers, which focuses on treatment, stability, and long-term support to reduce recidivism and break intergenerational cycles of incarceration. [NonDoc] Oklahoma News   Sealed Records, 11-Minute Hearings, Hidden Conflicts: Inside Oklahoma's Broken Guardianship System: Multiple attorneys, former judges and national experts who spoke with Oklahoma Watch — some on the condition of anonymity — described systemic problems in both the adult and child guardianship systems in Oklahoma. In the former case, the crisis will grow acute as Oklahoma's population ages. [Oklahoma Watch]   Long Story Short: Inola Residents Say Trump's Industrial Push Is Coming at Their Expense (podcast): Plans unfold for the nation's largest aluminum plant at the Port of Inola, sparking a clash between economic promises and local outcry. Plus, an examination of a possible $175 million surge in federal immigration funding for Oklahoma law enforcement and AG Gentner Drummond's escalating legal battle over a controversial Jewish charter school application. [Oklahoma Watch]   State Government News   Oklahoma lawmakers start preparation for the 2030 Decennial Census: Oklahoma lawmakers are starting to prepare for the 2030 census with three House bills approved this week. The decennial census is a massive undertaking involving federal, state, tribal and local governments. The goal is to count as many people living in the country as possible. [KOSU]   Some of Oklahoma's thousands of orphaned wells could find a new purpose under this state bill: Proposed legislation would allow companies to convert abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal and energy storage use. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]   Federal Government News   Markwayne Mullin faces Senate questions for Homeland Security secretary: Mullin, a Republican U.S. senator, stands to become the second Cabinet secretary from Oklahoma. President Donald Trump picked Mullin, his longtime ally, to lead the Department of Homeland Security as it faces nationwide scrutiny over the actions of immigration enforcement officers. [The Oklahoman] Mullin stays composed as DHS nominee faces scrutiny in Senate hearing [The Oklahoman] Can Markwayne Mullin Be Trusted to Lead DHS? Senators Press Accountability and Judgment [The Black Wall Street Times] Markwayne Mullin Faces Sharp Scrutiny, Fiery Exchange With Rand Paul at Homeland Security Confirmation Hearing [The Black Wall Street Times] Top Republican opposes Trump's Homeland nominee over inflammatory rhetoric [Reuters] Mullin confronted about 'anger issues' by Rand Paul in tense DHS confirmation hearing [Oklahoma Voice] Sen. Paul confronts Sen. Mullin over violent rhetoric at his DHS confirmation hearing [NPR via KOSU] Senator Mullin faces tough confirmation hearing, pledges permanent FEMA director [The Journal Record] Senator Mullin questioned during nomination hearing Wednesday [KFOR] Recapping the Senate hearing for Markwayne Mullin's cabinet nomination [KOCO] Mullin says overseas classified trip was official business at Senate hearing [The Oklahoman] Markwayne Mullin made millions while in Congress. Where it came from: Through a combination of stock trades, property investments and the sale of large assets, Mullin has seen his net worth exponentially grow since becoming a public official, raising questions from ethics experts. [The Oklahoman]   Elections officials decry costs heaped on states in SAVE America voting bill: The voting overhaul measure that the U.S. Senate began debating Tuesday would cause major headaches for underfunded state and local election officials, without meaningfully stopping fraud, according to a collection of voting rights advocates and elections officers. [Oklahoma Voice]   Republicans hope to label Democrats as party of election fraud in voter ID debate: Senate Republicans, facing a tough midterm election campaign, hope to turn the Senate's likely rejection of President Donald Trump's voter-ID bill into a liability for Democrats that analysts say could be used to bolster claims of voter fraud in the November balloting. [Reuters]   Opinion: Wildly misguided farm policy creates oceans of red ink for taxpayers across US: Let's face it: $1.4 trillion dollars is a lot of dough. Adding $20 billion, $10 billion and then $12 billion makes it real money — all for a new farm bill, recoupment from weather and market losses, and fallout frrom the tariffs. President Donald Trump proclaims this stupefying deluge of subsidies farmers' "golden age." He and his advisors will not pronounce the obvious: It's a red age. American agriculture is hemorrhaging red ink. [Greg Frazier / Oklahoma Voice]   Voting and Election News   Candidates for Oklahoma offices set to file next month: Candidates for state, judicial, federal, district attorney offices will file April 1-3 at the Capitol. All statewide elective offices are up for grabs as well as 101 state House seats and 25 Senate seats. Also, Oklahoma voters will decide who will fill one U.S. Senate seat and all five U.S. House seats. [Oklahoma Voice]   Education News   Education Watch: School Calendar Proposal Passes House, Moves to Senate: House lawmakers advanced a bill to extend the minimum school year by seven days and increase school funding by $175 million. It's the first firm proposal from the House this session to boost money for schools after a Senate plan to redirect $254 million from apportioned revenue for the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System faced significant pushback. [Oklahoma Watch] From OK Policy: Competing education proposals set the stage for legislative debate (Capitol Update) Criminal Justice News   Oklahoma County Budget Board recommends jail trust dissolution, tables supplemental funding: Led by District 1 Commissioner Jason Lowe, the Oklahoma County Budget Board took the initial step in dissolving the jail trust during a special meeting on Wednesday while also delaying $2.6 million in supplemental funding for the troubled facility. [NonDoc] Oklahoma County officials call in 6-1 vote for jail trust to be disbanded [The Oklahoman] Facing financial shortfall, Oklahoma County officials move to dissolve jail trust [KOSU] Oklahoma County jail faces potential layoffs amid budget shortfall [KOCO] Erin Engelke: ReMerge 'breaking generational cycles' for justice-involved mothers: Launched in 2011 through a partnership between the Inasmuch Foundation and the United Way of Central Oklahoma, ReMerge has evolved into an effective diversion program for mothers in the criminal justice system. Since the organization's inception, more than 230 women have graduated from its programs. [NonDoc]   Housing & Economic Opportunity News   Tulsa's affordable housing push draws national attention — and a touring group of real estate pros: As Tulsa pushes to add affordable housing and curb chronic homelessness, the city is poised to be a national leader in providing solutions to longstanding housing dilemmas, according to national and local Black real estate leaders. [The Oklahoma Eagle]   Economy & Business News   Corporation Commission deems nuclear option feasible but with obstacles: Fifty years since the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission decommissioned the Kerr-McGee Cimarron nuclear fuel facility near Crescent, state leaders have been exploring the feasibility of generating nuclear energy to meet rising energy demand. [The Journal Record]   Community News   Tulsa-area pastor deported after routine immigration check-in, family says: A Tulsa-area family says their husband, father and pastor was deported after what they believed would be a routine immigration check-in. [Fox 23]   Local Headlines OKC leaders want your ideas for downtown's future. Here's how to share [The Oklahoman] OKC Human Rights Commission seeks volunteers to flag discriminatory language in documents [Fox 25] Enrollment open for Tulsa Public Schools Summer Learning Program [Fox 23] 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 emails from us, please unsubscribe.