In The Know: Fate of minimum wage hike in the hands of Oklahoma voters | Everything you need to know about Oklahoma primaries on June 16 | Oklahoma should not deny transgender people medically necessary care

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.

TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Oklahoma should not deny transgender people medically necessary care (Capitol Update)   Senate Bill 904, a carryover bill from 2025 that started as amendments to an incentive reimbursement program for long-term care facilities, was plucked from obscurity recently, gutted, and turned into a bill denying Medicaid (SoonerCare) coverage “for any gender transition procedures, regardless of whether the procedures are provided to a minor or an adult.” The bill passed the Senate on March 25 and the House last Wednesday. It’s headed to the governor to certainly become law. I have to say, I simply do not understand the obsession with singling out transgender Oklahomans and denying them treatments they need and would otherwise qualify to receive under Medicaid. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update] NEW! OK Policy is now hiring for FOUR positions! Administrative & Office Coordinator Donor Stewardship & Events Coordinator Research & Data Analyst (two open positions) Deadline to apply for all positions is Sunday, May 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.   Learn More & Apply We encourage folks to please forward this email to someone you know who may be in the market for a new job opportunity. 30%   After the longest stretch in U.S. history without a federal minimum wage increase, the federal minimum wage today ($7.25) is worth about 30% less than it was 15 years ago, once inflation is taken into account. [Economic Policy Institute] Most minimum wage studies have found little or no job loss   There is always a great deal of political heat around minimum wage increases, largely driven by concerns about job losses. After a minimum wage increase, the story goes, many employers will not be able to afford to pay their workers the new higher minimum wage and will therefore shrink their payrolls. If these job losses are large enough, they could even swamp the higher wages and lead to lower overall wage income for the entire group of affected workers. Yet actual evidence shows that this narrative is largely wrong. The vast majority of minimum wage research implies that minimum wage policies have unambiguously raised the total earnings of low-wage workers. [Economic Policy Institute] "States around us that have raised their minimum wage, that look like Oklahoma — Missouri, Arkansas, New Mexico and Nebraska — have not seen massive job losses, have not seen the sky fall. This is a common-sense policy that sets a new floor for low-wage workers and provides them the opportunity to have a decent living so that they can go out to dinner, they can maybe help pay for their rent, their gas and their groceries."   — Amber England, who is leading the campaign to raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage, pushing back on claims that increasing wages would devastate the job market. She argues that nearby states with similar economies have already implemented higher minimum wages without the widespread economic fallout critics predicted. [NonDoc] From OK Policy: Hard work should pay enough to live Oklahoma News   SQ 832: Fate of minimum wage hike in the hands of Oklahoma voters: Oklahoma last raised its minimum wage in 2009, when it matched the new federal rate that took effect that year. While efforts to raise it since then have failed in the Oklahoma Legislature, this time around, the decision will be left to voters when State Question 832 appears on the June 16 ballot. [NonDoc] Got questions about Oklahoma’s proposed minimum wage increase? We have answers [The Oklahoma Eagle] From OK Policy: SQ 832: Minimum Wage Increase | Information and Resources Everything you need to know about Oklahoma primaries on June 16: Primary elections in Oklahoma will be held Tuesday, June 16, 2026, and includes a wide variety of important races, including the governor and several major state positions. We've compiled everything you need to know about the elections, what you need to vote, and where each candidate stands here. This will be updated as we get closer to the elections. [The Oklahoman]   State Government News   Legislative Roundup Oklahoma Senate revives wind setback bill in final days [The Journal Record] In Depth: House lawmakers say 140-150 bills have uncertain future in State Senate [Fox 23] Bill that expands Oklahoma's Caring for Caregivers Tax Credit signed [KTUL] Federal Government News   Tulsa leaders worry Supreme Court decision could roll back gains in representation for Black voters: After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a Louisiana redistricting map creating a second majority-Black congressional district was unconstitutional, some Tulsans are questioning what impact it might have on the city’s civil rights advances. [Tulsa Flyer]   Trump so far failing in quest for power over elections as midterms approach: As President Donald Trump tries to assert power over U.S. elections, he has raged on social media, cajoled Republican lawmakers and unleashed the Department of Justice on his political enemies. What has he accomplished with all that effort? Not a lot. [Oklahoma Voice]   Unpacking the fight over telehealth access to abortion medication: Advocates and opponents of abortion access say they’re wondering what happens next in a critical telehealth medication case that created chaos and confusion over the past week after an appeals court blocked nationwide access to the drug and, days later, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito issued a temporary stay. [Oklahoma Voice]   Voting and Election News   AG candidate Jon Echols returns campaign donation after grand jury report mention: Attorney general candidate Jon Echols has refunded donor Rod Polston's campaign contributions in the latest development in the scandal surrounding the politically connected tax attorney and his wife's early release from prison. [The Oklahoman]   Education News   Record Highs, Bottom Rankings: Oklahoma’s Education Spending Gap Explained: State lawmakers are touting historic education spending levels, but Oklahoma’s per-pupil spending rate is still dead last among surrounding states. New state-by-state comparisons show that recent investments have boosted Oklahoma’s spending to about $12,519 per student, with additional increases expected for Fiscal Year 2027 from $232 million in new education funding in the new state budget. But when you rank 49th out of 51, playing catch-up is an astronomically expensive proposition. [Oklahoma Watch]   OKC charter school takes another step toward closure after lengthy hearing: After hours of witness testimony and pages of evidence, a struggling Oklahoma City charter school still has not convinced a state board that it should be allowed to stay open for another year. [Oklahoma Voice]   Health News   OKC mental health team responds to thousands of 911 calls in first year: The Alternative Response Team is part of a broader Mobile Integrated Healthcare program, launched by Oklahoma City a year ago to provide a different response to certain types of 911 calls. The program diverts mental health-related emergency calls away from police and instead toward trained behavioral health professionals who can better address the caller’s needs. [The Oklahoman] From OK Policy: Community-led crisis response is working, but Oklahoma needs a statewide solution (Commentary) When the helpers ‘feel helpless’: First responders get a boost in mental health support: Research suggests that first responders face higher rates of trauma-related mental health challenges than the general public, with repeated exposure increasing the risk of post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety. That strain has also been linked to burnout, and to higher rates of substance use and suicidal ideation. [Oklahoma Voice]   Tulsa’s Hispanic youth struggle to access mental health care. This organization is stepping in: The Elevate Project currently focuses on providing one-on-one bilingual therapy and group counseling. They plan to expand services this summer with mentorships, life skill courses, field trips, community service projects and more. [La Semana via Tulsa Flyer]   Oklahoma adds alpha-gal syndrome to its list of tick-borne illnesses: Once considered a rarity, alpha-gal syndrome is becoming more common in Oklahoma, where the tick that causes the illness has thrived. But the exact number of people with the syndrome is unknown because it has never been on the state’s list of reportable diseases. [KOSU]   UTulsa researchers file patent for potential brain cancer treatment: Researchers at the University of Tulsa have filed a patent on a new class of compounds that show significant promise in fighting glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, while leaving healthy cells unharmed. [The Journal Record]   Justice System News   Oklahoma County jail inmates miss court amid sheriff, trust dispute: No county jail inmates made it to their court appearances in Oklahoma County on Monday, May 11, after an agreement between the Sheriff's Office and the trust that runs the jail fell apart. District Attorney Vicki Behenna said the disagreement disrupted lives and will cost county taxpayers. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma County sheriff argues with DA over sheriff's jail inmate duties (video) [The Oklahoman] Economy & Business News   As 20-year-old lawsuit continues, poultry growers and environmental advocates are in limbo: Oklahoma has been locked in a court battle with a handful of large poultry companies for more than two decades. But for the first few months of this year, it seemed like the lawsuit might be coming to a close. [KOSU]   Local Headlines Criminal probe announced in wake of Coweta data center cancellation [Tulsa World] Tulsa begins Broken Arrow Expressway smart lighting project [Tulsa World] Oklahoma City takes center stage in national, global mayoral leadership [The Journal Record] 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.