In The Know: State supreme court invalidates Tulsa-Muscogee Nation jurisdiction agreement | Reading reforms are now up to elementary schools to implement | Fact sheet for SQ 832

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FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) Fact sheet for State Question 832: Increasing Oklahoma’s minimum wage   State Question 832 would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029, then starting in 2030, it would update annually based on increases to the cost of living. As written, SQ 832 would have raised the minimum wage to $9 in 2025, then gradually increased it by $1.50 each year until it reached a total of $15 in 2029. However, due to the timing of the vote, the first increase would be to $12 an hour in order to align with the schedule proposed in the ballot measure. [Gabriela Ramirez-Perez / OK Policy] Download a PDF of this fact sheet 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. -14%   The percentage change in SNAP participants in Oklahoma between February 2025 and February 2026. H.R. 1, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill" that passed during that period, included deep cuts to federal funding for food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and expanded work requirements. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities] Sharp Drop in Number of Children Receiving SNAP Food Assistance Under New Federal Law   The new law’s cost shift has led states to take steps that are making it harder for eligible people to receive SNAP, including families with children. Losing SNAP also makes it harder for low-income children to qualify for other food assistance, such as WIC and free school meals — jeopardizing the short- and long-term health, education, and economic benefits of nutrition programs for our children and society. While cutting SNAP eligibility for children was not a stated target of H.R. 1’s proponents, the cost shift and resulting access barriers are resulting in serious losses of food assistance for low-income children. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities] “I keep telling all of my people here, the only way you’re going to get your raise is if you make them give you your raise and you go vote yes on that (state) question."   — Tierra Landrum, a school secretary in McAlester Public Schools, talking about her support for the upcoming State Question 832, which would gradually raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour with cost of living adjustments afterwards. [Oklahoma Voice] Read OK Policy’s information and resources about SQ 832 Oklahoma News   City, tribal government agreement invalid, Oklahoma court rules: The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled invalid an agreement between the City of Tulsa and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. In a 8-1 ruling issued Wednesday, the state’s high court said Tulsa’s agreement with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to not prosecute municipal violations against tribal citizens was invalid because the city failed to secure approval from the legislative Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations and Gov. Kevin Stitt. [Oklahoma Voice] OK Supreme Court tosses jurisdiction agreement between Muscogee Nation, City of Tulsa [NonDoc] Oklahoma Supreme Court invalidates Tulsa-Muscogee Nation jurisdiction agreement [The Journal Record] Stitt gets a win as court tosses city of Tulsa's agreement with Muscogee Nation [Tulsa World] Cooked: BBQ mogul Brent Swadley convicted on 6 felony counts, faces 10-year sentence: The lengthy Foggy Bottom Kitchens scandal that exposed flaws with oversight of state contracts reached its end Thursday in Oklahoma County District Court with the conviction of restaurant chain owner Brent Swadley on six felony fraud counts against the state. [NonDoc] Oklahoma barbecue restaurant owner Brent Swadley found guilty in fraud trial [The Oklahoman] Brent Swadley convicted on all counts; jurors recommend 10 years in prison [Tulsa World] Oklahoma school support staff are waiting for a pay raise. Could a state question give it to them?: While critics of the state question warn it could hurt school budgets and cause a harmful shock to Oklahoma’s economy, supporters said the ballot measure could deliver a long-awaited raise for district support staff who work essential jobs like driving buses, serving cafeteria meals, cleaning classrooms and assisting teachers. [Oklahoma Voice]   Grieving mom urges end to political discourse around deadly DUI crash: The mother of a teenage crash victim is imploring people to stop politicizing the circumstances of her daughter’s death after investigators say an alleged drunken driver caused a fiery crash that killed the young woman and three others. [The Oklahoman]   State Government News   Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Stitt and Drummond kerfuffle, Norman homeless encampment, ibogaine study and more: The panel discusses Attorney General Gentner Drummond and Gov. Kevin Stitt's continuing spat, which includes a lawsuit over negative gubernatorial campaign ads, a targeted audit and a criticism over another audit. [KOSU]   Opinion: The session that quit early and cost more: The 2026 Legislature did manage to produce the one thing it’s constitutionally required to do: a balanced state budget. But the nearly $13 billion spending blueprint was about as imaginative as a college freshman’s last-minute, cut-and-paste essay. Little wonder voting-age Sooners have been so apathetic. Persistently low election turnout is an unmistakable sign that workaday folks don’t think the system is working for them. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]   Federal Government News   Trump order limiting voting by mail will stand for now, federal judge rules: A federal judge on Thursday declined to block President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting voting by mail, finding that it was too early to challenge the directive. [Oklahoma Voice]   States could purge voter rolls close to elections if Supreme Court takes Trump’s side in Arizona case: The Trump administration wants the U.S. Supreme Court to empower states to review their voter rolls for noncitizens just days before elections, a change that voting rights advocates say would risk disenfranchising Americans. [Oklahoma Voice]   Retired OK judge joins challenge against Trump's $1.776 billion settlement: A former Oklahoma attorney general is one of 35 retired judges asking to reopen Trump v. IRS, the case that led to a settlement promising to create a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" that could funnel taxpayer cash to the president's supporters, including those who were successfully prosecuted for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. [The Oklahoman]   Tribal Nations News   Voters from Muscogee Nation, Osage Nation heading to the polls: Muscogee and Osage voters are being asked to head to the polls in the coming days. [Tulsa World]   Voting and Election News   Drummond sues Stitt, PAC spenders for libel over 'wokest RINO' ad: Oklahoma Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Gentner Drummond is suing Gov. Kevin Stitt and a network of named and unnamed political groups, accusing them of targeting him with a “coordinated and malicious smear campaign built on outright lies.” [The Oklahoman] Drummond sues Stitt, out-of-state PAC over 'smear campaign' [Tulsa World] Election roundup Meet the Democrats running for Oklahoma state superintendent [Oklahoma Voice] Newcomers vie for open House seats in the Oklahoma City metro [The Oklahoman] District 1 OK County Commissioner Jason Lowe faces three challengers [The Oklahoman] Republican candidates for attorney general outline what they would bring to the job [Tulsa World] Education News   Reading Reforms Meant to Duplicate the “Mississippi Miracle” Are Now Up to Elementary Schools to Implement: The Oklahoma Legislature wants a dramatic turnaround in student literacy rates to rival the so-called Mississippi Miracle. Now, every teacher of kindergarten through third grade, and every reading specialist, instructional coach and principal in elementary schools across the state find themselves on the frontlines of meeting a host of new requirements under the Oklahoma Strong Readers Act – and more importantly, will be trying to achieve measurable success where past efforts have fallen short. [Oklahoma Watch]   Oklahoma schools going permanently cellphone-free as Stitt signs law taking effect July 1: A“bell-to-bell” ban on students having cellphones in schools was made permanent under legislation signed Tuesday by Gov. Kevin Stitt. [Tulsa World]   Opinion: Oklahoma should get rid of state testing for accountability: To get our schools back on track, we should get rid of state testing for accountability purposes, and stop investing so much time and money on test prep. We need a new culture where tests are only used for diagnostic purposes. [John Thompson / The Oklahoman]   Justice System News   What are Flock cameras? See the history behind OKCPD and surveillance tech: Flock cameras have grown nationwide for their license plate reading technology, but that doesn't come with scrutiny from the communities it serves. [The Oklahoman]   New law tightens covert filming, 'peeping tom' penalties: People who hide video cameras in dressing rooms or in other places where others expect to have privacy could face felony prosecution on a first offense under a new law authored by a Broken Arrow legislator. [Tulsa World]   Local Headlines Tulsa transit authority to take steps to sell downtown bus station [Tulsa World] Black Wall Street Legacy Festival features Greenwood 120 gala, awards [Tulsa World] 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. 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