In The Know: Oklahoma's plan to comply with mental health consent decree is approved one year after deadline | Indigenous violence survivors see fewer services after federal cuts | State Insurance Commissioner may not even need to live in Oklahoma

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, JULY 17, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) OK Policy & Together OK are bringing the voices of your community to the Capitol.   This summer, we’re hosting listening sessions in towns and cities across the state to provide an opportunity for the public to have conversations with our fellow Oklahomans about issues that matter most in their communities. By hearing directly from residents, we can better advocate for state policies that reflect your priorities.   Sessions are free and open to the public, and participants will be compensated for their time (in-person events only). [Learn More] Find A Listening Session Near You Take Our Quick Online Survey 1 in 4   More than 230,000 Oklahoma children (about 1 in 4) face hunger due to food insecurity in the state. [Feeding America] SNAP Provides Critical Benefits to Workers and Their Families   The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, helps more than 40 million people put food on the table each month. While two-thirds of participants are children, adults over age 60, and people with disabilities, who are not expected to work, SNAP also plays an important role in supplementing workers’ low or fluctuating wages or helping them during periods of unemployment. As policymakers look toward the reauthorization of SNAP in the next farm bill, they should preserve the program’s vital role for workers and their families and reject proposals that would weaken SNAP benefits as participants cope with the realities of the low-wage labor market. [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities] "How is it the richest, most innovative country in the history of the world cannot ensure the dignity and safety of the least among us?"   — Political commentator Arnold Hamilton writing in response to Gov. Stitt's recent comments that food assistance programs should "(go) back to the day where there was a little stigma attached" when families "were a little bit embarrassed" to participate in such programs. There are nearly 750,000 Oklahomans who are facing hunger. [The Journal Record] State Government News   Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation severance agreement is public record, judge rules: An Oklahoma County judge Wednesday ruled the state’s wildlife commission wrongly withheld a severance agreement involving the departure of its former director and must make it available to the public. [Oklahoma Voice]   Opinion: Stitt’s ‘stigma’ cure for hunger says more about him than about SNAP: As chair of the National Governors Association, Oklahoma’s Kevin Stitt wields a megaphone that reaches coast-to-coast. That’s not always good news for the Sooner state. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]   Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: SQ836 arguments, poultry pollution settlement, extra recess time and more (podcast): The panelists talk about supporters of a ballot initiative to open primaries arguing their case before the Oklahoma Supreme court, Attorney General Gentner Drummond announcing a settlement in the 21-year-old lawsuit over chicken waste in the Illinois River and Oklahoma schools scrambling to add extra time to their schedules after a new law doubled recess time for elementary students. The trio also discusses scathing audits of Epic Charter School showing financial mismanagement and students struggling academically and Oklahoma taxpayers spending $145,000 for a booth at President Trump's Great American State Fair. [KOSU]   Federal Government News   Oklahoma mentioned in declassified White House documents: During President Trump's Thursday night speech, the White House declassified various documents. Documents listed Oklahoma as one of multiple states where voter information was downloaded by what Trump called a bad cyber actor from China. According to declassified documents, some of this information included names, party affiliations, email addresses, physical addresses and phone numbers. [News 9] Trump cites potential hack of US elections in speech slammed for stoking voter fears [Oklahoma Voice] 5 things to know about the SAVE America Act, a focus of Trump's primetime address [Tulsa World] 2026 Farm Bill raises more concerns for Oklahoma farmers than aid: Oklahoma farmers are speaking up about the slow progress of the 2026 Farm Bill and what it means for their farms. [KGOU]   Labor nominee defends transfer of programs to agency from Education Department: President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Labor Department on Thursday defended the agency’s major role in a broader drive by the administration to dismantle the Education Department. [Oklahoma Voice]   Tribal Nations News   Indigenous violence survivors see fewer services after federal cuts: Organizations serving American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of violence say reductions in federal funding have led to over 1,000 unmet requests for help, according to a new report. [Oklahoma Voice] From OK Policy: Oklahoma has improved its framework for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, but are Native women actually safer? United Keetoowah Band representative says chief threatened him during tense meeting over layoffs: A United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians representative filed a petition for a protective order against the tribe’s chief on Monday, alleging abuse, amid controversy about layoffs and economic distress within the tribe. [KOSU]   Voting and Election News   Oklahoma’s Insurance Commissioner may not even need to live in Oklahoma. The law is 'a little bit goofy': On April 1, declaring his candidacy for Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner, Marty Quinn signed an oath attesting that he had been a resident of Oklahoma for five years. Surprisingly, that statement is highly controversial. [Oklahoma Watch]   Oklahoma Gubernatorial Hopeful AWOL From Police Pension Board:  Since Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Mike Mazzei to the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement Board in March 2023, Mazzei has missed three-fourths of the meetings. He’s made just 10 of the 40 monthly meetings since joining the board. He last attended a meeting in April 2025, right around the time he kicked off his campaign for governor. [Oklahoma Watch]   U.S. Senate runoff: Democrats N’kiyla Jasmine Thomas, Jim Priest clash over electability, identity: After Oklahoma U.S. Senate candidates N’kiyla Jasmine Thomas and Jim Priest emerged atop June’s five-way Democratic primary for their party’s nomination, their matchup in the Aug. 25 runoff is shaping up to be anything but collegial. [NonDoc]   What's next for Freedom Caucus after the primaries?: State Sen. Shane Jett may have been the most far-right member of the Oklahoma Legislature. So, what will happen now that he is leaving? Will the torch he carried flicker out? [The Oklahoman]   Education News   Tulsa Public Schools to drop MAP testing: Citing a desire to reduce testing and provide more classroom time to cover state-required concepts, Tulsa Public Schools is shifting its testing plans for the coming school year. [Tulsa World]   Health News   Oklahoma's plan to comply with mental health consent decree is approved one year after deadline: More than a year after it was due, the state’s plan to provide court-ordered treatment for Oklahoma defendants found incompetent to stand trial has been approved by the consultants overseeing a high-profile consent decree. [KOSU] A year late, Oklahoma plan for court-ordered mental health treatment wins approval [Tulsa World] Justice System News   Foreign crime ring targets Oklahoma Medicaid program, officials say: Officials at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority say they believe a foreign crime ring fraudulently registered thousands of Oklahomans for Medicaid. [The Oklahoman] Investigation launched into Medicaid program [KFOR] Lawsuit alleges systematic rape by four guards at Cimarron Correctional Facility: A lawsuit filed last week alleges guards sexually assaulted several inmates while working at the Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing. [KFOR]   Broken elevators create danger at 13-story Oklahoma County jail: Just one of three secured elevators inside the aging 13-story Oklahoma County jail is in working order, creating an unsafe situation for its 1,500-plus detainees and the potential for chaos and tragedy in an emergency. [The Oklahoman]   Brent Swadley denied appeal bond, injunctive relief over jailhouse phone calls: Convicted felon Brent Swadley will remain in jail while his appeal plays out after Oklahoma County District Court Judge Susan Stallings denied a bond request argued during a full day of hearings Thursday. [NonDoc] Restaurateur Brent Swadley denied appeal bond, will be sentenced July 22 [The Oklahoman] Economy & Business News   Opinion: Data centers shouldn't control narrative. Communities should: In Oklahoma and across the country, many communities are grappling with decisions about data centers. As mayor of Pryor, Oklahoma, home to one of Google’s largest data center campuses in the world, I’ve seen firsthand the benefits and challenges of having these facilities in our community. This growth comes with understandable questions about how the digital infrastructure buildout impacts local resources. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned and observations I’d like to share with my fellow Oklahomans. [Zac Doyle / The Oklahoman]   Community News   Red Earth Festival returns to OKC soon with Native dancing and art: The annual Red Earth Festival, now in its 40th year, will kick off next month at the new Oklahoma City Convention Center. The festival is one of the largest celebrations of indigenous culture in North America. [The Oklahoman]   Opinion: Why America should learn from the biblical Jacob: There is no stronger argument against the idea that this is a Christian nation than our own history, which is perhaps why some people want so badly to erase it. And yet, our ancestors of faith remind us that if we tell the truth about our past, we have a chance at a more faithful future. [Rev. Lori Walke / The Oklahoman]   Local Headlines Mayor Holt unveils vision for new OKC commuter rail at annual speech [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma City wants a new flag. Soon, residents will be able to submit their ideas [The Oklahoman] 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.