In The Know: Judge orders Winter Storm Uri natural gas lawsuit to trial | OK Supreme Court rules on birth certificate law | Health insurance costs rising, more Oklahomans losing insurance

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.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 Subscribe // View web version (current and archived) OK Policy is hiring: Join our team as our new Southeast Regional Organizer   Our Regional Organizer helps OK Policy plan and run community-based advocacy campaigns that support our policy goals. This role is part of Together Oklahoma, OK Policy's grassroots organizing arm, and works directly with communities and partner groups across the state. The Southeast Regional Organizer must live and work in the Southeast Region. Deadline to apply is Oct. 18. [Learn More & Apply] Join us for Voices in Action — Turning community conversations into statewide change   This summer, we hosted 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. This October, we’re coming back to share what we heard in those communities and statewide, and to discuss ways we can use our collective power to make a difference on those issues.  Register Now 11.5%     The percent of Oklahoma residents who lack health insurance, which is the nation's third highest rate. [NiceRx] The Uninsured Population and Health Coverage   The U.S. coverage system has evolved over the years, most recently with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which aimed to reduce the uninsured rate by expanding Medicaid, creating health insurance Marketplaces for individuals, and providing subsidies to make the coverage more affordable. Many factors, including economic conditions, federal and state policy changes, and significant health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, influence the uninsured rate. The ACA and policy changes designed to protect coverage during the pandemic led to increased health coverage overall; however, passage of the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill (referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) along with other policy changes are expected to increase significantly the number of people who are uninsured over the next ten years. [KFF] “I think what it really boils down to is that people are scared, because they know that getting sick in this country, and in this state in particular without having insurance coverage, you could be financially devastated.”   —Oklahoma City physician Dr. Melinda Cail, speaking about the impacts for uninsured Oklahomans amid rising health care costs nationwide. [KFOR] What’s on the ballot for the November 3, 2026 elections in Oklahoma?   Oklahoma voters will head to the polls for a statewide general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Our election resource page covers SQ 845 and SQ 847, the federal and statewide races, judicial retention, key voting deadlines, and a link to your sample ballot. [OK Policy] Know what’s on your ballot before you vote: SQ 845 & SQ 847 Town Hall   The Nov. 3 general election is your chance to help shape Oklahoma’s future. Before you head to the polls, join the Oklahoma Policy Institute for a free, nonpartisan town hall that will explain the statewide ballot measures and answer your questions. [Learn More] RSVP for the Town Hall Oklahoma News   ‘Recover every dollar possible’: NextEra Energy found liable for Winter Storm Uri price gouging: Five years after Winter Storm Uri crippled infrastructure, cut power to tens of thousands of Oklahomans and left more than 100 injured, an Osage County District Court judge ruled Monday that natural gas provider NextEra Energy Marketing is liable for price gouging that caused massive debts that ratepayers still shoulder today. [NonDoc] Judge finds company illegally hiked Oklahomans’ gas bills in 2021 winter storm [KOSU] Judge orders Winter Storm Uri natural gas lawsuit to trial [Tulsa World]  'Focus: Black Oklahoma': Osage language immersion school, absentee ballots & more (podcast): This episode of Focus: Black Oklahoma features stories on the sudden closure of the Osage Nation's language immersion school, Oklahoma's absentee ballot notarization process and more. [KOSU]   Editorial: The Oklahoman recommends 'no' votes on SQ 845, SQ 847. Here's why.: The Oklahoman's editorial board, based on its own reading of the questions on the ballot and considering the arguments of proponents and opponents of the measures, recommends that you vote "No" on both of them. [The Oklahoman Editorial Board] From OK Policy: SQ 845 Fact Sheet | SQ 847 Fact Sheet | What’s on the ballot for the November 3, 2026 elections in Oklahoma? Register for OK Policy's Oct. 20 town hall on SQ 845, SQ 847   State Government News   ‘Never permitted changes to the sex designation’: OK Supreme Court rules on birth certificate law: A six-justice majority of the Oklahoma Supreme Court found Tuesday that state law has “never permitted changes to the sex designation on an Oklahoma birth certificate” when answering three certified questions from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. The federal appellate court sent the state’s high court the questions in the case of Fowler v. Stitt, which involves the state’s prohibition on transgender people changing the sex designation on their birth certificates. [NonDoc]   'Not enough data or expertise’: Oklahoma lawmakers consider future of data centers: Nearly a dozen state lawmakers heard from operators, developers, environmental agencies, local elected officials and concerned Oklahomans Tuesday as they weigh the best way to regulate the rapidly changing data center industry. [Oklahoma Voice]   Stitt calls for pause on dyed diesel enforcement amid rising fuel costs: Hours after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared an emergency to authorize the use of tax-exempt dyed diesel on public roads, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt issued his own response to record-high diesel prices that spiked after the United States attacked Iran. Stitt's response, however, was not an executive order. Instead, he wrote a letter to three state agencies asking them to relax their own regulations and request help from the federal government. One of those agencies told The Oklahoman they have no authority to do what Stitt asked. [The Oklahoman] Governor Stitt orders pause on taxes for highway use of red-dyed diesel [KFOR] Opinion: Oklahoma utility customers have rare legal rights worth defending: As they grapple with legitimate issues involving data centers, water, transmission lines, an aluminum smelter, utility rates, the environment and basic affordability, Oklahoma utility customers are fortunate that the framers of the Oklahoma Constitution provided them with some of the strongest consumer protections of any state in the nation. They should immediately be skeptical of any effort to curtail ratepayers’ legal rights — especially a constitutional convention seeking to amend them. [Former Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony / The Oklahoman] Letters to the Editor: Oklahomans back constitutional convention vote but would say no [The Oklahoman]  Federal Government News   Lankford introduces bill to protect theology students' federal aid: The U.S. Department of Education has downgraded theology studies to nonprofessional status, placing students' access to federal student aid in jeopardy, but Oklahoma's senior senator is hoping to carve out a change for college students working toward a theology degree. [The Oklahoman]   Former Edmond Mayor speaks out after heated exchange with Mullin: Former Edmond Mayor Randel Shadid was escorted out of an Edmond Chamber of Commerce Meeting this week after a tense exchange with Homeland Security Secretary and former Congressman Markwayne Mullin. [KFOR]   Tribal Nations News   Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes to consider data center ban on tribal land this weekend: The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes will consider whether to ban data centers on tribal lands during its annual tribal council meeting this Saturday in Concho. [KOSU]   3 Kickapoo tribal leaders suspended without pay during criminal investigation: Three Kickapoo tribal leaders—the business committee chairman, secretary and treasurer—have been suspended without pay amid a criminal investigation. The tribe will hold a community meeting Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. inside the multipurpose building in McLoud. [KFOR]   Cherokee Nation advocates for federal memorial in Tulsa's Greenwood District: Cherokee Nation is asking Congress to create a national monument dedicated to Tulsa’s Greenwood District, which would help preserve the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre. [KOSU]   Indigenous Peoples Day receives formal designation from Oklahoma City leaders: The Oklahoma City Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday, designating every second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day. [KOSU]   Education News   Despite Jewish charter school win, Oklahoma archdiocese says it has 'no plan' to advance St. Isidore: As an Oklahoma Jewish charter school continues forward to becoming the nation's first state-funded religious school, a Catholic institution that started the fight says it has no plans to try again. [KOSU]   'We were blindsided:' community members sound off on proposed Tulsa Public School closures: Parents, students, community members and district employees packed the Martin Regional Library Tuesday night to voice their objections and concerns about a proposal from Tulsa Public Schools that would close or repurpose 18 schools at the end of the current school year. [Tulsa World] TPS families confront district leaders: ‘What can we do’ to save schools? [The Oklahoma Eagle] Did Oklahoma rank No. 17 in education under a Democratic governor in the 2000s?: Yes. Oklahoma ranked No. 17 in education in Education Week’s 2011 report and has since fallen to No. 49 in its most recent report, 2021. [Oklahoma Watch]   How a private Christian program for “troubled” and “depressed” girls operates with little state oversight: A recent Frontier investigation focused on the Oklahoma Christian boarding school New Lifehouse Academy. The school website says it is for girls who are “depressed, withdrawn or self-destructive." After The Frontier contacted New Lifehouse, the program added a disclaimer at the bottom of its website home page, stating that it does not have a license to provide clinical treatment for students with mental health disorders and does not enroll students requiring that level of care. [The Frontier]   University of Oklahoma announces “OU Onward” program for qualifying in-state students: The University of Oklahoma has announced “OU Onward”, a program to help cover tuition and fees for Oklahoma residents who are not eligible for Oklahoma’s Promise. [KFOR]   Opinion: Head Start helps Oklahoma kids succeed by lifting families: At its best, Head Start is not simply a preschool program. It is a comprehensive early childhood model that understands a simple truth: Children do better when families have support. [Sarah Rahhal / The Oklahoman]   Health News   Health insurance costs rising, more Oklahomans losing insurance: Healthcare insurance costs are rising fast and Oklahomans are taking a hit. Experts say some premiums are climbing as much as 75%, which has led to another issue. [KFOR] From OK Policy: H.R. 1 could push Oklahoma’s health care system past its breaking point Governor, health commissioner tout Oklahoma's Rural Hospital Transformation Program: Gov. Kevin Stitt was joined by State Health Commissioner Keith Reed at Southwestern University in Weatherford to announce the latest update on Oklahoma’s Rural Hospital Transformation Program. [KOSU] Oklahoma rural health gets $223M from One Big Beautiful Bill as SWOSU brings care closer to home [KOCO] Opinion: Oklahoma skilled nursing facilities can be places of possibility: After spending my career in rehabilitation, and now working alongside skilled nursing teams across Oklahoma, I have seen what a skilled nursing facility can be. It can be the bridge between a hospital bed and a front door. [Tom Langer / The Oklahoman]   Justice System News   Judge publicly reprimanded by Oklahoma Supreme Court for ‘indefensible’ conduct: The Oklahoma Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a Tulsa county judge, saying her conduct was “indefensible” and reflected a lack of impulse control and judgment. [Oklahoma Voice] State Supreme Court reprimands Tulsa District Judge Sharon Holmes [Tulsa World] Judge OKs grand jury petition to investigate Tulsa's DA, requests modifications: A judge has given his approval to a petition seeking to impanel a grand jury to investigate Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler and the operations of his office — albeit with a few technicalities to address first. [Tulsa World]   New trial date, motion to dismiss in the case against Karl Fontenot: jam-packed day in Pontotoc County Court as the judge sets a trial date and attorneys for defendant Karl Fontenot file a motion to dismiss the case in the death of Denise Haraway. Haraway was killed back in 1984; her murder case is the subject of a best-selling book and Netflix docu-series “The Innocent Man.” [KFOR]   Oklahoma inmates say new nicotine products offered in prisons are creating new addictions: The Oklahoma Department of Corrections introduced nicotine pouches and single-use vapes in February at the canteen, becoming the first in the nation to do so. [The Warrior Standard via Tulsa Flyer]   Economy & Business News   Sand Springs Explosion Brings Inspection Quality Into Question: In the eight years since Oklahoma voters approved medical marijuana, explosions have occurred at several processing facilities, including the 2023 fire in Logan County and in Sand Springs this August, where two workers died. [Oklahoma Watch]   New infrastructure approved on I-40 for potential Buc-ee’s site in Oklahoma City: The OKC City Council approved an agreement on Tuesday morning for a $25 million rebuild of the Interstate 40 interchange near Cimarron Road, a proposed site for a future Buc-ee’s in western Oklahoma City. [KFOR] OKC Council votes 5-2 to fund Buc-ee's interchange despite sprawl concerns [The Oklahoman]  Community News   Oklahoma Klansmen: Tulsa Mayor Herman Newblock’s KKK legacy persists: The history of the Oklahoma’s Ku Klux Klan exists in a gordian knot with the history of Tulsa — not just because of the Tulsa Race Massacre that predated the Klan’s resurgence, but because of the influence elected Klansmen held throughout the city in the 1920s. While unseemly ties between the Klan and W. Tate Brady drew widespread attention in the 21st century, several other former Klansmen’s legacies have largely avoided reexamination. Among them stands four-term Mayor Herman Newblock, the namesake of Newblock Park. [NonDoc]   How Oklahoma's United Methodist pastors reshaped church after schism: A deepening polarization over LGBTQ+ inclusion propelled the denomination toward a schism, which escalated in 2019, when a special process for disaffiliation was approved. They stayed during the painful season, as churches across the state, 127 in Oklahoma, and hundreds across the country, headed for the exit. [The Oklahoman]   Local Headlines Grady County votes against creating planning commission to regulate data centers [KOSU] Oklahoma County clears financial reporting backlog [The Oklahoman] Norman city council discusses cost recovery for some fire department responses [OU Daily] 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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