[In The Know] Increasing awareness about new health coverage | Improving child vaccination rates | Child well-being

View this email in your browser. 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 may be behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and click here see past editions. New from OK Policy A look at corrections-focused interim studies (Capitol Update): It’s always interesting to see the interim study requests made by legislators. The studies are a good opportunity for legislators to learn more and educate others about issues they care about. The House requests that caught my eye were by Rep. J.J. Humphrey, R-Lane, Chair of the Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, who requested IS 21-038 to examine areas where he believes change is critically needed in order to improve the efficiency of the Department of Corrections. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update] Oklahoma News Hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans can now get free health care. Do they know that?: Dr. Daniel Joyce has been giving out a different type of news to patients at Lawton’s Hearts That Care Clinic. Joyce, who runs the non-profit free clinic, has been talking to them to see if they’ll be eligible for free health coverage under the state’s Medicaid expansion that took effect Thursday. Time after time, he’s found many have been shocked — albeit pleasantly so. [Oklahoma Watch] OK Policy and the CoverOK Coalition held a webinar Connecting to Health Care: The Ins and Outs of Enrolling for Medicaid Expansion to help explain how Oklahomans can apply for health care coverage through Medicaid expansion. Oklahoma providing additional dental care benefits to SoonerCare members [KFOR] | [FOX 25] Capitol Insider: Medicaid Expansion Proves Popular [KGOU] OK adds 120K new Medicaid enrollees due to Medicaid expansion [HealthPayer Intelligence] Health officials 'not satisfied' with COVID-19 vaccination rates among children: COVID-19 vaccination rates for Oklahoma youth have fallen below health officials’ expectations. With a little over a month left before the next school year, the Oklahoma State Department of Health is “not satisfied” with the number of vaccinated adolescents and teenagers, said Keith Reed, deputy health commissioner. [The Oklahoman] As Delta variant spreads and cases rise, Oklahoma officials urge caution over July Fourth [The Oklahoman] | [Tulsa World] Tulsa among 4 Oklahoma counties with 60% of adults at least partially vaccinated [Tulsa World] Column: Oklahoma needs political will to get child well-being out of the bottom 10: In more than three decades, only once has Oklahoma cracked out of the bottom half of the nation in a state-by-state report on child well-being, and that was in 1992. It’s been a frustrating climb of two steps forward, three steps back. Many Oklahomans appear desensitized to these consistently poor outcomes, shrugging a shoulder as if it’s our fate. [Ginnie Graham Column / Tulsa World] OK Policy: Smart policy decisions can help improve Oklahoma’s dismal child well-being outcomes. State Government News Deep-red Oklahoma legalizes needle exchanges: Stop Harm on Tulsa Streets has been working under the radar for three years to distribute fresh syringes, fentanyl test strips, naloxone and other items to prevent overdose deaths and reduce the spread of disease that can occur when drug users share needles. Under a new law that legalizes needle exchange programs in Oklahoma, the group will be able to make its underground operation more public in the hopes of helping more people. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma Pride: New book offers sensible solutions to interconnected problems: A new book, Oklahoma Pride: Working Together for the Well-Being of All Oklahomans, edited by Dr. Gary Raskob, dean of the Hudson College of Public Health at the University of Oklahoma, outlines an approach to improving the state that takes into account how factors like poverty, health and education intersect and affect one another. It features contributions from experts in everything from substance abuse to fine arts to offer a clear path to “get us to a future where Oklahomans are both well-off and well.” [NonDoc] Rep. Mauree Turner: ‘Try to move beyond your lens’: Mauree Turner is a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. They made headlines after being elected last November for being the first Muslim in the Oklahoma Legislature and for being the first nonbinary lawmaker in the U.S. Turner represents House District 88. In a new Oklahoma Watch feature “A Mile In Another’s Shoes,” an initiative to give voice to the voiceless or call attention to the plight of those affected by public policy, Turner describes what their experience has been like as a freshman and minority lawmaker. [Oklahoma Watch] New Oklahoma GOP chairman challenges some elected Republicans, including James Lankford: As Republicans continue to dominate Oklahoma politics, the state's new GOP chairman is challenging elected officials within the party. Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman John Bennett is backing a primary challenger to U.S. Sen. James Lankford and has publicly criticized other prominent elected Republicans. [The Oklahoman] Federal Government News Oklahomans give low marks to state roads as lawmakers debate infrastructure: As Congress and the Biden administration seek common ground on an infrastructure bill, a new poll shows a majority of Oklahoma voters are dissatisfied with the state's roads and bridges. About 58% of registered voters characterized the state’s roads and bridges as somewhat low or very low quality, while nearly 20% said state roads and bridges were somewhat high or very high quality, according to a poll of 500 registered voters by Amber Integrated, of Oklahoma City. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma lawmakers vote against bill that includes state projects: The Republican Oklahoma House delegation, including three members who submitted large road project requests, voted against a massive infrastructure bill making its way through Congress. Reps. Stephanie Bice, Tom Cole and Frank Lucas, who asked for projects totaling about $55 million, joined with other House Republicans in a mostly party-line vote. [Enid News & Eagle] Inhofe requests $5 million for Lugert-Altus upgrades [The Lawton Constitution] Rep. Frank Lucas, others seek release of DOJ cattle industry investigation report: U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK3), along with two other House members, have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to release a final investigative report on disparities in the cattle industry. [Gaylord News / NonDoc] Tribal Nations News 'A place of education': Activists, city leaders work to recontextualize Land Run Monument: The settlers are portrayed as heroic, but a year after a new racial justice reckoning began across the nation, city leaders are acknowledging that the $6.2 million Centennial Land Run Monument fails to include the perspective of the indigenous Americans whose futures were forever altered by this and subsequent land runs. [The Oklahoman] Preserving a sacred cultural site: Cherokee Nation buys historic Dwight Mission property: Historic property that once was home to a boarding school for Native American youths has been reclaimed by a tribal nation historically tied to the site. The Dwight Mission camp and conference center, a 201-acre property between Vian and Sallisaw, was purchased by the Cherokee Nation in late June. The tribe bought the property from the Presbyterian Church USA-affiliated Dwight Mission Camp Inc. [The Oklahoman] Criminal Justice News Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office seeking purchase approval on body cameras: Oklahoma County Sheriff's deputies soon may be outfitted with body cameras for the first time. Sheriff Tommie Johnson III is asking county commissioners to approve the purchase of 40 Axon Body 3 cameras for use by deputies. The listed cost is just over $70,400, including cameras and accessories. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma death row inmate dies at hospital two decades after OKC murder: The legal fight over the fate of murderer Jimmy Dean Harris had been waged off and on for years, longer than most of the appeals by his fellow death row inmates. Harris was on death row for fatally shooting his wife's boss at a transmission shop in Oklahoma City in 1999. [The Oklahoman] Harris, 64, died June 29 at a hospital from long-term health problems, The Oklahoman reported. [AP News] OKC to consider hiring lawyers for police named in lawsuit over 15-year-old boy's killing: The Oklahoma City Council will consider on Tuesday requests to retain attorneys for five police officers named in a lawsuit over the killing of 15-year-old Stavian Rodriguez. [The Oklahoman] Rodriguez was shot and killed by OKCPD officers after he had surrendered at the end of a convenience store robbery on the south side November 23, 2020. [OKC Free Press] Economic Opportunity With water shutoff looming, Vista Shadow Mountain Apartments tenants searching for answers: Approximately 50 tenants at the south Tulsa apartment complex who were notified June 2 that they needed to relocate by the end of the month because their units were deemed uninhabitable. [Tulsa World] Vista Shadow Mountain got on the city’s radar over an unpaid water bill of more than $108,000. The entire complex could be shut down Thursday over the bill, which management has not paid while collecting utility fees from residents. [Public Radio Tulsa] Economy & Business News Economic update: 6 charts that show which direction the economy is trending in Tulsa and Oklahoma: See how unemployment has changed over time, plus how small businesses are doing in our community, and more economic indicators with these regularly updated charts. [Tulsa World] Education News Shawnee schools receives $285K Counselor Corps grant: Shawnee Public Schools has received a $285,000 grant from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) to hire school counselors and school-based mental health professionals. To help Oklahoma schools meet the needs of children in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, OSDE is using $35.7 million in federal relief to fund the grant program called the Oklahoma School Counselor Corps to more than 180 school districts statewide. [The Shawnee News-Star] OK Policy: Oklahoma’s children need funding to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. EPS, other area districts to hire more school counselors from state-awarded funding [Enid News & Eagle] NPS receiving state grant funds for counseling, mental health positions [The Norman Transcript] Quote of the Day “Health care is a marathon, it will never be a sprint. There is always going to be more work to get people enrolled.” -Oklahoma State Medical Association President Dr. Mary Clarke [Oklahoma Watch] Number of the Day 14,943 Despite the CDC moratorium, more than 14,943 evictions have been granted by courts in Oklahoma since March 2020, according to Open Justice Oklahoma, a program of the Oklahoma Policy Institute. A total of 36,353 evictions have been filed in court during that time. [Source: Open Justice Oklahoma] Policy Note EXPLAINER: How Oklahoma evictions might spike after July: Oklahoma did not enact its own moratorium on evictions, so when the CDC’s expires, thousands of renters will lose their protection. Before the CDC moratorium took effect, the Oklahoma Supreme Court required anyone filing an eviction petition to include an affidavit stating whether the tenants were protected from eviction under the federal CARES Act, which had eviction safeguards before the CDC moratorium took effect. [AP News] You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. Connect with Us   Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S Detroit Ave, Suite 1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 (918) 794-3944 info@okpolicy.org Unsubscribe

 

 

 

[Weekly Wonk] Celebrating Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma | Investing in our children | Making a difference starts locally

View this email in your browser. What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In The Know. Click here to subscribe to In The Know. This week's edition of The Weekly Wonk was published with contributions from Communications Intern Lilly Strom. This Week from OK Policy Time for Care: Celebrating Medicaid Expansion in Oklahoma: Thanks to voter-approved Medicaid expansion, more than 120,000 Oklahomans and counting will finally have health care coverage starting on July 1. To celebrate this historic milestone, Oklahoma Policy Institute hosted a June 30 virtual event to reflect on the journey to this point and how it will positively impact our state moving forward. [OK Policy / YouTube]  HHS Secretary Becerra visits Oklahoma to celebrate Medicaid expansion: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra visited Tulsa on July 1 to help celebrate Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma, calling it a victory for the 200,000 residents who could now have “peace of mind” through access to life-changing health care. [Dave Hamby / OK Policy] Is it good for the children? (Capitol Update): Several years ago, some business and community organizations in Kansas decided to urge policymakers in making decisions to ask the question, “Is it good for the children?” The question in some political circles might bring hoots of scorn as not hard edged enough for serious public policy. On the other hand, we have a governor who talks about making Oklahoma a “top 10” state. We have a way to go. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update] Policy Matters: Making a difference starts locally: When it comes to thinking about politics, the national landscape tends to hog the spotlight. However, for most day-to-day activities, Oklahomans feel decisions made at the local and state level much more acutely. That’s why Oklahomans who want to create change should focus their attention on issues closer to home first. [Ahniwake Rose / Journal Record]

[In The Know] HHS Secretary visits Oklahoma to congratulate on Medicaid expansion | Reforming Oklahoma's eviction laws

View this email in your browser. 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 may be behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and click here see past editions. New from OK Policy HHS Secretary Becerra visits Oklahoma to celebrate Medicaid expansion: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra visited Tulsa on July 1 to help celebrate Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma, calling it a victory for the 200,000 residents who could now have “peace of mind” through access to life-changing health care. [Dave Hamby / OK Policy] Oklahoma News 'Access to peace of mind': U.S. health secretary comes to Tulsa to celebrate Medicaid expansion: Meeting with local health care advocates Thursday morning, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra came to Tulsa to mark the first day of Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma as nearly 200,000 more state residents became qualified for the program. Oklahoma became the 37th state to join the federal government’s expanded Medicaid program as State Question 802 took effect. [Tulsa World] Secretary Becerra spoke briefly at Friendship Church in north Tulsa. Becerra praised advocates and health officials on hand for their work to get voters to approve expansion last year through a ballot measure. [Public Radio Tulsa] Carly Putnam, policy director for Oklahoma Policy Institute, echoed Becerra’s comments on the importance of those who are uninsured finally getting access to coverage. [The Black Wall Street Times] Medicaid expansion will provide access to coverage for Oklahomans [U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services / Muskogee Phoenix] Medicaid expansion takes effect in deep-red Oklahoma [AP News] 'I don't have to worry': Here's what Medicaid expansion means to newly covered Oklahomans [The Oklahoman] What you need to know about Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma: How to apply, who's eligible [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma Medicaid expansion kicks in, making eligible 190K low-income Americans [Healthcare Dive] Expanded Medicaid benefits coming to more than 120,000 Oklahomans [FOX 25] Medicaid expansion begins in Oklahoma, more than 200,000 people now have access to healthcare [FOX 23] New SoonerCare Expansion Benefits Now In Effect [News on 6] Impact: Two lawmakers seek studies on reforming Oklahoma eviction law: Two Oklahoma legislators, one Republican and one Democrat, have both requested interim studies be held on the state’s Residential Landlord Tenant Act, which governs a range of issues, including how evictions in the state are carried out. [The Frontier] Health News State publishes data on vaccinated people who caught COVID-19: The state health department is now releasing numbers on fully vaccinated people who got COVID-19. According to an epidemiology report released yesterday, 69 fully vaccinated people have been hospitalized and 11 have died in Oklahoma between December 2020 and June 28, 2021. There have been 737 known breakthrough cases total. [Public Radio Tulsa] State reports over 1,500 new COVID cases in the past week, 21 in Norman [The Norman Transcript] State Government News Highlights of the 79 new laws effective July 1 in Oklahoma: Thursday also marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for state of Oklahoma agencies, so a number of budget-related measures, including the general appropriations bill, House Bill 2900, also took effect. The state’s fiscal year 2022 budget is $9.1 billion. [Tulsa World] Unemployment claims moderately decline as state ends enhanced federal benefits for Oklahomans to spur employment: As enhanced federal unemployment benefits were ending in Oklahoma, first-time unemployment claims declined for the second consecutive week, according to a government report. [Tulsa World] State lawmaker says years-long flooding at capitol complex needs to be fixed: The tunnels connecting the buildings in the State Capitol’s North Complex are once again filling with water. State Rep. Mark McBride says the problem has been going on for years, but this flooding is the worst it’s ever been. [KFOR] Federal Government News Bill by Rep. Stephanie Bice prompted by injuries to Oklahoma National Guard member: Rep. Stephanie Bice introduced legislation this week to ensure National Guard members who are disabled while on active duty in their states can get federal health care and disability benefits. [The Oklahoman] Funds to advance levee rehab, navigation system improvements included in federal budget requests: Reconstruction work on the Tulsa-west Tulsa levee system could begin as soon as late 2022 if U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe’s funding requests make it through the federal budgeting process. [Tulsa World] With earmarks reinstated in the congressional budgeting process, Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe has requested $13.8 million to push ahead improvements for Tulsa’s levee system. [Public Radio Tulsa] Oklahoma delegation opposes infrastructure bill despite earmarks: Oklahoma’s entire House delegation voted against a bill that would allot $55 million in earmarks toward infrastructure projects in the state, representing a shift in the traditional earmarks process in a hyper-partisan era. [The Norman Transcript] Economy & Business News Despite shortages and limited selection, Oklahoma's fireworks business is still booming: Fireworks sales are popping off in Oklahoma despite worldwide shipping delays resulting from the lingering coronavirus pandemic. [The Oklahoman] Education News 181 districts receive grants for School Counselor Corps: To help Oklahoma schools meet the needs of children in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oklahoma State Department of Education is awarding grants to 181 school districts across the state – including a dozen in southwest Oklahoma – to hire school counselors and school-based mental health professionals. [Southwest Ledger] Bartlesville to add school counselors with state aid [Examiner Enterprise] Oklahoma Local News Oklahoma County Commissioners approve millions in new fiscal year spending [OKC Free Press] NBA arena upgrades, new coliseum could come first as Oklahoma City begins MAPS 4 project plans [The Oklahoman] Greenwood Rising delays grand opening [Tulsa World] Oklahoma LGBTQ veterans find support, acceptance with Belong Group [The Oklahoman] Jeff Bezos picks OSU alum and female aerospace pioneer to launch with him [The Oklahoman] Dr. Kayse Shrum takes reins as Oklahoma State University president [Tulsa World] New University President: Tulsa 'Won't Be Successful Without A Thriving TU' [Public Radio Tulsa] Quote of the Day “July 1 will go down in history as the day Oklahoma expanded access to peace of mind.” -Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, speaking about Oklahoma implementing Medicaid expansion [Tulsa World] Number of the Day 74,600 Oklahoma reported having 74,600 fewer non-farm jobs in April 2021 compared to the February 2020 pre-pandemic report. [Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics] Policy Note Where Jobless Benefits Were Cut, Jobs Are Still Hard to Fill: Conversations with employers who are hunting for workers and people who are hunting for jobs reveal stark differences in expectations and assumptions about what a day’s work is worth. The divide raises a fundamental question of what a healthy labor market looks like. Does it mean workers are on such a knife edge that they feel compelled to take the first job that comes along? Or is it one in which employers are the ones who have to scramble and feel pressured to raise wages and improve working conditions? Are the economy and the public better off when workers get to be choosy or when employers do? [New York Times] You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. Connect with Us   Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S Detroit Ave, Suite 1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 (918) 794-3944 info@okpolicy.org Unsubscribe

 

 

 

[In The Know] Medicaid expansion takes effect today | School Counselor Corps funding | Child care funds announced

View this email in your browser. 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 may be behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and click here see past editions. New from OK Policy Time for Care: Celebrating Medicaid Expansion in Oklahoma: Tanks to voter-approved Medicaid expansion, more than 120,000 Oklahomans and counting will finally have health care coverage starting on July 1. To celebrate this historic milestone, Oklahoma Policy Institute hosted a June 30 virtual event to reflect on the journey to this point and how it will positively impact our state moving forward. [OK Policy / YouTube]  Policy Matters: Making a difference starts locally: When it comes to thinking about politics, the national landscape tends to hog the spotlight. However, for most day-to-day activities, Oklahomans feel decisions made at the local and state level much more acutely. That’s why Oklahomans who want to create change should focus their attention on issues closer to home first. [Ahniwake Rose / Journal Record] Oklahoma News 'A very joyful moment': Medicaid expansion takes effect in Oklahoma: After more than a decade of fierce debate about whether Oklahoma should expand Medicaid, the Sooner State on Thursday became the 37th state to implement Medicaid expansion and offer health benefits to more low-income residents. Medicaid expansion has been one of the most heated political topics in Oklahoma since the Affordable Care Act became law in 2010. [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma Policy Institute has long made the case for Medicaid expansion. Policy Director Carly Putnam and Legislative and Outreach Director Angela Monson said tying health insurance to a job is problematic. [Public Radio Tulsa] The Health 202: Oklahoma is the first state to pocket extra new Medicaid dollars [Washington Post] State Education Department awards $35.7M for school counselors: Almost 200 school districts and charter schools across Oklahoma will be getting relief funds to help address students’ mental health and academic needs. The Oklahoma State Department of Education is awarding $35.7 million in grants to 181 school districts over three years to help launch the Oklahoma School Counselor Corps, the department announced Wednesday. [Tulsa World] OK Policy: Oklahoma’s children need funding to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Joy Hofmeister: Building a School Counselor Corps [Joy Hofmeister / Op-ed] OKDHS announces additional child care sustainability funds: The Oklahoma Department of Human Services announced Tuesday that additional coronavirus relief dollars authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act will be used to provide stabilization grants to the child care industry as well as incentivize quality improvement, access to care and workforce development. This plan will allow families and their child care providers to plan how to allocate resources through the end of 2022. [The Journal Record] Health News COVID-19: Latest Oklahoma case count reveals 737 breakthrough infections as state virus totals rise 36%: For the first time, data released Wednesday by the Oklahoma State Department of Health includes information on breakthrough COVID-19 cases. The state agency has thus far documented 737 infections in people who were fully vaccinated or who recovered previously from a COVID-19 infection. [Tulsa World] About Half Of Older Adults Testing Positive For COVID-19 Now Are Being Hospitalized [Public Radio Tulsa] COVID-19 Cases Rising In Young People [Public Radio Tulsa] COVID-19 infections on the rise; caution urged [The Journal Record] Oklahoma County COVID-19 vaccine tracker: 44% of people fully vaccinated [The Oklahoman] Canadian County COVID-19 vaccine tracker: 43% of people fully vaccinated [The Oklahoman] Pottawatomie County COVID-19 vaccine tracker: 33% of people fully vaccinated [The Oklahoman] OSDH: Northwest Oklahoma sees more 'green' counties than rest of state [Enid News & Eagle] Oklahomans We’ve Lost: A family man who loved making people smile [The Frontier] State Government News Corrections director blames press leak for abrupt prison closure announcement: Noting a steady decline in Oklahoma’s prison population, state corrections officials started formulating a plan to close the dilapidated William S. Key Correctional Center in Fort Supply in mid-May. The governor’s office, facility’s warden and senior corrections administrators were aware of the agency’s decision a month later. But Northwest Oklahoma lawmakers and community leaders, who argue losing the prison will be devastating to Woodward County’s economy, say they were left out of the decision making process and learned of the news through rumors and media reports. [Oklahoma Watch] In a legislative hearing, rural lawmakers said the planned closure of William S. Key Correctional Center in Fort Supply could have a devastating economic impact on local communities. [The Oklahoman] Bill that would ban teaching aspects of race and gender in Oklahoma schools takes effect Thursday: A controversial law passed last session that would restrict teaching certain aspects of race and gender in schools is among 79 new laws that became effective Thursday. House Bill 1775, by Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, bans the teaching that one race or gender is superior to another and makes college gender or diversity training voluntary. [Tulsa World] States are so flush with funds, many are cutting taxes: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt last month signed legislation cutting individual income tax rates by 0.25 percentage point. That reduces the top rate from 5% to 4.75%, the sixth lowest among states that levy income taxes, according to the Tax Foundation. Also, the state's corporate income tax rate will fall from 6% to 4%, tying it with Missouri's for the second lowest in the nation, behind North Carolina, among states with corporate income taxes. [KTEN]  License plate scanning firm faces securities class action: Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, Rekor has a partnership with Oklahoma, which uses the company’s technology to scan license plates and identify uninsured vehicles, according to the complaint. Rekor earns a cut of the fines levied upon uninsured drivers identified with its technology. Miller said the company “consistently touted” the value of the Oklahoma partnership and the company’s stock price “ballooned" because of the perception the deal was a "stepping-stone to capturing similar deals with other municipalities.” [Reuters] High court slams Progressive Insurance in decision: Progressive Insurance drafted its car insurance policies “in a way that ensured its policyholders would not actually get what they paid for,” ruled the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday. The 5-to-3 split decision showed the justices had different opinions as to whether Progressive’s tactics were misleading enough to constitute a direct violation of Oklahoma law. [The Journal Record] Federal Government News Cities' plea to Biden: Help us lower speed limits: Like dozens of other U.S. cities, Pittsburgh is trying to tame automotive traffic and lower the number of pedestrians struck by vehicles, which average 250 per year for the city. But officials say they are handcuffed by federal guidelines that advise traffic engineers to set speed limits based on how fast drivers are traveling -- not how fast they should be going. Oklahoma City and Chattanooga, Tennessee, are among the cities that have objected to the 85th percentile rule, along with the National Association of City Transportation Officials, which represents 86 North American cities and transit agencies. [Reuters] Tribal Nations News Assistant chief, councilmember challenge incumbent Seminole Nation chief: Greg P. Chilcoat — the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma’s chief — is running for re-election against two challengers: Lewis Johnson, the tribe’s current assistant chief, and Sena Michelle Yesslith, a representative of the Mekusukey Band. [NonDoc] Criminal Justice News ‘We should know’: Glossip supporter, Oklahoma lawmaker wants more scrutiny in death row cases: Ten minutes east of Oklahoma State Penitentiary’s white-washed walls, a lunch party converged on Pete’s Place – a famous Italian eatery in Krebs – to discuss the impending execution of Richard Glossip. State Rep. Kevin McDugle (R, Broken Arrow) stood at the front of one of the restaurant’s private dining rooms forgoing a heavy wooden podium. [StateImpact Oklahoma] Three Oklahoma City officers cleared by DA in shootings, including jail hostage incident: The Oklahoma County District Attorney emailed letters to Oklahoma City's police chief clearing three officers from wrongdoing in two separate shootings, including a hostage incident at the Oklahoma County jail in March. [The Oklahoman] Economy & Business News Work continues on whitewater rafting park officials hope will boost tourism in Oklahoma: A new outdoor attraction in eastern Oklahoma announced last year remains under construction. The WOKA Whitewater Park will sit east of Watts, Oklahoma, at the Arkansas state line near Siloam Springs. It's a partnership between the Grand River Dam Authority, the city of Siloam Springs and the Walton Family Foundation. Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma have touted the park as an economic driver. [Public Radio Tulsa] Oklahoma Local News OKC Metropolitan Library System to stop overdue fees on most materials [The Oklahoman] Tulsa City employees can check whether personal information made public in ransomware attack [Tulsa World] Norman City Council Approves Ban On Conversion Therapy [Public Radio Tulsa] Quote of the Day "Rural areas also have smaller companies that may not offer health plans. So, along with the ACA Marketplace, SoonerCare expansion lets Oklahomans live rural, not have to move to a big city just for a job with health coverage." -Steve Goldman, Enrollment Navigator of Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, speaking about Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma. [Public Radio Tulsa] Number of the Day 60.7 Oklahoma's labor force participation rate in May 2021, which is the same rate as in Nov. 2018. [Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve] Policy Note Cutting off unemployment benefits early is not pushing people to find work, data suggests: Job hunting has been muted in 12 states that opted out of federal unemployment programs in recent weeks, suggesting the policy may not be working as planned, according to a new analysis by job site Indeed. [CNBC] You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. Connect with Us   Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S Detroit Ave, Suite 1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 (918) 794-3944 info@okpolicy.org Unsubscribe