Articles
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Health Care, Law & Principles
New federal law requires Medicaid recipients to seek work
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed by President Donald Trump, imposes a work requirement for able-bodied, childless adults ages 19 to 64 on Medicaid. Members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation praised the reform.Ray Carter | July 8, 2025
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Oklahoma Supreme Court rejects tribal income tax exemption in wake of McGirt
So long as the State of Oklahoma imposes a tax on income, all Oklahomans must pay it, according to a new ruling from the Oklahoma Supreme Court.Ray Carter | July 7, 2025
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Health Care
Medicaid fraud issues arising nationwide
Reviews of Medicaid spending across the nation indicate billions of dollars are being wasted on individuals who do not qualify for the welfare program, echoing similar findings in Oklahoma during a 2020 review.Ray Carter | June 27, 2025
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Law & Principles
Tulsa mayor vows to stop prosecuting crimes committed by Indians
Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols has signed an agreement with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation that prohibits city police and courts from prosecuting any alleged criminal who is a member of one of over 500 federally recognized tribes.Ray Carter | June 25, 2025
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Education
Oklahoma ranked as a top 10 state in education choice
A new report ranks Oklahoma among the 10 best states in the nation for parental empowerment and educational choice.Ray Carter | June 23, 2025
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Health Care
With Medicaid expansion, Oklahoma has higher costs, worse outcomes
Oklahoma’s Medicaid expansion was sold on a promise to financially enrich state hospitals and improve Oklahomans’ health outcomes. Five years and billions of taxpayer dollars later, is it working?Ray Carter | June 23, 2025
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Law & Principles
U.S. Supreme Court upholds ban on child sex-change surgeries
In a decision with repercussions for Oklahoma, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a Tennessee law prohibiting medical officials from performing sex-change surgeries on minors who identify as transgender.Ray Carter | June 18, 2025
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Education, Higher Education
After outcry, OSU stops promoting discredited reading program
Oklahoma lawmakers have banned the use of the discredited “three-cueing” method of reading instruction in public schools. Yet OSU continues to tout a program that uses it.Ray Carter | June 18, 2025
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Education
Oklahoma teacher union hails private-school vouchers … for teachers’ kids
A new voucher-style benefit applies exclusively to teachers’ children, even those from high-income households. House Bill 1727 expands the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship program to include high-income teacher families while maintaining strict income caps for all other Oklahomans.Ray Carter | June 18, 2025
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Education
Local control? Study shows voters rarely hold school boards accountable
Despite Oklahoma school-board elections being scheduled on obscure dates that average just 6 percent turnout, defenders of the system claim those elections provide valid “local control” of schools. But new research shows that academic outcomes have little impact on the results of school-board races.Ray Carter | June 16, 2025