Articles
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Budget & Tax, Education
School choice bill headed to governor
Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives have passed a significant expansion of a school-choice program that has benefited thousands of low-income students, sending the measure to Gov. Kevin Stitt to be signed into law.Ray Carter | May 20, 2021
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Education
OCPA applauds expansion of tax-credit scholarship program
Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, issued the following statement praising lawmakers for voting to expand the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act.Staff | May 20, 2021
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Budget & Tax
House approves income tax cut
Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives have voted to cut Oklahoma’s income-tax rate to a level that will make it one of the lowest in the country.Ray Carter | May 19, 2021
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Law & Principles
Millions in McGirt legal costs expected
The fallout from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that declared a tribal reservation was never disestablished in Oklahoma has now led lawmakers to create a new fund to cover millions of dollars in anticipated state legal expenses.Ray Carter | May 19, 2021
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Education
Massive education spending is declared not enough
With this year’s budget agreement, state appropriations to public schools will have increased from $2.4 billion in 2018 to $3.2 billion by 2022.Ray Carter | May 19, 2021
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Budget & Tax, Education
School choice clears Senate hurdle
A significant school-choice measure has won overwhelming approval from the Oklahoma Senate and is now one vote away from Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk.Ray Carter | May 18, 2021
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Health Care
State report: 25 percent of Oklahomans are on Medicaid
According to the latest annual report from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, more than 25 percent of Oklahomans were enrolled in Medicaid last year.Kaitlyn Finley | May 18, 2021
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Budget & Tax
Film rebate program is corporate welfare
Comparing the state’s film rebate program with Oklahoma’s Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship program can show the distinction between the a tax credit and a rebate.Curtis Shelton | May 18, 2021
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Education, Culture & the Family
Tulsa students may see little benefit from open-transfer law
Students in Tulsa Public Schools had virtually no in-person instruction for nearly a year. Lawmakers eased the open-transfer process partly to help those students. But exemptions in the transfer law mean Tulsa students may still have few options. Of 11 districts that share a border with Tulsa Public Schools, just four may be required to even consider transfers from Tulsa Public Schools.Ray Carter | May 17, 2021
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Budget & Tax, Education
School-choice measure clears budget committees
Legislation to significantly increase the size of a state school-choice program that helps children attend private schools has easily advanced from budget committees in both the House and Senate.Ray Carter | May 17, 2021