Articles
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Culture & the Family
Illegal firing, free-speech violation alleged in tribal suit
Shane Jett, a Republican former state lawmaker, has sued the chairman of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in tribal court, alleging the chairman illegally fired Jett from his position as CEO of the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation.Ray Carter | August 13, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Appropriation-estimate process to face scrutiny
A state board that establishes how much money lawmakers can appropriate each year will be an initial target of investigation for the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT).Ray Carter | August 13, 2020
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Education
Stitt not only governor supporting in-person schooling
A growing number of politicians, including those at the opposite end of the political spectrum from Gov. Kevin Stitt, are now similarly endorsing in-person instruction.Ray Carter | August 11, 2020
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Culture & the Family
‘Risky’ counties can have few COVID-19 cases
In a majority of Oklahoma counties a COVID-19 diagnosis for three or fewer individuals can elevate the entire county’s daily infection rate to a “moderate risk” level some policymakers say should trigger various forms of mandatory shutdown.Ray Carter | August 10, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Revenue collections fall, but still exceed 2018 levels
June 30, 2020, marked the end of fiscal year 2020. Data from the Office of the State Treasurer show that the last few tumultuous months severely impacted revenue collections for the state.Curtis Shelton | August 10, 2020
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Criminal Justice
Letting felons vote makes sense, sometimes
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds this week granted voting rights to about 40,000 convicted felons. For those convicted in Iowa of lower-level felonies, her order automatically restores their right to vote after their sentence is completed.Trent England | August 10, 2020
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Criminal Justice
COVID death in Oklahoma County jail highlights need for bail reform
With the Oklahoma County jail already overcrowded, it is irresponsible to detain Oklahomans pretrial unless they pose a specific threat to the public or are a significant flight risk.Ryan Haynie | August 7, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Stitt opposes additional federal bailouts for states
Members of Congress are currently debating whether to provide another round of federal bailout money to state governments in response to the COVID-19 recession.Ray Carter | August 6, 2020
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Culture & the Family
COVID hospitalizations steadying?
At the start of the pandemic, the average hospitalization for COVID-19 ran from 10 to 12 days. Currently, those stays are typically between five and eight days.Ray Carter | August 6, 2020
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Budget & Tax
McGirt decision could upend regulations, taxes
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that reestablished Indian reservations in Oklahoma is creating broad uncertainty and threatens to result in regulatory chaos that will drive businesses away from the state, according to state leaders.Ray Carter | August 6, 2020