Articles
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Budget & Tax, Health Care
Lawmakers vow to ‘keep fighting’ for tobacco-fund reform
On April 19, Oklahoma received $69.7 million in tobacco-settlement funds of which $53.3 million went to TSET.Ray Carter | May 15, 2019
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Higher Education
Separate but equal at OU
The battle for integration for black Americans and other minorities lasted for more than 150 years and, on some fronts, continues today. That’s why it is so alarming to many observers of higher education that on many campuses today, things from student residence halls to graduation ceremonies have been increasingly balkanized by race or ethnicity.Mike Brake | May 15, 2019
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Health Care
There is no pot of ‘free’ Medicaid money waiting to be spent
Expanding Medicaid will force more people to become dependent on government while potentially increasing federal spending by $3.4 billion. With the annual national deficit projected to grow to $896 billion this will increase the burden already placed on the younger generation.Curtis Shelton | May 14, 2019
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Education
Diverse education picks clear partisan, ideological hurdles
Four more of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s nominees for the State Board of Education advanced from the Senate Education Committee during a Tuesday morning meeting.Ray Carter | May 14, 2019
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Education
Oklahoma public schools send more than $1 billion to private companies every year
In 2017 alone, more than $1.5 billion of public-school money was spent on supplies and purchased services. The majority of this money went to for-profit businesses.Curtis Shelton | May 14, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Budget impasse discussed in dueling press conferences
Gov. Kevin Stitt and House leaders announced they are at an impasse with Senate leaders in budget negotiations, but highlighted only a handful of concrete differences during a Monday press conference.Ray Carter | May 13, 2019
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Good Government
Mazzei nomination advances after defense of tax cuts, savings
The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the nomination of former Sen. Mike Mazzei to serve as Gov. Kevin Stitt’s cabinet secretary of budget, less than a week after that appointment appeared in jeopardy.Ray Carter | May 13, 2019
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Health Care
Bill to expand insurance coverage quietly becomes law
Senate Bill 943, authored by leadership in both chambers of the Legislature, updates and aligns Oklahoma law with federal regulations regarding the creation of association health plans.Ray Carter | May 13, 2019
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Health Care
OCPA files legal challenge to Medicaid-expansion petition
The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a free-market think tank, has filed a legal challenge to an initiative petition that would expand the state’s Medicaid welfare program, saying the proposal is unconstitutional and the petition gist is so misleading it violates state law.Staff | May 10, 2019
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Budget & Tax, Education
PLAC supports Democrats’ education budget
The Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee (PLAC) has endorsed a Democratic budget plan. The proposal put forth by the House Democrats not only spends the entirety of this year’s $570 million surplus, but would increase total spending by more than $800 million. To fill the financial gap, Democrats would raise taxes on income and investment.Ray Carter | May 9, 2019