Articles
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Law & Principles
House lawmakers’ spending on themselves explodes
In 2018, the Oklahoma Legislature approved hundreds of millions of dollars in tax increases. Since then, House lawmakers have increased their own budget by 92 percent.Ray Carter | June 7, 2022
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Criminal Justice, Law & Principles
Oklahoma Democrats call for gun control
Following a Tulsa shooting that took the lives of four individuals (not counting the shooter), members of the state House Democratic caucus are calling for new gun-control measures to be passed as part of a pending special legislative session.Ray Carter | June 2, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Stitt’s fiscal views a culture shock for Legislature?
Since Stitt entered office, the state government has shifted from having massive annual budget shortfalls to having historic levels of savings, and from constantly enacting tax hikes to debating tax reductions.Ray Carter | June 1, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
GOP struggles to defend slush fund, projects for ‘rural’ OKC
With only days left in this year’s legislative session, Oklahoma state lawmakers deposited $250 million into a “slush fund”-style account with no legal restrictions on how that money can be spent.Ray Carter | June 1, 2022
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Law & Principles
Stitt announces vetoes, calls for ‘real inflation relief’
Inflation is costing households $5,200 per year. In response, Oklahoma legislative leaders want to mail taxpayers a $75 check. Gov. Kevin Stitt says the state can do better, and vowed to fight for real tax cuts.Ray Carter | May 26, 2022
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Law & Principles
Oklahoma House supports new school standards promoting abortion?
Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives have approved legislation that would force the State Board of Education to adopt new academic standards for health education.Ray Carter | May 25, 2022
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Law & Principles
McGirt mess continues to grow
All Oklahomans drive on the same roads and can access the same public-school system. But thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt ruling, some Oklahomans may no longer pay to fund those systems, creating increased financial burdens for everyone else.Jonathan Small | May 23, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
School bathroom bill headed to governor
Following hot on the heels of their Senate counterparts, the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted to prohibit public schools from adopting policies that allow boys to use girls’ bathrooms, sending the legislation to Gov. Kevin Stitt.Ray Carter | May 19, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
Oklahoma Senate votes to ban boys from girls’ bathrooms
Oklahoma schools would be prohibited from allowing boys to use girls’ bathrooms, and schools would face the loss of state funding for violations, under legislation that easily passed out of the Oklahoma Senate.Ray Carter | May 19, 2022
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Law & Principles
Court leak is an attack on the judicial system
If they can’t win playing by the rules, some on the left want to jettison rules altogether.Jonathan Small | May 16, 2022