Articles
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Law & Principles
McGirt decision defunding courts, public safety
The U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt v. Oklahoma decision, which created jurisdictional chaos in Oklahoma by effectively declaring that most of eastern Oklahoma remains Indian reservations, is indirectly defunding court systems and public-safety entities throughout much of the state, according to the Senate’s top budget official.Ray Carter | March 15, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
Bureaucrats retain power under open-transfer law
When lawmakers voted last year to expand open-transfer opportunities, allowing families to more easily send children to school districts other than the one in which they reside, supporters thought the change would empower parents.Jonathan Small | March 13, 2022
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Law & Principles
Election ‘Zuckerbucks’ ban clears House
Due to concern about perceived influence on the outcome of elections, state lawmakers have voted to ban private entities from funding Oklahoma election expenses.Ray Carter | March 9, 2022
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Law & Principles
GOP lawmaker joins Democrats against election-security bill
A bill that would mandate investigation of potential voter fraud has advanced from the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Those voting “no” were mostly Democrats, but state Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, joined them in vocal opposition.Ray Carter | March 9, 2022
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Law & Principles
Senators ban union freeloading on state pension system
Employees of a teachers’ union who do not work for a public school would be banned from receiving state teachers’ retirement benefits tied to their time spent away from the school system, under a bill that has passed the Oklahoma Senate.Ray Carter | March 7, 2022
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Law & Principles
Judicial-nomination transparency measure clears committee
Legislation that would allow the governor to select from a wide range of judicial applicants, with nominees required to then receive Senate confirmation, has won easy approval from a state Senate committee.Ray Carter | March 1, 2022
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Law & Principles
OCPA 2022 legislative scorecard: Watch list update (March 1 2022)
This is an updated watch list of bills that are eligible to be included on OCPA’s legislative scorecard for Oklahoma’s 2022 legislative session.Staff | March 1, 2022
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Law & Principles
Lawmakers support First Amendment training for Oklahoma college leaders
College leaders would be required to undergo First Amendment training under legislation that has passed out of a state House committee.Ray Carter | February 28, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education, Law & Principles
Bold reforms for a post-pandemic Oklahoma
In the aftermath of the pandemic, Oklahoma’s policymakers should put parents in charge of education with a universal Education Savings Account, eliminate the personal income tax, and reform our state’s dysfunctional regulatory system.Curtis Shelton, Greg Forster, Ph.D., Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. & Andrew C. Spiropoulos | February 21, 2022
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Law & Principles
Voter ID could be placed in state constitution
Oklahomans could place voter ID requirements into the state constitution under a measure that has won committee approval in the state Senate.Ray Carter | February 16, 2022