Articles
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Law & Principles, Culture & the Family
Backers of Oklahoma open-primary plan tout California as model, success story
Supporters of State Question 836, which would replace Oklahoma’s party primaries with a single “open primary” where all candidates appear on one ballot, tout California’s system as a model.Ray Carter | November 7, 2025
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Education
Lawmakers hear claims OSSAA applies rules unevenly, denying students fair play
State lawmakers heard emotional testimony accusing the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) of applying its eligibility rules inconsistently and unfairly, depriving students of the chance to play high-school sports. OSSAA officials defended their process.Ray Carter | November 5, 2025
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Oklahoma food-stamp numbers raise fraud concerns
Federal audits estimate that more than 10 percent of Oklahoma’s SNAP payments go to unqualified recipients, a rate that could saddle the state with up to $226 million in annual penalties under a new federal law.Ray Carter | November 4, 2025
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Law & Principles
OCPA defends Oklahoma’s anti-racism law before federal appeals court
OCPA’s Center for Law & Liberty has filed a brief in federal court defending Oklahoma’s anti-racism law, House Bill 1775. The law, passed in 2021, prohibits teaching that one race or sex is inherently superior or that individuals are inherently oppressive because of their race or sex.Ray Carter | November 4, 2025
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Law & Principles
‘Open primaries’ backers supported Marxist candidate for president
After “10 years of conversations and organizing in the Sooner State,” out-of-state activists with a history of radical-left politics—including ties to a Marxist presidential candidate—are trying to bring California’s election system to Oklahoma.Ray Carter | November 3, 2025
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Law & Principles
Oklahoma lawmakers seek to boost retiree benefits without undermining pension reforms
After reforms that transformed Oklahoma’s public pension systems from some of the nation’s weakest to among the healthiest, lawmakers are now debating how to responsibly boost retiree benefits to keep pace with inflation.Ray Carter | October 31, 2025
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Education
States with little or no school choice are pushing homeschool regulation
Despite claims that school-choice programs would lead to government control over homeschoolers, Oklahoma’s experience shows otherwise. Meanwhile, aggressive homeschool regulations are being proposed in New Jersey, which doesn’t have private-school choice.Ray Carter | October 30, 2025
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Higher Education
Florida, Texas schools shine in college rankings; OU and OSU fail to make the cut
A new City Journal ranking of the nation’s top 100 colleges rewards schools that promote academic rigor, open debate, and real-world value—while penalizing ideological rigidity. While several Florida and Texas schools shine, neither OU nor OSU made the list.Ray Carter | October 29, 2025
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Health Care
Oklahoma hailed as health-care transparency leader
Starting November 1, Oklahoma will become the first state in the nation to fully enforce hospital price transparency, allowing patients to see and compare the costs of hundreds of medical procedures before surgery.Ray Carter | October 28, 2025
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Law & Principles
Ten years in the making: Out-of-state group with left-wing ties pushes California model for Oklahoma elections
After a decade of “conversations and organizing,” a national group with deep Democratic and left-wing ties is backing an effort to replace Oklahoma’s current election system with one modeled after California’s “top two” primary process.Ray Carter | October 27, 2025