Articles
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Law & Principles
Hughes County sheriff says tribe ignoring McGirt duties, crime victims
Since the U.S. Supreme Court upended law-enforcement jurisdiction throughout most of eastern Oklahoma with its McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, tribal government officials have claimed they will fill much of the resulting law-enforcement gap.Ray Carter | February 11, 2022
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Law & Principles
Defending McGirt, tribal leaders ignore, dismiss Indian victims
In their efforts to defend the McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling that Gov. Kevin Stitt wants curtailed or overturned, Oklahoma tribal leaders have increasingly taken an unexpected tack. They often ignore—and in one high-profile case appeared to dismiss as “made up”—the plight of tribal citizens who are victims of crimes that may now go unpunished because of McGirt.Ray Carter | February 10, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
Lawmakers seek answers for teacher exits
Reports of a teacher shortage in Oklahoma have long been blamed on pay levels, yet the shortage has persisted even after massive salary increases in recent years.Ray Carter | February 8, 2022
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Law & Principles
Stitt: McGirt decision ‘jeopardizes justice’ in Oklahoma
Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Cherokee, is one of the most prominent elected Indian officeholders in the nation. But he remains steadfast in his opposition to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared a reservation was never formally disestablished in Oklahoma, saying that decision has effectively impeded justice for many Oklahomans of all backgrounds.Ray Carter | February 7, 2022
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Law & Principles
OCPA 2022 legislative scorecard: Watch list
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 | February 6, 2022
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Law & Principles
Tribes send mixed messages on McGirt
Since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, which effectively declared that most of eastern Oklahoma remains tribal reservation land, state tribal governments have touted the decision and proclaimed little or no harm has come from the ruling.Ray Carter | February 3, 2022
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Law & Principles, Good Government
With 2,300 bills introduced, which ones should you watch?
How is an interested citizen to know which bills actually have a chance—and which ones are dead on arrival? The answer is much simpler than you might think.Rick Farmer, Ph.D. | January 26, 2022
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Law & Principles
U.S. Supreme Court to consider McGirt limits
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by the State of Oklahoma that could lead to curtailment of the court’s prior decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, which effectively held that most of eastern Oklahoma consists of Indian reservations.Ray Carter | January 21, 2022
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Law & Principles
Three conservative policies for 2022
With a new year comes new year’s resolutions. While the average citizen may focus on diet and exercise, state policymakers should emphasize growth—growing our economy and increasing opportunity.Jonathan Small | January 17, 2022
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Law & Principles
Court rules against Biden vaccine mandate
The Biden administration’s effort to make COVID-19 vaccines a condition of employment throughout the private sector has been rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, although the court separately ruled that the Biden administration does have the authority to impose a vaccine mandate on health-care workers at facilities receiving Medicaid or Medicare funding.Ray Carter | January 14, 2022