Articles
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Law & Principles
Professional licensing reforms advance
House lawmakers have advanced two similar bills supporters say will reduce the barriers to entry in Oklahoma’s workforce.Ray Carter | February 25, 2021
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Education, Law & Principles
Open transfer bill gains House approval
Legislation that would increase open-transfer opportunities among public-school districts gained easy approval in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, overcoming opponents’ arguments that lawmakers should instead raise taxes and increase school district spending.Ray Carter | February 25, 2021
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Education, Law & Principles
‘Ghost student’ reform passes Oklahoma House
Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to restrict schools’ ability to receive state funding for students who no longer attend classes in the district, a practice informally referred to as “ghost student” funding.Ray Carter | February 25, 2021
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Education, Law & Principles
‘Ghost student’ reform advances
Members of a state House committee have voted to rein in school districts’ ability to receive funding for students who no longer attend classes in the district.Ray Carter | February 18, 2021
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Law & Principles
Stitt calls for tribal compacts on McGirt issues
Gov. Kevin Stitt has called on tribal leaders to begin compact negotiations to address the many issues created by the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, which declared the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation was never disestablished.Ray Carter | January 22, 2021
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Law & Principles
Oklahoma Democrats seek removal of gender language
Democratic members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives called for elimination of gender-specific language in the House’s operating rules during that chamber’s organizational meeting on Tuesday.Ray Carter | January 5, 2021
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Law & Principles
Oklahoma House leaders promise ‘big things’
The top two leaders of the Oklahoma House of Representatives promise lawmakers will work on “big” policy measures in the pending legislative session, although they provided few specifics.Ray Carter | January 5, 2021
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Law & Principles
Ethics Commission targets ‘informational materials’
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission has temporarily tabled a proposed rule that would require lobbyists and nonprofit organizations to report when they provide certain “informational materials” to state lawmakers.Ray Carter | December 14, 2020
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Law & Principles, Good Government
'Ethics Commission' vs. free speech (again)
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is an agency set up to regulate campaign finances and lobbying of state officials. Unhappy with this narrow but important responsibility, the Commission has a history of trying to expand its own power.Trent England | December 10, 2020
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Law & Principles
GOP leaders support initiative-petition reform
Republican legislative leaders say the state’s initiative-petition process should be reformed so future amendments to the Oklahoma Constitution cannot be sent before voters thanks primarily to funding from out-of-state interest groups that mostly gather signatures in urban areas.Ray Carter | December 10, 2020