Articles
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Judicial Reform
JNC process lacks transparency
A flier recently distributed at the Oklahoma Capitol tries, desperately, to convince lawmakers that Oklahoma’s secretive Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) should be preserved and that Oklahomans will somehow be worse off if we instead adopt the judicial-selection process developed by our nation’s Founding Fathers. But the flier doesn’t pass the laugh test.Staff | April 17, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Judicial Nominating Commission structure hides partisan tilt
Defenders claim the JNC is “nonpartisan.” But the membership requirements of the group have granted Democratic partisans outsized influence in selecting Oklahoma judges.Ray Carter | April 15, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Democratic donors dominate OBA leadership
Campaign-donation records show the Oklahoma Bar Association's leadership is stacked with Democratic partisans.Ray Carter | April 12, 2024
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Education
Democrat lawmaker worries about ‘millionaire grandparents’
Legislation by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat and House Speaker Charles McCall would make minor fixes to Oklahoma’s universal school choice program. But opponents now claim that wealthy grandparents may game the system.Ray Carter | April 11, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Group that selects Oklahoma judges loves Cuba?
The Oklahoma Bar Association offered its attorneys continuing legal education (CLE) credit for vacationing in a totalitarian communist country that flouts the rule of law.Ray Carter | April 11, 2024
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Education
Amid abuse concerns, limits on virtual school days advance
Citing concerns that virtual school days are being abused and are contributing to student learning loss, members of the House Common Education Committee have advanced legislation restricting the number of virtual days allowed.Ray Carter | April 9, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Judicial-nomination transparency bill clears committee
Legislation that would end the closed-door, secretive process currently used to select Oklahoma judges has received strong support from a House committee.Ray Carter | April 9, 2024
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Budget & Tax, Economy
Oklahoma drawing Millennials, data show
Critics often claim that Oklahoma’s conservative policies will cause a mass exodus of people. But the facts keep proving these critics wrong.Ray Carter | April 9, 2024
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Health Care, Culture & the Family
Oklahoma hospitals sign ‘equity’ pledge
The Oklahoma Hospital Association and 13 Oklahoma hospitals have signed an “equity” pledge that suggests hospital leadership hires may be based on race or ethnicity as much as, or more than, job qualifications and expertise.Ray Carter | April 8, 2024
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Education
State Board of Education tackles teacher misconduct
The Oklahoma State Board of Education (OSBE) is working aggressively to address new reports of educator misconduct while also reaching into the past to ensure teachers who violate children lose their certifications through the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE).Catherine Smith | April 4, 2024