Articles
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Budget & Tax
Stress test: State can weather another ‘Great Recession’
If Oklahoma faces an economic recession comparable to the “Great Recession” of 2008 to 2010, state government is able to cover the associated downfalls over a five-year period, according to a study conducted by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency.Ray Carter | January 18, 2024
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Millions diverted from law enforcement due to McGirt ruling
One ripple effect of the McGirt ruling is the diversion of millions of dollars from Oklahoma law enforcement, agency leaders recently told state lawmakers.Ray Carter | January 17, 2024
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Budget & Tax, Education
Oklahoma school reserves hit $1.2 billion high
The amount of money that Oklahoma public schools carried over at the end of the last state budget year, a sum representing both cash-flow reserves and savings, hit a new high of $1.2 billion on June 30, 2023, according to state government figures.Ray Carter | January 15, 2024
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Law & Principles, Culture & the Family
Labor commissioner Osborn touts transgenderism, abortion
Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn is drawing scrutiny for her participation in a group that touts transgenderism and abortion to youth.Ray Carter | January 12, 2024
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Education, Economy
COVID learning loss impacting Oklahoma students, economy
The learning loss from school shutdowns is estimated to result in a nearly 9 percent lifetime income loss for Oklahoma students impacted by COVID closures, tied for the greatest impact in the nation.Ray Carter | January 11, 2024
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Judicial Reform
Study: Oklahoma Supreme Court judges consistently liberal
The trend in Oklahoma defies trends in nearly all other states, which have seen their courts’ judicial ideology fluctuate over time with periods of more conservative jurists.Ray Carter | January 10, 2024
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Judicial Reform, Economy
Report shows JNC system harming Oklahoma economy
A new report from the State Chamber Research Foundation shows, indirectly, that Oklahoma’s Judicial Nominating Commission has resulted in the appointment of judges who have, on net, harmed the state’s legal climate and negatively impacted Oklahoma’s economic competitiveness.Ray Carter | January 5, 2024
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Education
Working-class families benefit from Oklahoma school-choice program
Nearly half of Oklahoma families that have applied for the state’s new private-school tax credit are from lower-income or middle-class backgrounds. And because tuition at many private schools is relatively inexpensive, the average tax credit so far is only $6,035.Ray Carter | January 4, 2024
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Education
DEI commitments influence hiring in Tulsa Public Schools
Tulsa Public Schools unashamedly embraces the principles of “diversity, equity, and inclusion”—and that influences the district's teacher-hiring decisions.Ray Carter | January 3, 2024
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Economy
Study shows minimum wage hike will cost jobs, opportunity
A ballot measure to raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029 took a blow recently when a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) study showed a similar federal proposal would eliminate many entry-level jobs for workers.Ray Carter | January 2, 2024