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SQ 832 would raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029 and tie future increases to the cost of living in expensive urban areas nationwide. The measure would pressure small businesses, reduce job opportunities for younger workers, and mirror negative outcomes seen in other states.

Minimum-wage work is often the first rung on the economic ladder—the place where young and inexperienced workers learn basic skills, build confidence, and move quickly into higher-paying roles. But research shows that mandated wage hikes can erase those opportunities.

States forcing a $15 minimum wage saw prices rise faster than Oklahoma while experiencing weaker wage growth. With SQ 832 mirroring the same policies that drove up costs and reduced opportunities elsewhere, the data suggest Oklahoma should stick with the approach that’s delivering real wage gains without inflation.

The Obamacare Medicaid expansion was sold as a program fueled by “free” federal dollars, but Oklahoma is now seeing the real bill. Spending at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority has climbed by nearly $3.5 billion since 2020.

Oklahoma’s Medicaid program has become one of the fastest-growing pressures on the state budget, crowding out other budget priorities.