Authors
Ryan Haynie
Vice President for Legal Affairs
Ryan Haynie serves as the Vice President for Legal Affairs for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. Prior to joining OCPA, he practiced law in Oklahoma City. His work included representing the criminally accused in state and federal courts. Ryan is active in the Federalist Society, serving as the Programming Director for the Oklahoma City Lawyer’s Chapter. He holds a B.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and a J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He and his wife, Jaclyn, live in Oklahoma City with their three children.
Recent Articles
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Law & Principles
OCPA files amicus brief to defend free speech
A man in Oklahoma is serving prison time for “stalking” even though his only “crime” was posting a YouTube rant about his ex-wife. OCPA’s Center for Law & Liberty filed a brief urging the Court of Criminal Appeals to correct this abuse and make clear that offensive or unpleasant speech is still protected speech.Ryan Haynie | February 9, 2026
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Culture & the Family
A church service interrupted, and a warning about America’s future
A group of progressive activists stormed a Sunday service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, turning a house of worship into a political stage and violating the boundaries that protect religious freedom, private property, and community order. This is not an isolated protest—it’s a warning flare for our society.Ryan Haynie & Matt Oberdick | January 21, 2026
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Law & Principles
School chaplains are not unconstitutional
Chaplains have long served in America’s public institutions without violating constitutional limits on church and state. Given the State of Oklahoma’s extensive precedent for employing chaplains, public schools are well within their rights to offer voluntary chaplain services.Ryan Haynie | November 12, 2025
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Law & Principles
California, Washington disprove claim that SQ 836 would ‘moderate’ politics in Oklahoma
Advocates of California-style “jungle primaries” insist the system moderates politics, but evidence from Washington and California shows the opposite. Since adopting open primaries, both states have only seen Democrats tighten their grip on power.Ryan Haynie | September 29, 2025
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Law & Principles
The legal and political implications of the latest OSSAA scandal
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) is again facing scrutiny. Now with parents suing, the attorney general warning, and state lawmakers growing restless, OSSAA’s heavy-handed enforcement may be setting the stage for its own undoing.Ryan Haynie | August 22, 2025
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Health Care, Law & Principles
The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ resolves questions favorably over work requirements
The newly enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill” overrides any possible Oklahoma restrictions by making work, training, or volunteer service a federal requirement for able-bodied adults on Medicaid.Ryan Haynie | July 9, 2025
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Law & Principles
Justice Thomas echoes OCPA brief in Supreme Court opinion
In a case involving minors who identify as transgender, Justice Clarence Thomas this week brilliantly rejected the notion that unelected experts should dictate constitutional interpretation or override legislative judgment.Ryan Haynie | June 20, 2025
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Law & Principles
Does Oklahoma need a cosmetology board?
Oklahoma should scrap its burdensome licensing requirements for cosmetologists, a barrier that limits opportunity without guaranteeing better outcomes. Market alternatives like customer reviews, voluntary certification, and inspections can protect public safety.Ryan Haynie | June 17, 2025
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Law & Principles
Oklahoma should codify the end of Chevron deference
A recent U.S. Supreme decision provides a watershed moment for Oklahoma to redefine its approach to administrative agency deference, preserving a more engaged role for the judiciary.Ryan Haynie | April 4, 2025
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Law & Principles, Energy
Oklahoma’s anti-energy-discrimination law needs to be allowed to work
Legislation is being considered that would revise Oklahoma’s anti-ESG law in ways that would make the law less effective.Jonathan Small & Ryan Haynie | March 24, 2025
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