Criminal justice reform is a major agenda topic in this year’s legislative session. A myriad of bills that would implement deep changes to the system have been introduced, and though many were left for dead, several still in the process seem likely to pass. Former Republican state Speaker of the House Kris Steele is now […]
oklahoma policy institute
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Beyond February
After the abolition of slavery, black Oklahomans continued struggling in the fight for equality. They faced Jim Crow laws, which suppressed their voting rights and segregated the state, until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 gradually began to dismantle those laws. Though Jim Crow laws were overruled, years of court challenges continued to tackle institutional […]
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Commentary: Care giving
President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided for expansion of Medicaid on a state-by-state basis, and since 2014, 37 states and the District of Columbia have approved expanding Medicaid coverage to persons making below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Newly elected Gov. Kevin Stitt, who wants to run Oklahoma like a business, […]
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Oklahoma turnaround
Oklahoma’s 28th governor took the oath of office last week, right before giving an inaugural address that echoed many of his campaign promises. But beyond getting a fresh face, Oklahomans want Gov. Kevin Stitt to look at issues that might be outside his agenda. Mary Fallin was Oklahoma’s governor for the past eight years. Much […]
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Complex mandate
In January, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), with encouragement from the White House, announced that it would allow states to mandate work requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients to receive benefits and released guidelines for how those mandates should look. Four months later, Gov. Mary Fallin signed a bill that requires the […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Camille Landry and Oklahoma Policy Institute release a book of essays that shed light on the real struggles of Oklahomans
Landry began writing her essay series in 2013.
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Civic engagement groups prepare for the next legislative session
Together Oklahoma and Let’s Fix This, Oklahoma! work to engage citizens in government.
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Voters consider education tax and review lottery promises
State Question 779 would bolster education funding with a 1 percent rise in sales and use tax.
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Oklahoma City Council votes to form tax force focused on reform
Oklahoma City Council and others seek reforms and more transparency in Oklahoma tax laws.
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Local groups launches campaign to educate voters
Oklahoma Policy Institute’s Do Something OK campaign educates voters about budget cuts and interacting with lawmakers to encourage change.