This Week In Oklahoma Politics

This week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Oklahoma City Democratic Senator Julia Kirt, sitting in for Ryan Kiesel, about health officials' announcement that 6,200 people needlessly died this year because they chose not to get vaccinated, the Pardon and Parole Board sets the state up for its first execution since 2015 and Governor Stitt traveled to the U.S. border along with eleven other Republican governors.The trio also discusses news of an Oklahoma County judge striking down two anti-abortion bills but keeping three intact to take place November First and the new chairman of Epic Virtual Charter School's governing board telling lawmakers he welcomes oversight.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the governor's decision to wait until after the clemency hearing of death row inmate Julius Jones to decide on his commutation, lawmakers are heading back to the State Capitol n November 15th to deal with redistricting after a delay in getting the 2020 Census number and the first female Higher Education Chancellor in Oklahoma gets ready to start the job.The trio also discusses State Senator Nathan Dahm joining the race with at least two other Republicans in an attempt to unseat incumbent U.S. Senator James Lankford and a state lawmaker threatens the tax credits to the Oklahoma City Thunder after the organization announced plans to require fans get immunized or have a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours before attending a game.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Reepublican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt's call for the State Auditor to do a comprehensive investigation of the Department of Education, the Cattlemen's Association calling on the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority to put a moratorium on new medical marijuana licenses and Attorney General John O'Connor filing two petitions with the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse last summer's decision on McGirt Versus Oklahoma.The Trio also discusses an interim study on why Oklahoma businesses are failing to fill positions as the unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the nation and now back to pre-pandemic levels and Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum starts a Political Action Committee to support "Pro Tulsa" candidates for city offices.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the Pardon and Parole Board sending a recommendation o Governor Stitt for the commutation of inmate Julius Jones from the death sentence to Life with the Possibility of Parole and Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett surviving a supreme court challenge trying to remove him from his position.The trio also discusses the state hiring two firms to over see the spending of more than $3 billion in COVID-19 federal funds through the American Rescue Plan and two members of the Oklahoma Virtual Charter School resigning abruptly after coming under scrutiny for their involvement with Epic.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the impact COVID-19 is having on Oklahoma's health care system and Governor Stitt's decision to remove the only two doctors on the board for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.The trio also discusses the resignation of embattled cabinet secretary David Ostrowe and the new attorney general pushing back executions.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a judge's decision to put a temporary injunction against Senate Bill 658 banning schools from issuing a mask mandate, Congressman Markwayne Mullin returning home after attempting to get into Afghanistan and Governor Stitt calling the Supreme Court's McGirt Versus Oklahoma decision the most pressing issue facing the state.The trio also discussion a legal challenge by the state NAACP against legislation designed to crack down on protestors and lawmakers getting ready for redistricting as the official numbers from the 2020 census were released over the summer.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Right Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a new report from the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency against the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust's spending on cessation programs, Epic Virtual Charter School's new board giving $2.5M to a company owned by the brother of its former chairman and a study looking at 18 fatalities from police pursuits over a five year period.The trio also discusses the closing of the William S. Key minimum security prison in northwest Oklahoma and a new committee to oversee how the state spends $1.9B expected from the federal government on COVID-19 relief funds.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel talk about Oklahoma County handing its redistricting process over to state House and Senate staff, the governor mulling his decision for a replacement for former Attorney General Mike Hunter and a new study showing the power of prosecutors on legislation at the State Capitol.The trio also discusses the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission freezing jobless claim checks for some residents after concerns over fraudulent activity and an Oklahoma City Police detective retracts his statement in the officer-involved shooting death of a Black man.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel talk about Oklahoma City passing it's budget for next year to include a $1.3M increase for its police department despite calls to reduce the funding, nearly 100,000 Oklahomans sign up for Medicaid expansion in its first week online and the Department of Education uncovered $1.6M in fraud over a federal program to feed children during the pandemic.The trio also discusses a lawsuit filed against former Attorney General Mike Hunter by a member of Governor Stitt's cabinet and the state's first Chief Operating Officer John Budd announcing he's leaving the position.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel talk about President Biden's visit to Tulsa to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, the State Supreme Court invalidated Governor Stitt's plan to partially privatize Medicaid and lawmakers bring an end to the 2021 Legislative session.The trio also discusses registration beginning for the expansion of Medicaid and State Treasurer Randy McDaniel announcing he will not seek reelection to the office in 2022.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the announcement from Attorney General Mike Hunter over his resignation effective July First, the Governor signing the state budget for the 2022 Fiscal Year and a bill to use medical marijuana revenue to help charter and public schools with funding.The trio also discusses plans by President Biden to visit Tulsa for the centennial commemoration ceremonies for the 1921 Race Massacre and the Director of the Public Health Lab leaves after just four months on the job.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the governor's plan to get people back to work by opting out of federal supplemental unemployment payments and offering a $1200 bonus, legislative leaders agree on a budget for the 2022 fiscal year starting on July First and legislation banning new Oklahoma residents from applying for disability services to try and reduce the backlog of current people on the waiting list.The trio also discusses how the US Supreme Court deciding to hear a Mississippi anti-abortion case will impact Oklahoma and changes to the Oklahoma County Jail Trust including a new leader, a new member and new public speaking rules.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney about the growing controversy over Governor Stitt signing a bill to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory in Oklahoma schools, lawmakers considering recommendation of a grand jury investigation for Epic Virtual Charter School and Congressman Cole working on legislation allowing the Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations to compact with the state over criminal jurisdiction.The trio also discusses the state allowing kids between the ages of 12 and 15 to get the Pfizer Coronavirus vaccine and what to expect in the final two weeks of the 2021 legislative session.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt ending the COVID-19 State of Emergency and the Tulsa Race Massacre Commission urging Governor Stitt to veto a bill prohibiting schools from teaching subjects dealing with race and diversity.The trio also discusses the Department of Transportation halting construction on a project after fights between the governor and tribes and lawmakers take their first step in redistricting for the next ten years.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and sitting in for Ryan Kiesel in ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Tamya Cox-Touré about the settlement between the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board and Epic Schools to avoid termination hearings along with new bills signed by the governor including one requiring a fiscal impact statement on initiative petitions and several more making it harder to get abortions.The trio also discusses new laws cracking down on protests and overhauling the state's human resources system.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State House unanimously approving a bill to help fund charter and traditional schools with low property taxes, Epic Virtual Charter School agreeing to the demands of the state in the hopes of avoiding contract termination proceedings and the Norman City Council voting to remove $865,000 from its police for community programs.The trio also discusses a pause in moving the Shaun Bosse case from the state into federal jurisdiction and a state lawmaker calling for federal intervention in the Oklahoma County Jail.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a move by Epic Virtual Charter School to increase transparency of its funding ahead of a termination hearing, Tulsa Public Schools enters legal action against the State Board of Education in its move to put more money into charter school and the State Republican Party elects controversial former lawmaker John Bennett as its chair.The trio also discusses a warning from the NCAA about the organization pulling sports events if lawmakers follow through on a bill to ban transgender athletes from certain woman's teams and new bills could help reduce skyrocketing utility costs from February's winter storms.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the special election to fill the seat of now-Congresswoman Stephanie Bice along with other elections in central Oklahoma, lawmakers working to undo a resolution by the State Board of Education settling a lawsuit giving charter schools more access to public funds & the State Virtual Charter School Board setting a trial date for the contract termination of Epic.The trio also discusses approval by the Oklahoma County Board of Commissioners to allow the sheriff to work with a production company to create a reality television show and the announcement of Dr. Kayse Shrum as Oklahoma State University's next president.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and sitting in for Ryan Kiesel is Democratic State Representative Forrest Bennett about the state of Oklahoma moving into phase four of its vaccination plan allowing all residents over the age of 16 to get inoculated against the Coronavirus, Epic Virtual Charter School fails to repay the state $11.2M by a deadline set earlier this week and Attorney General Mike Hunter appointing a special counsel to investigate the Pardon and Parole Board.The trio also discusses State Senator Shane Jett hiring his cousin as his legislative session before firing her once questioned by a reporter and a legislative deadline results in the stalling of more than 70% of bills at the State Capitol.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the 9,000 correspondences to Governor Stitt from citizens and businesses regarding lockdowns at the beginning of the pandemic and the state's response to a lawsuit over its plan to purse managed Medicaid care without input from the legislature.The trio also discusses the House Speaker moving forward with $500 million in tax cuts despite a provision in the stimulus package preventing tax cuts from states and both of Oklahoma's senators vote against the confirmation of Deb Haaland as the first Native American Secretary of the Interior despite strong support for her from Oklahoma's tribes.