Category Archives: State

Real Education Election Reform

By Jonathan Small, OCPA

Critics often note voter turnout in Oklahoma elections is lower than in most states, yet those critics seldom demand the reform that would do the most to boost election participation: moving more elections to the November ballot.

Oklahomans know when gubernatorial and presidential elections are scheduled, but many do not know when school-board elections occur. That’s by design. Holding school-board elections on obscure winter or spring dates guarantees low turnout and allows a very small group—typically, those directly employed by a school district—to have outsized sway.

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End OSSAA’s Control Over School Sports

By David Arnett

Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, has introduced legislation to put an end to the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s unchecked authority over students’ ability to participate in school sports.

Senate Bill 1890 proposes creating a new entity, the Oklahoma Athletics and Activities Commission, to supervise, regulate and coordinate school sports and other secondary school activities. The bill also repeals an existing law that forces many students transferring districts to sit out for a year before continuing to participate in school sports or other regulated activities.

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Operation Blunt Force

By David Arnett

Coordinated with 27 law enforcement agencies across the nation

Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced today that his Organized Crime Task Force, working alongside 27 law enforcement partners nationwide, arrested 20 individual scumbags linked to a very evil yet sophisticated criminal enterprise. The Hao Chen Organization was responsible for approximately one million pounds of marijuana worth $1.5 billion in street value.

The investigation targeted an organization led by Hao Tong Chen that ran fraudulent medical marijuana licensing schemes in Oklahoma from approximately 2021 to 2025. Law enforcement executed more than 50 search warrants and recovered 12 firearms during the course of the investigation.

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Gov. Kevin Stitt’s State of the State 2026

By Staff Report

State of the State 2026, as prepared for delivery:

Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell – It’s been great to serve alongside you for the last 7 years. Speaker Kyle Hilbert and President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton – thank you for your leadership in this building. It’s an honor to serve with you. Members of the 60th Legislature and statewide elected officials – I’m looking forward to working with each of you this session. Members of the Judiciary – thank you for being here today. To my cabinet members – thank you for everything you do for Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, February 2, 2026
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OK Small Business Top Priorities

By David Arnett

With state lawmakers preparing to gavel in the 2026 legislative session next week, Oklahoma small business owners are calling on lawmakers to prioritize reforms that strengthen the state’s small business economy and reduce cost pressures. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Oklahoma calls on the Legislature to prioritize reforms that reduce cost pressures on small business owners.

“Rising costs continue to be a challenge for small business owners here in Oklahoma,” NFIB State Director Jerrod Shouse said. “There are practical reforms that lawmakers can prioritize this session to give Main Street Oklahomans relief. In addition to cutting taxes, our members want lawmakers to be informed by real cost data and coverage impacts, not guesswork, when crafting health insurance mandates. Giving the Legislature the tools it needs to make smarter decisions that affect small businesses’ health insurance premiums is a commonsense solution.

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