Category Archives: Tulsa Speaks

Apps Must Put Parents First

Opinion: It is critically important to declare support of the federal App Store Accountability Act. At its core, this legislation is not about restricting innovation or limiting opportunity. It is about reinforcing a simple, foundational principle: parents, not tech companies and not the government, should have the primary authority to decide what their children can access online.

In rural Oklahoma, families often rely heavily on smartphones and tablets as their primary digital access point. For many households, especially those without multiple devices or robust parental control tools, app stores serve as the front door to the internet. Yet currently, children can download apps, create accounts, and access social media platforms with minimal age verification and little meaningful parental involvement. That model does not reflect Oklahoma’s family-first values.

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CCDBG: Proven Program Worth Protecting

Opinion: As a mother, my children will always be my top priority. Like parents across this country, I want them to grow up safe, healthy, and have all the tools to succeed. But years as both a parent and a business owner solidified one thing for me: good intentions alone don’t get families across the finish line. Raising children takes more than love, it takes real, practical support that helps parents work, provide, and plan for the future.

For more than three decades, the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) has helped families meet that need. Signed into law by Republican President George H.W. Bush in 1990, CCDBG has helped make safe, reliable child care more affordable, giving parents peace of mind as they work to earn a living and provide for their loved ones.

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OK Rep. Pittman Pleads Guilty

Analysis: State Rep. Ayshia “Ajay” Pittman pleaded guilty today to felony charges related to submitting a forged check to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission following an investigation by Attorney General. As part of her sentence, Pittman will resign from her elected position in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Oklahoma House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City released a statement in response worthy of careful review. Munson begins by saying,“I’ve been made aware of the resignation of Rep. Ajay Pittman” which begs the question of what it takes to get a Democratic Party Leader engaged in the democratic process or concerned about criminality of her party.

Former-President Auto-Pen and now former-OK Rep. Ajay Pittman (D-OKC)
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