Gov. Stitt Delays Minimum Wage Vote to 2026, Drawing Criticism
Oklahomans will vote on whether to raise the minimum wage in almost two years, even though Gov. Kevin Stitt could have made it happen this November. This marks the longest period between initiative petition signatures being turned in and an actual election in a decade.
Oklahomans have voted on 23 state questions since 2014. The one to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029 is to be the fourth in that time to not be held in tandem with a November General election.
Stitt’s chosen date is June 16, 2026.
Dave Hamby is the spokesperson for the center-left think-tank Oklahoma Policy Institute. He says pushing the election date almost two years from now shows a lack of political will from the governor.
"There is a strategy of putting questions that you may not want to have full consideration by voters into its own standalone special election or primaries that don't have the same level of participation that a general election does," said Hamby.
Stitt wields the sole power to schedule state question elections.
Oklahoma Board of Education Denies Violating Injunction in Teacher Certification Revocation
The Oklahoma State Board of Education says it did not violate a federal injunction when it revoked the certificate of a former Norman teacher. The board responded to a demand from a federal judge to explain the revocation.
The demand stemmed from a plaintiff request in a lawsuit over House Bill 1775, which prohibits certain discussions of race and sex in classrooms.
In June, the case’s judge issued a temporary injunction over parts of HB 1775, rendering them unenforceable for now.
After former teacher Summer Boismier’s certificate was revoked in August, the plaintiffs claimed the board’s decision was partially based on Boismier allegedly violating HB 1775.
Boismier had provided students with a QR code to the online Brooklyn Public Library, where banned books could be accessed.
The judge ordered the board to turn over its revocation order and documents explaining its decision. That documentation, filed Thursday, lists several rules of conduct it says Boismier violated. And while it says she did violate HB1775, it does not cite which parts - only that they’re parts not subject to the injunction.
Report: Oklahoma’s Medicaid Spending Low, Future Funding Shortfalls Loom
The Oklahoma Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency met Wednesday to review funding sources for the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.
The office found the state’s spending on Medicaid was one of the nation’s lowest amid enhanced federal funds.
In the 2023 state fiscal year, federal funding made up 72% of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority’s revenue. But, with that increase in funding came more expenses. Nearly half of them culminated from the state’s expanded Medicaid population.
The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency’s report says OHCA is now responsible for the state’s share of Medicaid expansion, which is an estimated $213 million. This is because enhanced funding during the pandemic health emergency ended last year.
OHCA says it will use various state revenue sources to fill in gaps, but it anticipates Medicaid expansion and prescription drug spending will increase over time, and it will eventually not have enough to cover future deficits. It says the state may need to allocate additional revenue.
Emmys Spotlight Indigenous Talent with Historic Nominations for Native Creatives
The Primetime Emmy Awards are this weekend. This year’s awards feature multiple Native creatives.
The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards bring a historic number of Indigenous nominees to the stage.
"Reservation Dogs" is up for a total of four nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor for the role of Bear Smallhill, played by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai.
Lily Gladstone and Kali Reis made history as the first Indigenous women nominated for Best Supporting Actress for their respective roles in shows "Under The Bridge" and "True Detective: Night Country."
Currently, the only previous Native American actor to be nominated for an Emmy is August Schellenberg for his role as Sitting Bull in "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."
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