Update On Private School Tax Credit Program
The Oklahoma Tax Commission has approved thousands of applications for new private school tax credits.
The tax credit program has seen significant interest, with more than 30,000 applications from families.
Priority was given to households earning $150,000 or less, which is about 45% of the approved applications.
The nonprofit newsroom Oklahoma Voice reports the approved amount totals around $70 million, which is almost half of the $150 million allocated for the program's first year.
Given the interest and the upcoming legislative session, lawmakers are expected to consider adjustments to tax credit funding.
OHS Announces Incentives For Providers Serving Oklahomans With Disabilities
Oklahoma Human Services is launching an incentive program on Feb. 1 to recruit and retain direct support professionals.
The Department worked with other state agencies to create an incentive program for direct support professionals called DSP+.
The program will provide up to $3,000 to new and existing direct support professionals.
Beth Scrutchins is a division director at Oklahoma Human Services, and she says these professionals are at the heart of home and community health care.
“We felt like this would be an incentive that could really help people all across Oklahoma in all of our counties to be able to access the services and supports that they need," Scrutchins said.
Scrutchins says hiring additional support professionals will help more Oklahomans get connected to Developmental Disabilities Services as the department continues to work through its 13-year waitlist.
AG Drummond Considering Legal Action Over Insulin Prices
Oklahoma’s Attorney General is exploring legal action against pharmaceutical companies in response to increased costs for insulin.
A-G Genter Drummond has requested outside counsel to investigate insulin manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers for potential wrongdoing that led to increased insulin prices.
This comes after a New Year's Day rule that put a price cap on insulin from three major manufacturers, requiring the medication be $35 or less.
The American Diabetes Association says nearly 13 percent of Oklahomans are diagnosed with diabetes.
Choctaw Nation Launches Outer Space Experiment
Heirloom seeds from the Choctaw Nation are now on the International Space Station.
Five types of seeds will be exposed to minimal gravity for several months before returning to Earth.
The seeds sent to the ISS on SpaceX’s 29th commercial resupply mission are heirloom sweet potato squash, Smith peas, flour corn, lambsquarter greens, and another variety of Choctaw peas according to the Choctaw Nation.
The project, funded by Boeing, will test a hypothesis to see whether the seeds’ exposure to space affects their growth.
The Nation’s Growing Hope seed bank provided the seeds.
Upon the seeds return, students at the Choctaw Nation’s Jones Academy will grow them alongside seeds not flown to outer space.
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