Measles Outbreak Reaches Oklahoma
The State Department of Health has confirmed two people in Oklahoma have measles.
Officials say the exposure to the contagious illness is associated with the ongoing outbreak in Texas and New Mexico.
The department said Tuesday there is no public health threat at this time.
The infected individuals took proper precautions by staying home through the contagious period.
Measles can be prevented with an MMR vaccine.
Oklahoma Supreme Court Grants Pause On Classroom Bible Plan
The Oklahoma Supreme Court is putting a pause on State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ plans to put Bibles and Biblical curriculum in classrooms.
The court order, issued Monday, comes from a lawsuit filed by parents, faith leaders and advocacy organizations against Walters, his department and board, and the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, which oversees purchasing contracts.
OMES asked the court to order it stop processing requests for proposals on classroom Bibles until a final ruling in the case is decided.
The suit’s petitioners joined OMES in that request and also asked for a stay of another RFP for Biblical instructional materials.
The court granted both requests, but held off ruling on the lawsuit’s main ask - to enjoin Walters and his agency from implementing any of his Bible education mandates.
Expanding Legal Services For Indigent People Under Consideration
Indigent persons facing eviction may receive additional support.
A bill proposing an expansion of the Legal Service Revolving Fund sailed through the committee process before last week’s deadline.
Republican Representative Daniel Pae’s House Bill 2014 passed the House Appropriations and Budget Committee unanimously last week.
The bill expands the state’s Legal Service Revolving Fund to include legal representation for indigent persons facing eviction.
Currently, the fund is limited to family law legal services with priority given to cases involving abuse and domestic or family violence.
The bill also defines “indigent” as someone having an income level not more than 200 percent of the most recently published federal poverty guidelines.
The bill is now eligible to be heard by the full state House of Representatives.
Long-Delayed Real ID Requirements Go Into Effect May 7
The deadline for the Real ID is less than two months away.
The federal government set May 7, 2025 as the deadline for Americans to get a Real ID to fly domestically, and visit a federal building, or military base.
The Real ID website says the new ID is marked with a gold star and meets federal security standards.
Documentation needed for the Real ID includes proof of identity, social security card, proof of Oklahoma residency, and name change documentation.
Stacey Hamm at Will Rogers International Airport said now is the time to prepare if you have summer travel plans.
“It's very important to have that real ID if you're not utilizing a passport. So you have to have that if you're going to start flying this summer,” Hamm said.
More than 2 million Oklahomans have been issued the Real ID.
Find more information on Real ID checklist and licensing locations here.
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