TRANSCRIPT
Dick Pryor: This is Capitol Insider - taking you inside politics, policy, and government in Oklahoma. I'm Dick Pryor with Quorum Call publisher, Shawn Ashley. Shawn, activities at the State Capitol are winding down for this year, but actions taken by the State Department of Education during Ryan Walters’ partial four-year term as state superintendent are continuing to be scrutinized. On Wednesday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the State Department of Education violated the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act when it approved new social study standards and then invalidated them. What was the majority's finding?
Shawn Ashley: The five-justice majority said there were two violations of the Open Meetings Act. First, board members were provided the new social studies standards less than 24 hours before the meeting as required by law. Second, the majority also noted the standards put before the board for consideration and a vote were different than those that previously had been made available and that information was not shared with board members or the public. So, neither the board nor the public knew what the board was voting on when they approved those standards.
Dick Pryor: Could the Supreme Court's determination trigger any subsequent legal action?
Shawn Ashley: That's a really interesting question, because it seems like it could. Justice James Winchester wrote, “the Oklahoma State Board of Education violated the Open Meeting Act when it approved the 2025 Oklahoma academic standards for social studies.” In addition to invalidating a public body's actions, Open Meeting Act violations can result in a $500 fine and imprisonment of up to one year. So, it would be up to Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna or Attorney General Gentner Drummond to pursue those charges.
Dick Pryor: Also on Wednesday, the House Education Oversight Committee held a hearing to discuss school safety funding. The committee talked about a three-year program established in 2023 that's about to end. What are lawmakers considering now?
Shawn Ashley: Whether to extend that program, and if they do, how the money will be allowed to be spent. The pilot program originally was intended to help districts fund school resource officers. Those are police officers who work on public school campuses. It was expanded to allow districts to spend the money on safety infrastructure, such as hardened doors, restricted entryways, and cameras, among other things. Superintendents on Wednesday argued for local control, allowing them to decide how the money would best be spent. Others suggested limiting the spending to school resource officers. Two bills already have been filed in the Senate that would extend the program, subject to the availability of funds.
Dick Pryor: It's clear that Affordable Care Act subsidies are going to expire at the end of the year. The U.S. House of Representatives just passed a health care bill that does not include ACA subsidy funding. Without the subsidy, health insurance premiums for millions of Americans will dramatically increase in January. What is state government doing to address this situation in Oklahoma?
Shawn Ashley: Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready began warning Oklahomans in March that the potential existed for health insurance premiums for carriers on the exchange to increase substantially and for the federal subsidies not to be renewed. And he's been proven right. According to Mulready, approximately 300,000 Oklahomans rely on marketplace plans for their health insurance coverage. He predicted in October that the increased premiums and potential decline in subsidies would lead more Oklahomans to being uninsured and that could impact hospitals across the state, particularly those in rural areas, he noted. So, this is likely an issue lawmakers will be taking a look at when they return for the 2026 legislative session.
Dick Pryor: The Oklahoma Election Board sent out notices to more than 70,000 voters to update their voter registration. Is there a deadline for doing that and what happens if people don’t do it?
Shawn Ashley: State law requires voters to register at their place of residence and these notices were sent to people who had filled out change of address cards. So, they are folks who have moved and needed to update their voter registration. Voters can submit changes at any time, but state law prohibits changes from being made 24 days or less prior to an election in a voter's particular precinct. And 2026 is a big election year. So, the sooner they get it done, the better.
Dick Pryor: All right, Shawn, thank you.
Shawn Ashley: You're very welcome.
Dick Pryor: For more information, go to quorumcall.online. You can find video of Capitol Insider segments on the KGOU YouTube channel. Audio and transcripts are at kgou.org and look for Capitol Insider where you get podcasts. Until next time, with Shawn Ashley, I'm Dick Pryor.
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