This Week In Oklahoma Politics

This Week in Oklahoma is taking a short hiatus during the fall break and will return next week.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a Request for Proposal on bids for 55,000 Bibles for Oklahoma classrooms, Attorney General Gentner Drummond sends a scathing letter to Superintendent Ryan Walters over a delay in getting inhalers to schools and a statewide charter board want the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case of a Catholic charter school.The trio also discusses a board led by Governor Stitt rejecting a consent decree by AG Drummond over mental health treatment of inmates and the appointment of Sterling Zearley as interim director of the Tourism Department to replace Shelley Zumwalt.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Supreme Court giving the go ahead for an investigation of Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett, State Superintendent Ryan Walters requesting $6 million to put Bibles in every public school classroom as well as $500,000 for school personnel firearm training and Gov. Kevin Stitt undergoing heart surgery without notifying his next in succession.The trio also discusses Stitt proposing a new car tag compact with the Cherokee Nation and Shelley Zumwalt stepping down as Executive Director of the Tourism Department.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a federal judge ruling against State Superintendent Ryan Walters in his legal battle with Oklahoma City television station KFOR, Attorney General Gentner Drummond asking an appellate court to overturn the injunction against Oklahoma's new anti-illegal immigration law and a consent decree to bring more mental health treatment with inmates in county jails.The trio also talks about private school tax credits lacking transparency and more than 450,000 Oklahoma voters removed from the rolls.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about three Republican lawmakers calling on the state Supreme Court to disqualify Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett from utility rate hike cases, investigation against State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Department of Education and ethics questions regarding a southeast Oklahoma representative over green-energy projects on his land.The trio also discuses accusations against an organization behind the boycott of banks who support environmental, social and governance policies and the State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse removes harm reduction vending machines.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about State Question 832 to increase the minimum wage getting pushed for a vote in June of 2026, the recount for Tulsa mayor ends with no significant changes and State Superintendent Ryan Walters along with the Board of Education face a couple of legal issues in the past week.The trio also discusses the U.S. Department of Education giving $59M to Oklahoma for student literacy programs and Oklahoma County Commissioner Carrie Blumert is leaving her position.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the expected changes in the state legislature after summer primary and runoff elections, a group of far right Republicans announce the creation of the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus and State Superintendent Ryan Walters' Bible mandate.The trio also discusses a judge rejecting the consent decree announced by Attorney General Gentner Drummond to improve mental health in Oklahoma jails and what stories did we miss during our summer hiatus?

This week in Oklahoma Politics is taking a break for the summer months. Ryan, Neva and Michael will be returning on September 6th. In the meantime, stay up to date with the latest Oklahoma news by subscribing to the KOSU Daily podcast and keep up today at KOSU.org.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State Supreme Court ruling against a Catholic charter school finding it unconstitutional, Governor Stitt creating advisors rather than cabinet members to avoid state law banning people from holding two separate offices.The trio also discusses Stitt's approval of controversial State Department of Education rules championed by Superintendent Ryan Walters and the State Senate is meeting in another special session next month.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the primary elections, spending by State Superintendent Ryan Walters on public relations and the State Supreme Court ruling in favor of Edmond Public Schools to choose which books to keep in its library.The trio also discusses the decision by a federal judge to block portions of a law to ban school classes on certain racial and gender topics and Governor Stitt calling on Oklahoma agencies to prepare for a conflict between the U.S. and ChinaMentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the upcoming primary elections, Governor Stitt's call for a special session to consider his nomination of Mike Holder to the Board of Regents for A&M Colleges and Oklahoma County Commissioners moving forward with the purchase of land near Del City for a new jail.The Trio also discusses a decision by an Oklahoma County judge saying gubernatorial cabinet members cannot be dual office holders and the same judge also rules in favor of opponents of a Catholic charter schools.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the nearly $12.5B budget passed by lawmakers in the waning days of the 2024 legislative session as well as an overview of the session itself.The trio also discusses lawmakers wanting an inquiry by the attorney general of the top adviser for State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the governor's announcement of a partnership between the state and Google to provide instruction on artificial intelligence.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the State of Oklahoma facing a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice over its new immigration law, OKC Council denying a special permit for a new Oklahoma County Jail near Del City and a budget agreement from state lawmakers.The trio also discusses the passage of a revised version of the Oklahoma Survivors' Act to protect victims of domestic abuse from certain sentencing and approval of a $4.3M arch on the south side of the State Capitol.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about budget talks ongoing with a week left in the regular session, a district judge halting Oklahoma's law creating a blacklist of banks deemed critical of the oil and gas industry and Congressman Tom Cole facing a challenge from a well-financed Texas businessman.The trio also talks about Robert Kennedy, Jr. getting added to the Presidential ballot in Oklahoma as an independent candidate and Oklahoma City Public Schools hiring from within its ranks to take the job as the district's next superintendent.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Pollical Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt and legislative leaders coming together to hold budget negotiations in public, State Superintendent Ryan Walters and AG Gentner Drummond filing separate legal challenges to the new rules from the Biden Administration over Title IX rules and state leaders raising concerns about a drop in Oklahoma high school rankings in a national publication.The trio also discusses the death of a bill to lower the age of consent in Oklahoma and Former Lt. Gov. Jari Askins retiring from the court system, but then immediately taking a temporary position as interim President at Cameron University.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the governor signing a controversial Texas-style illegal immigration bill and more trouble for Tourism Director Shelley Zumwalt.The trio also talks about the leader of the State Senate abruptly replacing his Appropriations Chairman with less than a month left in the state legislature and State Superintendent Ryan Walters threatening a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education over Title IX rules.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about an audit showing questionable contracts by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and then-Director Shelley Zumwalt during the pandemic, Governor Stitt vetoing a bill to protect victims of domestic abuse and lawmakers sending Governor Stitt a controversial immigration bill.The trio also talks about Oklahoma City Democratic Senator Carrie Hicks refusing to carry two nominations from Governor Stitt and negotiations heating up over car tag compacts between the Cherokee Nation and Stitt.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a new immigration bill unveiled by legislative leadership earlier this week, the State House releasing a budget proposal to include a tax cut already rejected by the Senate and lawmakers in the House rejecting a measure to eliminate the Judicial Nominating Commission.The trio also discusses a new report showing more than 130 people have left the State Department of Education since Superintendent Ryan Walters took office in January of last year and the lobbyist for the SDE getting grilled by lawmakers for the 21 new rules created at the agency. Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a low turnout in the number of candidates filing for the 2024 election, a governor's task force calling for a lifting of the cap on individual donations to political campaigns and Congressman Tom Cole's elevation to chairman of the powerful U.S. House Appropriations Committee.The trio also discusses the stalemate at the State Capitol over the budget and the retirement announcement from the executive director of the Department of Veterans' Affairs after just six months on the job.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about arguments before the State Supreme Court regarding a Catholic virtual charter school, approval for an initiative petition to raise the state's minimum wage to move forward and a preliminary hearing over Epic Charter Schools' cofounders.The trio also discuses State Superintendent Ryan Walters' plan to create an Office of School Choice and House Education Chair Rhonda Baker announcing she won't seek reelection.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association