This Week In Oklahoma Politics

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Right Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a delay in the signature gathering for an initiative petition to raise Oklahoma's minimum wage as opponents call for a rehearing by the State Supreme Court, Congressman Tom Cole vying to be the next chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations and Budget Committee and another State Department of Education employee resigning.The trio also discusses State Superintendent Ryan Walters plummeting poll numbers among possible Republican voters and the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation urging Governor Stitt to approve a car ag compact with the tribe.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 report showing State Superintendent Ryan Walters used taxpayer dollars to pay a public relations firm to promote him on the national stage, a Catholic charter school is moving forward with applications to open this fall despite facing legal challenges and with the 2024 legislative session less than two months old, infighting appears to be boiling over at the State Capitol.The trio also discusses an early budget proposal released and approved by the State Senate and Del City is hiring a legal firm to try to stop the building of a new Oklahoma County jail.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 Governor Stitt's veto of a bill designed to save members of his cabinet, Freedom of Information Oklahoma giving awards out to Attorney General Gentner Drummond and State Superintendent Ryan Walters and two top officials announcing their resignation at the State Department of Education.The trio also discusses the Oklahoma County Republican Party's censure of Senator James Lankford for crafting a bipartisan border bill and a look at legislation still alive at 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 Super Tuesday results in the state's Presidential Primaries, controversy over a fundraiser at Deer Creek Schools when a viral video showed kids licking peanut butter off the toes of other kids and a bill to keep Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur in her position.The trio also discusses a decision by the State Supreme Court to approve an initiative petition to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029 and Bristow Republican Representative Kyle Hilbert named House Speaker for 2025 making him the youngest Oklahoman to hold that position.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 resignation of Transportation Secretary Tim Gatz after an AG's opinion saying he couldn't also be director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and Department of Transportation and a State Senator doubling down on calling members of the LGBTQ community "filth" after the death of Owasso High binary student Nex Benedict.The trio also discusses the signing of the grocery sales tax cut and Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum calling City Councilman Grant Miller unfit for office.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 new estimates from the State Board of Equalization for lawmakers to craft a state budget in the 2025 fiscal year budget, Edmond Schools challenging an order from the State Board of Education to remove books from its library and the State Supreme Court setting a date to hear a challenge to a Catholic charter school.The trio also discusses a decision by Oklahoma County Commissioners to locate a new jail in southeast OKC and the last founding member of the Oklahoma County Jail Trust announcing her retirement.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 Attorney General Gentner Drummond dropped a second lawsuit by Governor Stitt over misspend COVID-19 education funds, a multicounty grand jury indicts three people with Swadley's in regard to controversial operations at state park restaurants and the Senate President Pro Tem using a report on food prices to push for a grocery sales tax.The trio also discusses a vote by Senate Republicans to pick new leadership in the 2025 session and Republican Erick Harris winning a narrow victory in a deep red west Edmond district.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 setting forth a wish list to lawmakers in the State of the State Address to kick off the 2024 legislative session, the governor's call for a flat budget at state agencies while pushing for a cut to income taxes and a look at some of the bills already making their way through the legislature.The trio also discusses push back against Senator James Lankford and his bipartisan immigration bill and Swadley's Bar-B-Q calling for a judge to rule in its favor saying the state owes the company more than $2M for running state park restaurants.Mentioned in this episode:Oklahoma State Medical Association

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt kicked off the legislative session with his sixth annual State of the State address on Monday. The Governor laid out his policy priorities for the session: which include cutting the state’s income tax, implementing a flat budget across state government for the coming fiscal year and more school choice options for students. His priorities and those of state lawmakers don’t always align, but Stitt’s speech gives us a glimpse into what the GOP-dominated legislature will consider during this session. His priorities and those of state lawmakers don’t always align, but Stitt’s speech gives us a glimpse into what the GOP-led legislature will consider during this legislative session. We’ll have more coverage and offer context on the radio and online at KOSU.org. And, of course, Michael, Neva & Ryan will be back later this week to provide their thoughts on the address and the legislative session.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a special session which saw a tax cut in the House, but nothing in the Senate, State Superintendent Ryan Walters coming under fire for attacking the media for reporting on news of issues with his new teacher bonus program and Governor Stitt once again filing a lawsuit against Florida-based ClassWallet over mismanagement of COVID-19 education fund.The trio also discusses Attorney General Gentner Drummond asking for an injunction to get federal family planning dollars which were canceled after the state's abortion ban and a portion of the State Republican Party votes to cease all support for Senator James Lankford for working on a bipartisan immigration bill.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 Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat announcing his chamber will not be passing any tax cuts during the governor's special session, State Superintendent Ryan Walters tapping a far-right influencer from California to an Oklahoma library committee shortly after reports were released of thousands of dollars in travel expenses and Governor Stitt picking a supporter of a controversial Catholic charter school as his new Secretary of Education.The trio also discusses removal of the judge overseeing the challenge to the Catholic charter school, a new compact between the governor and the Chickasaw Nation and we remember long-time Oklahoma County Public Defender Bob Ravitz who died recently at the age of 71.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's call for a special session to enact tax cuts, Republican lawmakers pushing changes to a law blacklisting banks who don't invest in the oil and gas industry and Oklahoma County Commissioners still searching for a location to put the new jail.The trio also discusses a hearing before the state Supreme Court regarding tax -exempt status for tribal citizens and the appointment of Shelley Zumwalt to Secretary of Tourism and Wildlife.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 announcement from State Superintendent Ryan Walters about his intention to cut ties with organizations which provide resources and training to schools, Oklahoma's Five Civilized Tribes uniting in a boycott against Governor's Stitt's task force on McGirt and an end to tribal license tag citations issued by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.The trio also discusses the Oklahoma Turnpike Authorities plan to challenge a state law removing some of the governor's power over the board overseeing the agency and the Secretary of Transportation getting recommended for a $60,000 pay increase.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 Governor Stitt hiring as his new top aide an oil executive who was the deciding vote on a controversial Catholic Charter School, Stitt rejecting a new federal summer food program for low-income children and the State Department of Education saying 578 new teachers were hired under a new signing bonus.The trio also discusses an upcoming budget hearing and subpoena of documents for State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a Department of Transportation ask force recommending a voluntary per mile tax in lieu of waning fuel taxes and Oklahoma receiving its first electric vehicles from manufacturer Canoo.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics is taking a break during the holidays and will return on January 4th.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about Oklahoma City voters overwhelmingly supporting a measure to use a penny sales tax to build a new downtown arena for the Thunder, State Mark McBride fighting with Superintendent Ryan Walters' aide over what McBride calls immaturity and a lack of transparency and Superintendent Walters criticizing the Tulsa School Board for hiring Ebony Johnson as the full time leader of the district. The trip also discusses an executive order from Governor Stitt prohibiting diversity, equity and inclusion programs in colleges as well as calls by the State Pardon and Parole Board for stiffer commutation requirements.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about opening statements starting on a legal challenge to HB1775, the so-called Critical Race Theory Ban, the state Tax Commission starting to collect applications for a controversial private school tax credit and the State Board of Education takes aim once again at Tulsa Public Schools.The trio also discusses new rules proposed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters to tie a school district's accreditation to test scores and the leader of the State Senate unveiling a plan to make the budget process more transparent.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about a challenge to an initiative petition to raise the state's minimum wage, Attorney General Gentner Drummond's formal opinion saying women could not be prosecuted for having abortions and the head of the State Republican Party opposing the nomination of former Cherokee Attorney General Sara Hill for a federal judgeship.The trio also discusses an audit uncovering millions of misreported income and expenses at the state Republican Party and former OU head football coach Barry Switzer criticizing Governor Stitt for comments made in support of cockfighting.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and Civil Rights Attorney Ryan Kiesel about the Oklahoma Highway Patrol abandoning decades of precedent and ticketing drivers with tribal tags who live outside of the nation's boundaries, the State Supreme Court temporarily suspending three measures related to abortion in Oklahoma and justices denying State Superintendent Ryan Walters request to join in opposition to a lawsuit against a proposed Catholic charter school.The trio also discusses State Superintendent Ryan Walters announcing an agreement for Chinese language classes in Oklahoma schools and the Corporation Commission turning over thousands of documents to Attorney General Gentner Drummond related to Winter Storm Uri in 2023.

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's plan to have sports betting in the State of Oklahoma, Governor Stitt's former Secretary of Education who says she left after concerns over financial issues with the Department of Education and Superintendent Ryan Walters pushing for a national media manager.The trio also discusses some of the more than 200 laws taking effect on November First and a national organization ranks Oklahoma with the second-most conservative legislature in the nation.