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Oklahoma Voice
Senator Thompson resigns, triggers special election
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, on Friday announced his resignation, effective Nov. 1. Misha Mohr, public information officer for the State Election Board, said the resignation should trigger a special election, but the election board has yet to receive instruction from Gov. Kevin Stitt’s office. Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, […] The post Senator Thompson resigns, triggers special election appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Oklahoma Ethics Commission receives funding to replace Guardian System
OKLAHOMA CITY – A $1.2 million appropriation to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission in the recently signed budget will fund the replacement of the Guardian System. The Guardian System is a database used to track campaign finance reports and the registration of lobbyists. The system is set to expire in February 2025 and amid an election […] The post Oklahoma Ethics Commission receives funding to replace Guardian System appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Backlash against DEI spreads to more states
SALT LAKE CITY — Shortly after taking office in 2023, Republican state Rep. Katy Hall heard from constituents complaining about how their adult children were required to write diversity, equity and inclusion statements while applying for medical and dental schools and other graduate programs in Utah. “It doesn’t seem right,” Hall said. “It doesn’t seem […] The post Backlash against DEI spreads to more states appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP
WASHINGTON — In his first visit to Capitol Hill since leaving office in January 2021, former President Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, mapped campaign strategy with GOP lawmakers and projected party unity ahead of the November elections. Trump said the meetings brought “great unity.” Surrounded by Republican senators who were smiling and applauding him […] The post Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
U.S. Senate Republicans reject Democrats’ bill on IVF protections
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats’ attempts to bolster reproductive rights failed again Thursday when Republicans blocked a bill guaranteeing access to in vitro fertilization from moving forward. The 48-47 procedural vote came just one day after Republicans tried unsuccessfully to pass their own IVF access bill and one week after GOP senators prevented legislation from […] The post U.S. Senate Republicans reject Democrats’ bill on IVF protections appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Oklahoma man facing June 27 execution plans to request clemency at hearing
OKLAHOMA CITY –A convicted killer on Monday is expected to ask the Pardon and Parole Board for clemency ahead of his scheduled execution later this month. Richard Norman Rojem, Jr., 66, is set to be executed June 27 for the 1984 kidnapping, rape and murder of his 7-year-old former stepdaughter Layla Cummings. Rojem’s legal team […] The post Oklahoma man facing June 27 execution plans to request clemency at hearing appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
State abortion bans forcing interstate travel, U.S. Senate panel hears
When Lauren Miller flew from her home state of Texas to Colorado two years ago she felt a moment of relief when the plane took off — not because she had been delayed for hours or because she needed a vacation, but because she was about to meet with doctors who would be able to […] The post State abortion bans forcing interstate travel, U.S. Senate panel hears appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Oklahoma Corporation Commission increases nonconsensual tow rates by 33%
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has increased the rates for nonconsensual tows by 33%. The three-member governing board decided to increase the rates after the Corporation Commission’s transportation division, AAAA Wrecker Service, Inc. and the Attorney General’s Office agreed hikes were needed because of inflation, said Matt Skinner, a spokesman for the agency. […] The post Oklahoma Corporation Commission increases nonconsensual tow rates by 33% appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
States struggle to help patients navigate insurance hurdle known as ‘step therapy’
Cassidy Yermal, 32, began experiencing debilitating migraines when she was 17 years old. As a teenager growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania, she saw numerous neurologists and tried a variety of medications before finding one that provided relief. In 2022, her new insurer asked her to prove it. Yermal now lives in Marlboro, Maryland, where she’s […] The post States struggle to help patients navigate insurance hurdle known as ‘step therapy’ appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Stitt signs $12.5 billion budget, praises transparency
OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a $12.5 billion budget package Wednesday. He praised House and Senate leadership for the transparency involved in the budget process this year. “This was the most transparent budget process in state history, and that is something to be proud of,” Stitt said. Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, […] The post Stitt signs $12.5 billion budget, praises transparency appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
‘Time for a reckoning.’ Kansas farmers brace for water cuts to save Ogallala Aquifer
JETMORE, Kan. — An inch or two of corn peeks out of the dirt, just enough to reveal long rows forming over the horizon. Sprinkler engines roar as they force water from underground to pour life into dusty fields. Thunder cracks. The wind whips up dirt as a trail of dark storms looms. The crashing […] The post ‘Time for a reckoning.’ Kansas farmers brace for water cuts to save Ogallala Aquifer appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects attempt to limit access to abortion pill
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a much-anticipated decision Thursday that mifepristone, one of two pharmaceuticals used in medication abortion, can remain available under current prescribing guidelines. The high court unanimously rejected attempts by anti-abortion groups to roll back access to what was in place more than eight years ago, writing that they […] The post U.S. Supreme Court rejects attempt to limit access to abortion pill appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Oklahoma Senate in no hurry to confirm former OSU athletic director to university board
OKLAHOMA CITY — State senators quickly adjourned without taking action in a special session Wednesday, despite the governor’s calls to confirm his nominee for the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents. Gov. Kevin Stitt obligated the Senate to return to the state Capitol on Wednesday by calling the special session, announcing it two days in advance. […] The post Oklahoma Senate in no hurry to confirm former OSU athletic director to university board appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Oklahoma Supreme Court dismisses Tulsa Race Massacre lawsuit
OKLAHOMA CITY – A case brought by survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre was dismissed on Wednesday by the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The court issued an opinion concluding that while the grievances of the plaintiffs are legitimate, they do not fall within the scope of Oklahoma’s public nuisance statute or support claims of unjust […] The post Oklahoma Supreme Court dismisses Tulsa Race Massacre lawsuit appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Louisiana lawmakers refuse to endorse child care as campaign expense
Five years ago, the Louisiana Board of Ethics told a political candidate she could use her campaign money to cover child care costs as long as the expense was related to her efforts to get elected. But state legislators declined to insert that policy into law this year. They scuttled Senate Bill 153, which would […] The post Louisiana lawmakers refuse to endorse child care as campaign expense appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Virginia NAACP sues Shenandoah school board after district restored Confederate names
The Virginia NAACP on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the Shenandoah County School Board for what it called “reaffirming discrimination,” after the school system voted to rebrand schools with Confederate names in May. The lawsuit alleges that the school board violated the U.S. Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the […] The post Virginia NAACP sues Shenandoah school board after district restored Confederate names appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Kansas legislative forum sparks debate over treatment of Black female candidates
TOPEKA — As the first Black woman to run the Kansas Democratic Party, Jeanna Repass knows what it’s like to be told to step down for a white male politician. Her message: “It’s got to stop.” The competition over Topeka’s District 19 Senate seat has reignited conversation about the treatment of women of color running […] The post Kansas legislative forum sparks debate over treatment of Black female candidates appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Biden touts gun safety record to advocates, as son found guilty on felony charges
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted his administration’s efforts to reduce gun violence as the second anniversary of bipartisan gun safety legislation he signed into law approaches. “Never give up on hope,” Biden said during an annual conference hosted by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. The speech came hours after the […] The post Biden touts gun safety record to advocates, as son found guilty on felony charges appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Oklahoma Supreme Court rules in favor of Edmond Public Schools in library book dispute
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously agreed with Edmond Public Schools that the state Department of Education overstepped its bounds by attempting to force the district to remove “The Kite Runner” and “The Glass Castle” from its library shelves. In a decision released Tuesday, all nine justices agreed that a district’s local school […] The post Oklahoma Supreme Court rules in favor of Edmond Public Schools in library book dispute appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
Johnson & Johnson to pay Oklahoma millions in talc lawsuit settlement
OKLAHOMA CITY — A lawsuit settlement with Johnson & Johnson will net Oklahoma $9.8 million as well as a pledge from the company to stop producing talc-based products. The amount the pharmaceutical corporation will pay to Oklahoma is part of a $700 million multi-state agreement reached Tuesday to resolve a lawsuit over Johnson & Johnson’s […] The post Johnson & Johnson to pay Oklahoma millions in talc lawsuit settlement appeared first on Oklahoma Voice.
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Oklahoma Voice provides original, objective reporting examining the intersection of policy, impact and power. We deliver unflinching, nonpartisan coverage of how Oklahomans are affected by the decisions made in our state capital and beyond. A nonprofit, independent news outlet, our content will always be free. Our name is a nod to the state’s robust history of oral storytelling and our mission to elevate the voices of Oklahomans too often sidelined by the political process. You’ll never hit a paywall on our site, and you won’t find advertisements either. Oklahoma Voice is an affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and donations. The Voice retains full editorial independence.
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