This Week In Oklahoma Politics

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about a row in a Senate committee over a gubernatorial nomination for Finance Secretary as worry grows concerning executive power over state agencies, criminal justice advocates worry about a former corrections reform opponent working on Stitt's team and the House opens an investigation against a Republican lawmakers leveled by the co-founder of the Sooner Tea Party. The trio also discusses the refusal by a state Senator and former teacher to carry the gubernatorial candidates for State Board of Education and lawmakers have only three weeks left until the constitutionally required end of the legislative session and yet there's been no word of a final budget for the next fiscal year which starts on July First.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and siting in for Ryan Kiesel is ACLU Oklahoma Political and Advocacy Director Nicole McAfee about the State Supreme Court overturning a law limiting abortion-inducing medication, Governor Stitt signing a bill forcing abortion clinics to put up signs saying a drug induced abortion is reversible and the governor vetoing a bill giving overtime pay to state workers making less than $31,000 a year. The trio also discusses Governor Stitt rescinding the nomination for a second term to a Wildlife Conservation Commissioners which might have been politically motivated and House Democrats release their version of a budget to include Medicaid expansion and more money for schools.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel and Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill about a ruling by the State Supreme Court saying the lawmakers can't put a $350M cap on pain and suffering, supporters of Medicaid expansion file an initiative petition to get it put on the ballot in 2020 and Governor Stitt recognizes his first 100 days in office. The trio also discusses a bill to ban "free-speech zones" on college campuses and freshman Democratic Congresswoman Kendra Horn gets her first Republican challenger in Oklahoma City Senator Stephanie Bice.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about a lawsuit between the National Rifle Association and it's long time marketing partner Ackerman McQueen out of Oklahoma City, the opioid trial is going before a judge rather than a jury and Comanche County wants in on the trial after taking issue with the settlement between AG Mike Hunter and Purdue Pharma. The trio also talks about Governor Stitt getting a controversial anti-abortion bill, state employees will have to wait for any Cost of Living Adjustment and politicians are already raising money in preparation for the 2020 election.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the leader of the Senate wanting a more rigorous vetting process for gubernatorial nominations brought before the Senate and another member of the State Supreme Court leaving Governor Stitt with two positions to fill in his first few months in office. The trio also discusses the new members of the Oklahoma City Council including its first openly gay representative and a look at the legislative session after another deadline week.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the deadline for lawmakers to fund education by April First came and went without a budget despite a teacher walkout last year, state leaders criticize Attorney General Mike Hunter in the settlement with Purdue Pharma and vandals strike central Oklahoma buildings with hate-filled graffiti. The trio also discusses a coalition is forming to get more people involved in the 2020 U.S. Census which begins in one year and, starting this month, election officials are purging the voter rolls in a "Use it or Lose it" voting policy.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about a $270M settlement between Oklahoma and Purdue Pharma with the lion share of the money going to OSU's Health Center in Tulsa, the leader of the Senate forms a working group on Cost of Living Adjustment for state retirees and a number of issues have recently arisen at county jails including Nowata, Washington and Oklahoma. The trio also discusses a $16M supplemental request from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and it's been a year since lawmakers passed HB1010XX which raised revenue to pay for teacher salary increases.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about Senate Bill 195 which was changed from a trigger bill making abortion illegal if Roe v. Wade was stuck down to an anti-abortion bill going before Oklahoma voters, only 810 pieces of legislation remain after last week's deadline and two Republican lawmakers get to meet with President Trump regarding free speech at Oklahoma colleges, universities and career techs. The trio also discusses a lawsuit against a law to regulate the medical marijuana industry and Governor Stitt makes appointments to three state boards.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt signing legislation restructuring the boards and commissions of five state agencies and giving him power to hire and fire the agency heads, the "Unity Bill" on medical marijuana passes the legislature and heads to the governor's desk and Governor Stitt calls on the State Auditor to investigate the Oklahoma Health Care Authority in regard to Medicaid. The trio also discusses a lawsuit by more than 150 former and current employees of the State Health Department released after a fiscal situation in 2017 and a teacher pay raise in Texas could impact educators in Oklahoma.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the Oklahoma City Public School Board voting unanimously to approve the Pathway to Greatness to reconfigure the district, Republicans come to an agreement on bills to give more power to the governor over five state agencies and a Senate committee approves a measure allowing eye doctors in big box stores like Walmart. The trio also discusses Senator Jim Inhofe considering approval of a resolution blocking President Trump's emergency declaration for his wall after fears of money getting taken from military construction and Governor Stitt welcomes attendance at the 5th Oklahoma Muslim Day at the State Capitol.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about Governor Stitt signing his first bill allowing anyone over 21 to carry a gun without a permit or training, a Senate committee passes measures to give the governor power over the hiring and firing of five state agency directors and another Senate committee passing legislation making abortion illegal if Roe v. Wade gets overturned in the US Supreme Court. The trio also discusses bills which didn't make it out of committee before the deadline and the Governor appoints three corrections reform advocates to the Pardon and Parole Board.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the Equalization Board approving appropriations for lawmakers with nearly $575M more than last year, a Senate committee approves SB 605 to expand healthcare through Insure Oklahoma rather than expanding Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act and a bill allowing Oklahomans over the age of 21 to carry a weapon without a permit or training moves one step away from the governor's desk. The trio also discusses a bill to crack down on four-day school weeks and Senate leaders say they won't hear SB 13 to criminalize abortion saying they are opposed to it on the grounds it would waste taxpayer money in the courts and ultimately be declared unconstitutional.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the passage in the House of a bill allowing anyone over the age of 21 to carry a gun without a license or training, the State of Oklahoma loses 30,000 teachers in just five years and Medical Marijuana sales exceed $4M in January. The trio also discusses a decision to not house Oklahoma County Mental Health Court participants in the jail and Governor Stitt and hip-hop artist MC Hammer tour Mabel Bassett to see a new program teaching female inmates how to code.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel mostly about the first State of the State Address from new Governor Kevin Stitt to kick off the 57th legislature. The trio also discusses the 2019 legislative agenda from House and Senate Democrats and Oklahoma County Commissioner Kevin Calvey gets into a battle with Sheriff P.D. Taylor after he shows up with 17 other people for a surprise inspection of the jail.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel and Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill about Governor Stitt's executive orders rearranging his cabinet, investigating lobbying by state agencies, placing a hiring freeze on "classified" employees and selling the governor's plane as well as thoughts on the coming State of the State Address this Monday. The trio also discusses Stitt's pick for Cybersecurity Chief Mark Gower to also lead the Office of Emergency Management, the Senate Republicans release their four point agenda for the coming legislative session and the state House releases a bipartisan video called "We are ONE Oklahoma".

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about accusations of thousands of dollars in back child support against House Appropriations Chairman Kevin Wallace, legislators are heading into the 2019 session with more than 2800 bills and one of those is a bipartisan measure to make State Question 780 retroactive. The trio also discusses a series of Republican bills which appear to be in retaliation against teachers for last year's walkout and other bills heading before lawmakers this year.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the inaugural ceremony and speech for new Governor Kevin Stitt, former Sonic Executive John Budd tapped to not only perform as Stitt's Chief Operating Officer but also as acting head of the Oklahoma Management and Enterprise Services and deposits into the state's general revenue fund come in 9% above the estimate and 21% above 2017. The Ethics Commission files lawsuits attempting to collect late fees from 14 former candidates, two lobbyists and two political action committees and Oklahoma sees a record number of voters following a gubernatorial election at 2.1 million.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about lawmakers elected leaders of both parties in the lead up to the 2019 legislative session, the state House passes new controversial rules including a ban on videos by lawmakers on the House floor and the state of Oklahoma is getting ready for a new governor with inaugural parties this weekend. The trio also discusses a funding increase for Epic Virtual Charter School and other charter schools in the state with cuts to some of the largest public institutions and Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb gets a job in the private sector.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about nearly $600M extra for the state to allocate in the coming fiscal year, incoming Governor Kevin Stitt nominate Blayne Arthur to be the state's first female Secretary of the Agriculture and a federal judge declares constitutional an OKC ordinance banning panhandling in certain medians. The trio also discusses a bipartisan push to pass corrections reform in the upcoming legislative session and the House Democratic push for Medicaid expansion.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics, KOSU's Michael Cross talks with Republican Political Consultant Neva Hill and ACLU Oklahoma Executive Director Ryan Kiesel about the State Health Department passing rules for edible medical marijuana, Governor-elect Kevin Stitt might have to wait a while before moving into his new offices because of construction at the State Capitol and a southeast Oklahoma Democratic State Representative defects to the Republican Party. The trio also discusses a couple of new Senate bills: One bans all vaping at educational facilities with minors as well as all schools sponsored or sanctioned activities while another makes rib eye the state's official steak.