Of Heroes and Making Oklahoma a Better Place

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) was formed with the primary mission of ensuring the voices of Oklahomans are heard when it comes to developing better policies which benefit the children of our state. For almost 42 years, we have led efforts to better educate Oklahomans on how to effectively share their message with policymakers at all levels. We champion policies for the level allowed within our nonprofit status. Nationally, conversations are being held regarding the downsizing of emergency management services for Americans. Part of this is shifting the cost for efforts to local governments rather than the federal government. This will simply increase tax burdens on states, territories, and municipalities. Public broadcasting, among functions slated for cuts, plays a key role in providing alert systems. Visiting with Rachel Hubbard, the executive director of KOSU Radio, I learned that under the updated Oklahoma Emergency Communications Plan, almost all radio outlets, regardless of format or ownership, in rural areas depend on an Oklahoma public radio station to air these warnings and alerts during emergencies through an interconnected system. The authors of the Oklahoma Emergency Communications Plan and the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters years ago approached public radio in the state to take over this critical distribution role. This was because the federally funded Public Radio Satellite System is one of two FCC-required pathways into the state for national alerts and presidential warnings. Public radio stations in the state depend on these federally funded systems, including the required tests of the national alert and presidential warning systems. Interconnection funds also subsidize the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS), which is operated by National Public Radio on behalf of rural radio stations that cannot use the internet or microwave links to deliver programming to tower sites. This system, even subsidized, is already extremely expensive and the site is also vitally important for Oklahoma’s emergency warning system. If you are not aware, four pages within the “Project 2025” proposal for overhauling government call for dramatic changes to how the feds will reduce their part of emergency alerts, including the suggestion to privatize alert systems, placing the cost solely on those who could or would pay out of pocket to get warnings over the phone or radio. OICA has created an online petition for anyone to sign, which will soon be shared with members of the United State Congress, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump, calling for continued funding support for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This petition calls for officials to: Immediately reverse federal staffing cuts and restore full funding to the NWS and do a thorough, proper review of services provided and staffing needs available to provide support and proper research (which also seeks to protect the center in Norman). Preserve and protect the FEMA as a critical federal agency — not dismantle it. Invest in disaster science, communication tools, needed infrastructure too costly for rural and lower income areas, and emergency coordination for areas of need across the country, not cut them. Protect the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory and other essential facilities from any cuts. Work with state and local emergency management services to aid critical areas of need. Investigate what went wrong in Texas to ensure that it does not happen again. Anyone who shares OICA’s concern about the weather prediction cuts can go to https://tinyurl.com/NWSPetition to sign the petition. You should also contact your members of Congress directly. Together, we can ensure policymakers hear our concerns about averting future disasters and protect American lives from severe weather conditions.

Each summer, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) holds its annual Heroes Ball to celebrate champions for children. Among the awards presented are two chosen by the people: The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards for Child Advocacy. The award is named in honor of Anne Roberts, OICA’s longest serving CEO; it recognizes outstanding service to Oklahoma’s children by an individual and an organization, as nominated and voting on by the people. The process began with nominations, which were open to the public. Following the nomination period, the OICA Board of Directors narrows the list to a select few to put forward for an online public vote by Oklahomans. The finalists for this year’s Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards for Child Advocacy in the Organization category are: M&R Doyle Holdings, Inc. Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. Oklahoma Family Network. Pivot – A Turning Point for Youth. Rainbow Youth Project. Ray of Hope. In the Individual category, the finalists are: Sky Collins. Elizabeth Fisher. Darryl Savell. John Schneider. Sarah Soell. Erika Wright. Online voting is underway and is available through OICA’s website at https://oica.org or by going directly to https://qrco.de/ARPCVOTE25 . Those in attendance at OICA’s Heroes Ball on Saturday, July 26 will receive a final paper ballot to help finish off the voting. Winners will be announced at the Heroes Ball, held this year at OKANA Resort in Oklahoma City. “This award is fully in the hands of those interested in child advocacy in the state of Oklahoma,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “The list of previous winners reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Oklahoma Child Advocates.” Previous winners of the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Organizational Award are: 2017 – Whiz Kids Oklahoma. 2018 – Peppers Ranch. 2019 – Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of Care. 2020 – Diabetes Solutions of Oklahoma. 2021 – SoonerStart. 2022 – Fostering Connections. 2023 – Sara’s Project. 2024 – The Anna’s House Foundation. Those individuals who have won the Anne Roberts People’s Choice Individual Award are: 2017 – Brenda Lene’. 2018 – Cody Inman. 2019 – Judy Payne. 2020 – Ryan Abernathy. 2021 – Melissa Ahlgrim. 2022 – Amber Cuyler. 2023 – Alethea Satterwhite. 2024 – Mary Beth Talley. Tickets to the Heroes Ball are going fast. They can be purchased at https://www.oica.org/events

Sign the petition at https://tinyurl.com/NWSPetition

We at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) extend our deepest condolences to families tragically impacted by the recent flooding in Texas. Flooding along the Guadalupe River early Friday caught residents, summer campers, and tourists off-guard. Monday, the death toll rose to 81 across six counties. In Kerr County, officials reported 68 deaths — 40 adults and 28 children. Camp Mystic said it was grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors. The catastrophic flooding struck with a surge of 20-26 feet on the Guadalupe River near Kerrville, causing widespread damage. President Donald Trump has signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, which is west of Austin. People have asked how something like this could happen. A flood watch was issued at 1:18 p.m. on July 3, and then on July 4, a flash flood warning was issued at 1:14 a.m. The river was above flood stage between 3 and 4 a.m., and a flash flood emergency was issued at 4:03 a.m. in Hunt, Texas, then 5:34 a.m. in Kerrville. As this happened early in the morning, unless someone was prepared with a weather radio or had a mobile phone with service, they would not know of the severity of the weather. Kerr County had considered installing severe weather sirens and a flood monitoring system in 2017, but that was shelved due to costs. Most cellphone alerts came from the National Weather Service’s Austin/San Antonio station. But some alerts about life-threatening flooding didn’t come until the predawn hours, and this is located in areas where cellular reception was spotty. The holes in this warning system and others around the nation, as Oklahomans impacted recently by tornados can attest, are not new and highlight the challenge of urgently communicating weather risks across rural America. Added to this danger, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) just one week ago announced sweeping cuts to its programs, including the National Weather Service which is crucial for weather forecasting and severe weather alerts. These cuts include the potential closure of the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman and the elimination of nearly 300 jobs across various weather laboratories around the nation. The proposed cuts are part of an effort to support Trump Administration budget priorities, but meteorologists warn that these reductions could lead to a decline in forecasting quality and potentially cost lives. Project 2025, the policy blueprint suggested by the conservative Heritage Foundation, includes about four pages on NOAA and the National Weather Service. The document describes NOAA as a primary component “of the climate change alarm industry” and said it “should be broken up and downsized.” The document further cites “commercialization of weather technologies should be prioritized to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested in the most cost-efficient technologies for high quality research and weather data.” Investing in commercial partners will increase competition, Project 2025 said. As someone who has lived in “Tornado Alley” in Oklahoma for most of my life, I cannot imagine what impact this could have on our safety. I understand cuts to help balance the budget, along with elimination of “waste, fraud and abuse” as is the rhetoric used for many of these overarching slashes in budgets without proper governmental budgeting review. I certainly do not recommend a “fee for service” weather alert system as this is simply passing the cost along to taxpayers to fund these alerts for those who can afford a subscription. Please contact our federal delegation of lawmakers to encourage them to continue federal funding for state-of-the-art emergency weather alert systems through NOAA and NWS. You can see federal lawmakers’ contact information at https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .

Over the past month, I have highlighted portions of the federal “Big Beautiful Bill” as passed by the U.S House of Representatives. Currently, the bill is under consideration by the U.S. Senate, but significant changes have been made, both by lawmakers and by the Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough. Over the past few days, significant amendments have been suggested in response to provisions the Parliamentarian ruled out of order. Many have discussed what this role entails and how a person hired by the legislative body can do this. The Parliamentarian of the U.S. Senate is the official advisor to the senators on the interpretation of Standing Rules of the Senate and parliamentary procedure. This person helps determine if provisions are allowable within certain pieces of legislation. For example, a multipart “Byrd Rule” test – named for former West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd – is used to examine budget reconciliation legislation to determine whether the provisions are primarily budgetary in nature. Reciliation bills, which are used to pass budgetary measures with a simple majority instead of the standard 60 votes. This process has existed since the 1980s and, under the rule, each of the bill’s provisions must comply with three guidelines: 1) It must primarily be a change to spending or revenue. Provisions with no or minimal budgetary impact, or those that are mostly there for policy reasons, are supposed to be struck. 2) May not increase the deficit outside of the budget window. In this case, provisions cannot add to deficits past 2034. 3) May not make changes to Social Security. The Parliamentarian ruled that Sect. 71120 of the bill covering health care provider taxes, among other provisions, violates the Byrd Rule. This section deals with the cap on health care provider taxes in both states that expanded Medicaid (including Oklahoma) and those that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This is projected to save hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 10 years in federal funds but will force states to shoulder more of the cost for Medicaid coverage. An amendment allocates $25 billion incrementally for rural hospitals over the first five years that the provider taxes would be lowered. Several provisions have generated strong pushback from several Senate Republicans, including Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Tillis warned deep cuts to federal Medicaid spending could cause dozens of rural hospitals in his state, and here in Oklahoma, to close. A few of the other areas of the budget bill challenged include a private school scholarships and a tax credit, removing taxes and regulations on silencers and certain guns, requiring states pay a portion of food aid costs in the SNAP program, vehicle emissions rule removal, increasing required contributions to the federal retirement system for those who do not give up some civil service protections, requiring workers and former workers to pay filing fees when they make complaints, and reducing Defense Department spending if plans are not submitted on time. As you can see, much of this has nothing to do with spending and should be run in separate bills. In fact, Oklahoma’s Constitution requires legislation must comply with a single subject, and it is overdue that the federal government also implements something similar to avoid multiple issues being packed into one bill. The Senate bill in its version prior to amendments this week could add $3.5 to $4.2 trillion to the debt through Fiscal Year (FY) 2034, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. It could go even higher, causing $500 billion to $1.5 trillion more in borrowing than under the bill when it passed the House of Representatives. We are awaiting further amendments to see what impact changes might have on the legislation. If you have concerns, please contact our federal delegation at https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .

Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) examines the voting records of members of the Oklahoma Legislature to determine how child-friendly each lawmaker’s record is. From that nonpartisan evaluation of the voting records of all 101 state representatives and 48 state senators, Oklahomans can see which lawmakers put children first during their deliberations for the 2025 session of the Oklahoma Legislature. There were some vacancies during the session, so those seats were not scored, as well as former Rep. Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City, who resigned when elected as an Oklahoma County commissioner. One lawmaker, Rep. Preston Stinson, R-Edmond, was awarded points for votes missed during his recovery period from a medical condition. “Our desire with the ‘Children’s Legislative Report Card’ is to cut through the haze of rhetoric that tends to permeate lawmakers’ achievements and provide Oklahomans with an unbiased view of how their representatives and senators voted on issues critical to our state’s children,” said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “The goal of the ‘Children’s Legislative Report Card’ is simple: to ensure Oklahomans have clear information on which lawmakers place a priority on children's issues during this year’s session of the Oklahoma Legislature.” This year’s scores ran from a high of 110 points for House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton. They and four members of the state Senate and two representatives scored 105 to earn “valedictorian” honors. Those were: Sen. Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow; Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa; Sen. Aaron Reinhardt, R-Jenks; Rep. Danny Sterling, R-Tecumseh; and Rep. Preston Stinson, R-Edmond. Of the 148 lawmakers scored, 20 had scores of 100 or better, and an additional 62 representatives and senators had scores of 80 or better. The average score of all lawmakers was 79, and only 25 lawmakers had scores of below 60. Lawmakers received five bonus points given for authoring a positive child-related policy. A total of 73 lawmakers got the five point bill author extra credit. Additional points were also provided to the Senate and House presiding officers, minority leaders, majority floor leaders, and appropriations chairs and vice-chairs. Lawmakers of the year were selected for their overall work on key issues in the First Session of the 60th Legislature, and not necessarily their grade. The 2025 OICA Lawmakers of the Year are Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City; Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa; Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City; House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton; Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City; and Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa. “This was a very positive session for Oklahoma’s children, with both a high average score for lawmakers and far more than half the Legislature scoring 80 or above,” Dorman said. “This shows that advocacy works, and that our lawmakers are responsive to the caring Oklahomans who make their voices heard to their elected officials.” The full scorecard, with lawmakers’ ranks, can be found at https://www.oica.org/advocacy-resources . Also available is a color-coded chart showing lawmakers’ votes on the bills that were scored, giving voters a chance to see how the scores were developed. “Congratulations to the several lawmakers who had positive scores on children’s issues,” Dorman said. “We tried to make this similar to the report card given to students and schools, so that voters have a clear view of what is happening at their State Capitol.” Dorman concluded by noting that even though the 2025 session just adjourned, OICA is already working with lawmakers for next year’s session of the Oklahoma Legislature, requesting interim studies on critical children’s issues. OICA is collecting ides for interims study requests. Dorman said if anyone has a child-related issue they would like for us to recommend lawmakers study, they can fill out an online form at https://tinyurl.com/IntStudy25 . “The work of advocates never ends,” he said. “We look forward to continuing our positive relationships with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and from all areas of the state to improve the lives of our state’s children. Working together, we will continue to make progress for our state’s most valuable resource, our children. To learn more about how you can help, go to oica.org to be a part of the effort.”

As a former lawmaker and someone who continues to work publicly in policy, the horrific act which happened over this past weekend in Minnesota with the murder and attempted murder of state lawmakers and their spouses is truly frightening. As always, many people are making assumptions on the motivation of the perpetrator. Fortunately, he was captured and can be questioned to determine what led him to kill two people, attempt to kill two others, and have a list with more than 70 politicians and others on it. This news hit me hard. I have friends in both parties from Oklahoma and across the United States who serve as lawmakers at the state and federal levels. A majority of those going to the polls decide who represents the 7,386 state legislative seats across the 99 state legislative chambers in the United States, along with the 535 members of Congress and the President. That someone would attempt to change the outcome of an election with the murder of an elected official or candidate is despicable. I have received death threats before because of my work and the title that I held. That unfortunately goes with the job now, which is a sad commentary. Still, this is also nothing new considering the history of political assassinations in our nation. Last year’s attempts on President Trump and several years ago on members of Congress at their annual baseball game, including many other incidents through the years are just a few known. Thankfully, most are prevented. Thank you to those men and women who step up to run for and serve in office, as well as their families. While violence is a rarity, it is still possible. I pray this does not stop good people from serving or seeking office. We need you now, more than ever, no matter what political party, if your intentions to serve are noble and just a desire to “hate” the other side of the political aisle. And no, I am not running for anything. I simply felt compelled to share this as my heart is hurting right now for the state of our world. Now, for something positive, I want to thank lawmakers at the State Capitol who voted in the best interests of Oklahoma’s children. Our Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Children’s Legislative Report Card will be issued soon, but I want to recognize our selected Lawmakers of the Year first. The 2025 OICA Lawmakers of the Year are Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City; Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa; Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City; House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton; Rep. Nick Archer, R-Elk City; and Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa. Those receiving honorable mentions for their work in 2025 are Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City; Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry; Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond; Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton; Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa; Rep. Ellyn Hefner, D-Oklahoma City; and Rep Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa. In the first session after an election, OICA recognizes new lawmakers for their achievements. The OICA Freshmen Legislators of the Year are Sen. Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow; Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City; Rep. Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City; and Rep. Ronald Stewart, D-Tulsa. Lawmakers will begin their summer work with interim studies soon. These are deep dives into policy that are requested by lawmakers which are reviewed by legislative committees. If you have suggestions for a study idea pertaining to children, please submit your idea by June 25 at https://tinyurl.com/IntStudy25 for us to forward to lawmakers. Together, we all can be a part of the process, helping our state lawmakers pursue policies to benefit our youth.

As we continue our examination of the massive federal legislation called the “Big Beautiful Bill” by proponents, it is important to look at the education portion of the bill. As you can see from the analysis below, the federal funding and policy changes will be a tremendous change in how Kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) classes and access to college courses are supported by federal dollars. The bill would create an unprecedented $5 billion national school voucher program under K-12 called the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). Families making up to 300% of area median income would be able to apply for and receive scholarships to use toward private school tuition, homeschooling books, or tutoring, for example. The money would be distributed by third-party scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) certified by the U.S. Treasury and IRS. Donors to SGOs would reap the tax benefits from this system. Anyone would be able to donate to one of these SGOs like a charitable organization. The difference, instead of getting a deduction from your taxable income, donors will receive a dollar-for-dollar full tax credit for up to the greater of $5,000 or as much as 10% of one’s income. For example, $1,000 donated to an SGO would result in $1,000 deducted off one’s tax bill. This is an unprecedented dollar-for-dollar charitable donation tax credit at the federal level. The changes are not limited to just young Americans in the education system. For America’s college students, the news is very concerning to many, especially community colleges. The bill proposes to: • Raise the definition of “full-time” to 15 credits per semester to get full Pell (from the current 12 credits) • Eliminate Stafford subsidized loans • Eliminate graduate student PLUS loans and limits parent PLUS loans. • Eliminate existing income-contingent repayment plans and create one new income-based repayment plan, increasing the percentage of discretionary income allowed and the number of payments needed before a loan can be forgiven. This will place extreme hardships many, including those who choose to work while taking college courses. By current standards, only 36% of undergraduate Pell Grant recipients attempted 30 or more credits in one academic year, the newly proposed definition of full time. This means that in the 2024-25 academic year, only about 2.5 million of the 6.9 million Pell Grant recipients nationwide would have qualified under the new definition. Further, about 1.4 million, or 20%, of Pell Grant recipients would lose their Pell Grant funding entirely due to the limitation on awards for less than half-time enrollment. This would include 810,000, or about one-third, of the 2.5 million Pell Grant recipients who are currently enrolled at community colleges, according to Center for American Progress. For part-time adult students who work while attending school, this could have a devastating impact on enrollment numbers. Most students who register in less than full time enrollment have jobs to help cover the rising cost of college and often have families to support. These programs currently provide an offset opportunity to complete courses more quickly, therefore allowing entry into the job market at a quicker pace. The low interest loans these students would lose under this bill will likely have a devastating impact on enrollment, depriving many of the chance for better lives and opportunities through higher education.  You can read my previous two columns at https://www.oica.org/weekly-columns which discuss changes to SoonerCare and food assistance programs. A future column will look at the tax provisions of the bill being discussed. Should you have concerns about the legislation and wish to contact members of Oklahoma’s federal delegation, you can find their information at https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .

A total of 25 civic organizations and 135 individuals have signed on to a letter to Oklahoma’s members of Congress expressing concern about the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed recently by the U.S. House of Representatives. The organizations and individuals are among those “charged with protecting and improving the quality of life for several marginalized communities in Oklahoma,” they wrote. Specifically, they asked federal lawmakers to “do all you can to protect funding for Medicaid, SNAP, FEMA and other critical life-saving services supporting Oklahoma’s children in need.” The group noted that they “support efforts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse of programs, we encourage you to not slash essential services supporting children.” The cuts to Medicaid in the federal legislation received the most attention from the advocates, as they noted the program is “critical to the long-term health of Oklahomans.” The letter goes on to say that “(m)ore than a million Oklahomans, one-fourth of our population – are enrolled in SoonerCare (the state’s Medicaid program). The split between adult and child enrollees is fairly equal, with 47 percent adults and 53 percent children.” The advocates noted, “protection of Medicaid funding is wholly consistent with each of your stated views regarding the birth of children. In fact, Medicaid pays for more than half of Oklahoma births and covers 47% of all Oklahoma children. It is no exaggeration to suggest that Oklahoma’s future depends on the protection of Medicaid funding.” The campaign to sign on to the letter was coordinated by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), in concert with Child Focus, a national organization that shares much of its mission with OICA. “This letter is a chance to remind our Senators and Representatives about how families in Oklahoma benefit from Medicaid, SNAP, and other critical support services in particular, and the impact of cuts to Medicaid on children and families in the child welfare system,” wrote Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO.  The “Big Beautiful Bill,” as it is called, is slated to be taken up by members of the U.S. Senate this week after having passed the House of Representatives by a single vote before the Memorial Day recess. Dorman noted that it was important to get the letter into lawmakers’ hands this week as the bill continues to be considered. “There is hardly any Oklahoman that will not in some way be impacted by this bill,” Dorman said. “Whether it is rural families who may lose a hospital in their community, or a hungry child who will not be able to get food, this bill’s impact is virtually universal across the state.” To read the full letter, and the names of the organizations and individual who signed it, go to https://tinyurl.com/LTCOICA6-3 . In conclusion, Dorman suggested every Oklahoman who may have thoughts on parts, or all of the legislation, should reach out to our federal delegation. “Our elected officials work for us,” he said. “Therefore, it is our responsibility to give them instructions on the kind of state and nation we want. Again, they are public servants.” To get federal lawmakers’ contact information, go to https://tinyurl.com/OKCongDel .