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

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