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Members of the Oklahoma Legislature listen as Gov. Kevin Stitt gives his State of the State Address in the House chamber of the state Capitol on Feb. 3, 2025. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice)
The legislative session has come to an end, and our team at Oklahoma Voice has been on the ground at the Capitol every step of the way.
We dug into the budgetary disarray at the state's mental health department.
We explained the controversy surrounding the state's new social studies standards.
We analyzed the impact of a measure that could affect citizens' ability to place items on the ballot.
And more!
From covering key policy debates to breaking down what new laws mean for you, we're here to ensure that all Oklahomans can stay informed about what their elected officials are doing.
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Axios
27 minutes ago
- Axios
Incensed House Democrats plan ICE funding war
House Democrats, incensed at being repeatedly denied access to ICE facilities, are warming to the idea of using the appropriations process to force policy changes at the agency if they retake Congress. Why it matters: ICE-focused protests and pressure from their grassroots are forcing Democrats to inch away from their instinctively defensive crouch on immigration. But there is internal division on how far to go. "You've got a situation where our base is demanding more and more of us every day," said one House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The lawmaker added that "a number of us have been told by constituents that we have to be willing to get shot" while trying to conduct oversight at ICE facilities and "be able to make news out of it." Many Democrats are still scarred by GOP attacks on the #AbolishICE movement and hesitant to take steps that appear to be aimed at dismantling or downsizing the agency. State of play: Just over the weekend, House Democrats in California and New York were refused access to ICE facilities in their respective states to perform checks on detained migrants. Reps. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.) have alleged that ICE officials even sprayed "some type of irritant into the air to push us back." Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is being prosecuted by the Justice Department for allegedly assaulting law enforcement — which she denies — during a visit to an ICE facility in her state during which she was initially refused entry. What they're saying: Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) said he believes Democrats should "reassess the funding possibilities. Absolutely." He said of being denied access to an ICE facility this weekend: "They ask for money, right? And then ... I go there and they don't allow us to go and check out the facilities." Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), a member of Democratic leadership, told Axios, "Everybody's on board with the fact that what's going on right now is not right, and ... reform is needed." "This administration is ... rounding people up by mistake — they don't care," said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), chair of the center-left New Democrat Coalition. "We can't let that happen." Zoom in: Key Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee signaled that ICE is on the table as part of a broader effort to scrutinize Trump administration spending. "There will be a review of everything ... looking at what are the kinds of things we can do to get our government back on track," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the panel's ranking member. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), the ranking member of the homeland security subcommittee, told Axios: "We're going to look at all funding. ... What's happening right now is really bad." Between the lines: A clash is already brewing over how far to go — with some progressives eyeing actual funding cuts as moderate border hawks draw a bright red line in opposition to that idea. "Some of us would like to see it completely broken down ... I've been talking about reducing funding," said Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) criticized "hypocrisy" among Democrats, "where folks want to campaign against ICE when we're in the minority, but then when we're in the majority, we continue to funnel unfettered funds with absolutely no guardrails." Centrist Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), a member of the Appropriations Committee, told Axios he is "sure there will be a push," but he "will not support reducing ICE" funding. The bottom line: Even centrists like Cuellar aren't ruling out supporting potential policy riders to appropriations bills to try to reform the agency. "It's a policy. The men and women, they're the same. It just depends what policy comes down," he told Axios. Ramirez, for her part, was clear-eyed that "you're not going to see an abolishing of ICE" even though "some of us might want that."
Axios
27 minutes ago
- Axios
Scoop: Schumer targets Trump budget bill on gun silencers deregulation
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will fight to strike a provision making gun silencers more easily accessible from the GOP's "big, beautiful bill," Axios has learned. Why it matters: The House-passed version of the bill removes silencers from the National Firearms Act, scrapping a $200 customer and manufacturer tax on firearm silencers and wiping out federal registration requirements. The gun silencer provision is just one part of a wide array of policies shoved into the GOP's mega budget reconciliation bill that Democrats argue violate congressional rules. The process Senate Republicans are using only allows for budget-related items in the bill, in exchange for being able to pass with just 51 votes. Any policies deemed unrelated to the budget will be excised. Schumer will argue the silencer provision violates that rule, and should be tossed out of the Senate's version of the package. He will rally gun violence victims and gun advocacy groups on Thursday to oppose the measure. The big picture: Getting rid of the silencer regulations has long been a goal for grassroots gun groups, and the provision is supported by the NRA. John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, applauded the provision passing the House last month: "This represents a monumental victory for Second Amendment rights, eliminating burdensome regulations on the purchase of critical hearing protection devices." But silencers have been used in a number of mass shootings over the years, including a 2019 Virginia Beach shooting that killed 12 and a 2023 California shooting that killed 11. Silencers are meant to reduce the sound, recoil and flash of a firearm. Democrats and gun control advocates argue the silencers make it harder for law enforcement to respond to an active shooter. "There's a reason silencers have been regulated for nearly a century: They make it much harder for law enforcement and bystanders to react quickly to gunshots," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, after the House passed the bill last month. Between the lines: Schumer and Senate Democrats are turning to procedural challenges to cut away at the GOP's mammoth tax and spending cut bill.
Axios
27 minutes ago
- Axios
House GOP to Senate: "Touch very lightly" on Trump budget bill
House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain has a stern warning for her Senate colleagues on the House-passed Trump budget bill: "Touch very lightly" and don't force a conference process. Why it matters: Senate Republicans are determined to put their mark on the "one big, beautiful bill." But the changes they're signaling would cross red lines for House GOP holdouts. "Change it 10%, but I think 30% is a lot," McClain (R-Mich.) told Axios in a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. McClain was responding to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who on Wednesday talked about preserving just 60% or 70% of the House-passed legislative text. "I realize the Senate has to put their fingerprints on it," McClain told Axios. "Touch very lightly." Driving the news: Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) laid out the changes he plans to make to his portion of the bill to fellow senators on Wednesday. Atop his list: Bring the SALT cap down, and make the business tax cuts permanent. They're also looking at changes to renewable energy tax credits and the number on border security. If the Senate makes substantial changes, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) will be forced to go to conference and hammer out the differences in July, with the threat of a debt default hanging over negotiations. "I really don't think there's a huge appetite to go to conference because of the timing," McClain said. Zoom out:"I happen to believe them when they say that," McClain told Axios about blue state Republicans threatening to crash the entire bill if the $40,000 SALT deduction cap is lowered. The big picture: House lawmakers want to move on a $9.4 billion rescissions package on Thursday. "If we can't pass this rescission package, we are really in trouble," she said. "I think we're going to pass it," she said, saying she expected more rescissions requests throughout the year. Go deeper: As conference chair, McClain is working to elevate her members and often does joint media appearances with them.
