Hello and welcome to episode 50 of the OK PolicyCast. This is also my last episode as a host of this podcast, because my last day at OK Policy was July 5th. With OK Policy's founder and long-time executive director David Blatt also passing the

Black Wall Street Times (with Nehemiah Frank)

Jun 4th, 2019 27m 5s

In this episode I spoke to Nehemiah Frank. Nehemiah is the founder and executive editor of The Black Wall Street Times, an online newspaper that covers news relevant to the black community in Tulsa and social justice issues affecting all Tulsan

Quick takes on the budget (with David Blatt and Paul Shinn)

May 21st, 2019 27m 58s

A state budget deal for fiscal year 2020 was revealed last Wednesday, and it's likely to receive final passage in the Legislature today. In most years, the budget is the single most important thing done by our lawmakers, and in the year to come

Homeless and a friend (with Tyler Parette)

May 7th, 2019 25m 6s

Our guest on this episode is Tyler Parette, the director of a unique homelessness outreach program in Tulsa with the City Lights Foundation. I wanted to talk with Tyler because he's got a really interesting perspective on dealing with some of t

A sanctuary for immigrants and their families (with Linda Allegro)

Apr 23rd, 2019 28m 59s

Our guest today is Linda Allegro, the Project Director of New Sanctuary Network Tulsa. This project was started as a collaboration between Tulsa religious leaders of different faiths and denominations, and it's goal is protect Tulsa residents a

The Campaign to Expand Health Coverage (with Angela Monson)

Apr 9th, 2019 28m 44s

In this episode, I spoke with Angela Monson about the campaign to expand health coverage in Oklahoma. Angela has a lot of experience as an advocate and policymaker in Oklahoma. She served in the Legislature for 15 years, and during that time sh

2019 BIll Watch, Part 2

Feb 26th, 2019 53m 4s

In our last episode, we heard from David Blatt and Carly Putnam about the big issues and bills we're following this year related to the state budget and health care. This episode brings you part 2 of that bill watch series, with criminal justic

OK PolicyCast 43: 2019 BIll Watch, Part 1

Feb 12th, 2019 35m 31s

It's a new year, a new Legislature, a new governor, and many new bills that could have a big impact on Oklahomans' lives. In this episode, Gene Perry talks to OK Policy's Executive Director David Blatt and Policy Director Carly Putnam about the

OKPolicyCast 42: The 2018 OK Policy Holiday Gift Guide

Dec 11th, 2018 1h 2m

There are a lot of reasons why winter is our favorite time of year (Fewer tornadoes! Legislative session starts soon!). However, one big reason is that it's when we're most likely to give and be given books — always dear to a policy nerd's hear

OKPolicyCast 41: Fair Wages and Overtime for State Workers (with Sterling Zearley)

Nov 13th, 2018 24m 42s

Today our guest is Sterling Zearley, who leads the Oklahoma Public Employees Association. OPEA represents thousands of state workers, including everyone from child welfare caseworkers to transportation engineers, corrections officers, mental he

OKPolicyCast 40: In prison for what's now a misdemeanor (with Damion Shade and Colleen McCarty)

Oct 30th, 2018 35m 1s

In 2016, Oklahomans voted to approve State Question 780 which changed simple drug possession crimes and low-level, non-violent property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. That law went into effect on July 1, 2017 and is already reshaping Okl

OKPolicyCast 39: Bad Voter, Good Voter (with David Glover)

Oct 12th, 2018 28m 23s

In recent years, Oklahoma has seen some of the lowest voter turnout in the nation. Turnout was well below the nation in the 2012 and 2016 presidential races. In our last governor's race in 2014, Oklahoma had the fewest votes cast for governor g

OKPolicyCast 38: All The State Questions (with David Blatt and Carly Putnam)

Oct 2nd, 2018 41m 25s

On November 6, besides voting for a new governor and several other state offices, Oklahoma voters will decide five state questions on topics from optometry to school funding. To help you make informed choices on these state questions, OK Policy

Together Oklahoma (with Sabine Brown)

Sep 18th, 2018 28m 45s

In this episode, I spoke with Sabine Brown, who is the outreach and advocacy coordinator for Oklahoma Policy Institute. Through that work, Sabine heads up Together Oklahoma, a grassroots coalition with chapters across the state of people joinin

OKPolicyCast 36: Back to School (with Rob Miller)

Aug 21st, 2018 31m 56s

The OKPolicyCast is hosted by Gene Perry with production help from Jessica Vazquez. You can subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or RSS. The podcast theme music is by Zébre. If you have any questions for the OKPolicyCast,

OKPolicyCast 35: A frank conversation about criminal justice

Aug 7th, 2018 1h 48m

Last week, Oklahoma Policy Institute hosted our annual Summer Policy Institute for about 60 college students from all over Oklahoma. The 4-day event featured speakers and panels on a wide range of topics. For this episode of the OKPolicyCast, w

No job? No doctor. (with Carly Putnam & Hannah Katch)

Jul 24th, 2018 37m 54s

This year, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and the state Legislature ordered the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, which runs Medicaid in Oklahoma, to come up with a plan to require Oklahoma adults on Medicaid to work at least 20 hours each week. I

Episode 33: Keith Gaddie on the forces shaking Oklahoma politics

Jul 10th, 2018 30m 25s

A couple weeks ago was one of the most interesting and unexpected elections in Oklahoma in a long time. From a big surge in turnout, strong approval of medical marijuana, and numerous incumbents either being forced into a runoff or voted out

Episode 32: Danielle Allen, from South Central Los Angeles to the Declaration of Independence

Jun 26th, 2018 1h

We've got something really special for you today. In this conversation between author Danielle Allen and Tulsa civil rights attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, they dig deep into how the inequalities of America — racial inequality, social inequal

Episode 31: Elizabeth Nichols on medical cannabis and SQ 788

Jun 12th, 2018 23m 54s

For this episode, we spoke with Elizabeth Nichols, an attorney who has worked extensively with the emerging cannabis industry in Oklahoma and nearby states. With Oklahomans voting in just two weeks on State Question 788 to legalize medical cann

Episode 30: DeVon Douglass on taking on Tulsa's toughest challenges

May 29th, 2018 24m 1s

We spoke with DeVon Douglass, the Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Tulsa, about the work her team is doing to take on Tulsa's toughest challenges, from teen homelessness to deep inequities in housing, transportation, and education. Thei

Episode 29: What Just Happened

May 15th, 2018 45m 59s

The OK PolicyCast is back! In this episode, we look at what just happened in one of the most tumultuous legislative years in Oklahoma history. Bailey Perkins speaks about what it was like being at the state Capitol before, during, and after the

Where to find us this week

Apr 28th, 2017

With so much going on at the Legislature, we weren't able to record a podcast this week. BUT you can hear a podcast with OK Policy Executive Director David Blatt and others in the Save Our State Coalition, who have presented a budget blueprint

Episode 28: Mid-Session Update

Apr 11th, 2017 28m 3s

Now that we're just past the halfway point in the Legislative session, Kara Joy and Gene talk about which key bills are still alive, which are dead, and what's at play in negotiations over the state budget. To find out how you can take action o

Episode 27: So You Want To Effect Change

Mar 28th, 2017 23m 45s

Today on the OK PolicyCast, we speak with Shay White, a social worker and advocate with Together Oklahoma and ACTION. She spoke to us about what motivated her to get involved with policy change, what keeps her going, and "that one thing that ge