StateImpact Oklahoma
309 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsStateImpact Oklahoma reports on education, health, environment, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. StateImpact Oklahoma is a collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU.
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Episodes
CDC director:stigma biggest challenge to halting HIV in Oklahoma
April 04, 2019 05:48 - 4 minutes - 4.73 MBRobert Redfield, the director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention visited one of two federally funded HIV clinics in Oklahoma last week. It’s part of a new federal initiative to stop the spread of HIV in the U.S. within 10 years. Oklahoma is being targeted because it has some the highest rural HIV rates in the country.
One Year After The Teacher Walkout, Has Education Taken A Backseat?
March 29, 2019 01:42 - 4 minutes - 4.72 MBApril 2 marks one year since the teacher walkout. A new cohort of educators-turned-lawmakers are in office, and teachers continue to lobby for more school funding. Will it make a difference this year?
Oklahoma medical marijuana businesses say patient drives are key to access, but state lawmakers want to end it
March 22, 2019 00:23 - 4 minutes - 4.58 MBTo get a medical marijuana license in Oklahoma, patients need a recommendation from their doctor — paperwork attesting that, in their medical opinion, a patient would benefit from the drug. But what happens when there's not a doctor in the area willing to sign off?
Fifteen bills StateImpact is watching in the 2019 Oklahoma legislature
March 15, 2019 08:20 - 4 minutes - 4.49 MBWith a huge freshman class and a promise for less gridlock, Oklahoma lawmakers filed more than 2,800 bills this legislative session. A third of the legislative session is now over - here's fifteen bills you should watch.
State Question 780 retroactivity bill means a smaller prison population but DAs say it could cause problems
March 08, 2019 00:49 - 4 minutes - 4.49 MBLawmakers are considering House Bill 1269, which would make State Question 780 retroactive and extend its provisions to people convicted before it took effect. However, it’s unclear how many people currently in prison would be affected. Oklahoma Department of Corrections data from late January suggested at least 2,007 people would qualify for shorter sentences. Of that total, 992 people serving prison sentences for drug possession would be eligible for release without a court hearing.
Trump plan to halt HIV hits rough road in rural Oklahoma
February 26, 2019 22:08 - 4 minutes - 4.27 MBHealth officials and doctors treating patients with HIV in the seven, mainly southern states say any extra funding would be welcome. But they say strategies that work in progressive cities like Seattle won’t necessarily work in rural areas of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
The ‘trade-ups’ and trade-offs of consolidating Oklahoma's largest school district
February 22, 2019 02:36 - 4 minutes - 4.6 MBOklahoma City is growing, but student enrollment in district schools is on the decline. The distribution isn’t felt evenly, and some schools are overcrowded while other schools are operating at less than half capacity. The district’s superintendent laid out a trio of possible fixes in January. The three plans all consolidate schools but vary in how many schools would close — and how much money would be available for the remaining schools in the district.
Years after charter school divided rural community, some see broken promises while others note academic progress
February 15, 2019 01:37 - 4 minutes - 4.65 MBA brief summary of this episode
State investigators say sexual assault kit tracking system will aid investigations, inform victims
February 08, 2019 03:22 - 4 minutes - 4.58 MBA state agency is preparing to launch a website to keep tabs on forensic evidence collected after a sexual assault. State officials hope to launch the site in March. The new system and newly proposed legislation could help investigators solve sexual assault cases and give victims more peace of mind.
Winter storms to heat waves, how better climate data can make us more prepared
February 01, 2019 00:12 - 3 minutes - 3.84 MBScientists are getting better and better data on the earth’s changing climate. Now there's a push to take advantage of the information stream to help us cope with the extremes we know are coming. One leader in this is Oklahoma.
Bills aim to add training on consent to patchwork of sex education in Oklahoma schools
January 25, 2019 00:38 - 4 minutes - 4.64 MBOklahoma has the third highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation and studies have shown that comprehensive sex education can help. But in Oklahoma, the decision to teach is largely left up to local school boards. Two bills filed in the state legislature could widen the optional curriculum, but won't change sex ed.
Decline in school arts programs follows funding drop, but cuts aren’t equally felt
January 18, 2019 01:10 - 4 minutes - 4.63 MBA brief summary of this episode
Prosecutors and court officials disagree on reason for downturn in drug court participation
January 11, 2019 03:17 - 4 minutes - 4.63 MBDrug court participation fell in Oklahoma and Tulsa Counties after voters passed State Question 780 in 2016, records show. The ballot question reclassified drug possession and low-level property crimes as misdemeanors instead of felonies. District attorneys warned https://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/tulsa-county-da-opposes-state-questions-on-justice-reform/article_53c9ee69-03ab-56d4-b1e7-cbdec74f2fe3.html (the state question )would drive down drug court participation because it would h...
A preview of the big issues StateImpact is watching in 2019
January 04, 2019 20:59 - 4 minutes - 4.64 MBTwenty-nineteen means a new governor for Oklahoma and a fresh class of state legislators — nearly 40 percent of whom have zero political experience. It’s a new year, but the state government’s slate hasn't been wiped clean. Here’s a roundup of some of the biggest policy issues on deck for the upcoming year and legislative session.
Oklahoma’s Medicaid work requirement targets poor caregivers
December 21, 2018 02:30 - 4 minutes - 4.76 MBThis year the Trump Administration said it would support states imposing “community engagement” requirements on Medicaid. That means, for the first time in the program’s history, states can require people to work a certain number of hours to be eligible for the government health program for low-income Americans. Oklahoma submitted its plan — and the state already has some of the strictest Medicaid rules in the nation.
Work-based recovery program took some clients’ disability pay
December 13, 2018 21:08 - 4 minutes - 4.78 MBOklahoma has a shortage of drug treatment programs. People struggling with addiction who can’t afford or access private treatment have limited options — and many turn to unlicensed recovery programs that put them to work for local employers. A new joint investigation by StateImpact and The Frontier found problems at some of these programs — including reports of confiscated disability checks and federal scrutiny for labor practices. This story was co-reported by StateImpact Oklahoma and The ...
The surprising design of a new Tulsa park, where children learn by escaping adults and facing obstacles
December 07, 2018 04:43 - 4 minutes - 4.77 MBA brief summary of this episode
The cost of prosecution: DA says defendants pay too much of Oklahoma’s criminal justice tab
November 30, 2018 03:00 - 4 minutes - 4.56 MBState funding covers less than half the cost of criminal prosecutions in courts across Oklahoma, state budget data show. District attorneys say this has turned local prosecutors into bill collectors, a strain prosecutors say affects attorney workloads and could lead to mistakes in the courtroom.
Dental care often ignored in nursing homes
November 16, 2018 03:30 - 4 minutes - 4.56 MBNursing home staff are expected to bathe, dress and completely take care of elderly residents. But dental care is slipping through the cracks.
‘Educator caucus’ falls short of election goals, but vows to keep pushing for more school funding
November 09, 2018 01:07 - 4 minutes - 4.29 MBA brief summary of this episode
Oklahoma’s rural hospitals see a lifeline in Medicaid expansion
November 01, 2018 02:55 - 4 minutes - 4.52 MBOfficials estimate about half of Oklahoma’s rural and mid-sized hospitals are at risk of closing. As more traditionally Republican-led states with vast rural areas consider Medicaid expansion, supporters in Oklahoma say it’s the best solution make sure rural hospitals survive.
Agency expands screening program to steer defendants away from prison time
October 26, 2018 03:12 - 4 minutes - 4.6 MBMost defendants who are screened are released into court-ordered supervision and possibly treatment, according to agency officials who said courts that use the screening see fewer prison sentences for nonviolent felonies. They said some counties that have the program reduced the number of days people spend in jail. In Pontotoc County, the screenings are also credited with reducing the amount of time defendants have to wait to get into drug court.
Landowners question whether prairie chicken protection plan can keep up with conservation in competitive grasslands
October 20, 2018 00:08 - 4 minutes - 4.64 MBThe federal government is once again considering whether to use the Endangered Species Act to protect the Lesser Prairie Chicken, a finicky bird struggling to thrive in increasingly fragile western grasslands. Some landowners and environmentalists say Oklahoma and other states' conservation efforts are off track.
Educators wary of political hopefuls promising school funding without tax increases
October 12, 2018 03:14 - 4 minutes - 4.62 MBA brief summary of this episode
District attorney defeat could bring drug court to one of the only counties without one
October 05, 2018 03:22 - 4 minutes - 4.52 MBPawnee County is one of the only counties in Oklahoma without a drug court. Past attempts to set up a drug court in Pawnee County were stalled after a feud between a judge and a district attorney whose recent Republican primary loss may give local officials an opening to create their first drug court.
Education leaders see few benefits in ballot measure to give schools more financial flexibility
September 20, 2018 23:30 - 4 minutes - 4.54 MBA brief summary of this episode
In Business Friendly Oklahoma, Optometrists Bring Potential ‘Corporate Control’ Into Focus
September 19, 2018 20:04 - 4 minutes - 3.91 MBThis November, Oklahomans will decide if big box stores, like Walmart and Target can offer eye exams. But some optometrists say corporate involvement will lead to conveyor-belt eye exams.
Can Oklahoma learn from Louisiana’s criminal justice reform?
September 14, 2018 00:53 - 4 minutes - 4.2 MBThis year, Oklahoma became the nation’s top incarcerator — a title that formerly belonged to Louisiana. But officials in the Bayou State said it http://gov.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/JRI/LA_JRI_Annual_Report_FINAL.PDF ( reduced its prison population by 7.6 percent) in less than a year by passing a sweeping package of reforms.
Why some Oklahoma schools are shifting the way they respond to students’ bad behavior
September 07, 2018 01:55 - 4 minutes - 4.14 MBA brief summary of this episode
The shadow of the opioid crisis looms over doctors considering medical marijuana
August 30, 2018 21:18 - 4 minutes - 4.09 MBOklahoma is one of the few states that have no specific diagnosis listed in medical marijuana regulations, leaving it up to doctors to suss out who are serious medical patients and who are thinly disguised recreational consumers.
Advocates see hope in Marsy’s Law ballot question, experts raise questions
August 24, 2018 01:25 - 4 minutes - 4.18 MBhttps://www.sos.ok.gov/documents/questions/794.pdf (State Question 794), which would give crime victims new rights under the state constitution, goes before voters on Nov. 6. Oklahoma already has a bill of rights for crime victims that includes many of the provisions the ballot initiative provides, but advocates like Vierling say the changes will help future crime victims navigate a confusing criminal justice system.
60 years later: Two women remember a teacher and lesson that fueled a movement
August 17, 2018 03:34 - 4 minutes - 4.42 MBA brief summary of this episode
Education and tax vote winning and costing Oklahoma candidates elections
August 10, 2018 02:04 - 4 minutes - 4.31 MBA brief summary of this episode
When prisoners escape, how can a town without police stay safe?
August 03, 2018 01:03 - 4 minutes - 4.11 MBSeven people have walked away from minimum security prisons in 2018, and four of those escapes happened at Jess Dunn. In 2017, the prison had zero escapes.
Oklahoma could become the only state to require pregnancy tests for medical marijuana
July 26, 2018 23:24 - 4 minutes - 4.2 MBDoctors in Oklahoma are barred from recommending medical marijuana to women of “childbearing years” without first conducting a pregnancy test.
The arid American West marches east, changing climate and agriculture
July 20, 2018 00:02 - 3 minutes - 3.31 MBThe 100th Meridian passes through Oklahoma and splits the continent in two. An explorer and geologist in the late-1800s suggested this map line marked the start of the arid American West. Scientists now say he was right — and that climate change is moving it, which could have profound effects on farmers and ranchers.
Tulsa nonprofit teaches parenting skills to help mothers and children beat addiction and avoid prison
July 13, 2018 00:53 - 4 minutes - 4.22 MBMothers struggling with addiction often have a hard time making connections with their children. This can be especially challenging for moms facing criminal charges and the prospect of jail or prison time. Experts say rebuilding these relationships can help mothers overcome their addictions — and even steer their children off the path to prison.
Awakened by walkout, educators and parents organize to elect politicians that support their vision for public schools
July 06, 2018 01:43 - 4 minutes - 4.31 MBMany educators in Oklahoma say the teacher walkout awakened them to the importance of staying informed, and voting. Now, these teachers, principals and school officials are not only working to educate themselves, but are also organizing into groups with the goal of enacting widespread political change.
Congress considers protections from sky-high air ambulance bills, but companies say regulations could limit critical care
June 29, 2018 02:11 - 4 minutes - 4.13 MBAir ambulances take patients to the nearest hospital, which often means crossing state lines. But a legal quirk means paying for a life-saving flight can lead to financial ruin.
Statewide vote approaches with advocates and police at odds over medical marijuana’s perceived benefits and threats
June 22, 2018 01:12 - 5 minutes - 4.58 MBOklahoma police and medical marijuana supporters are arguing over State Question 788 — a question on Tuesday’s primary election ballot that could legalize medical marijuana. Advocates say marijuana can be powerful medicine. Police are worried legalization will threaten public safety.
Anxiety about teacher pay-raises grows as tax repeal effort builds and legal questions mount
June 14, 2018 22:21 - 4 minutes - 4.23 MBThis past legislative session lawmakers passed a $430 million tax package in order to fund teacher pay raises. Now a group called Oklahoma Taxpayers Unite is working to overturn the tax increases. This has created a lot of uncertainty for school leaders who now wonder if they'll be able to afford the teacher raises they fought so hard for.
After veto, county sheriffs insist the state still owes jails money for housing inmates.
June 08, 2018 00:52 - 4 minutes - 4.16 MBGov. Mary Fallin on May 15 vetoed legislation that local sheriffs hoped would mean more money they say is owed to county jails. The veto is the latest volley in a long dispute over the local cost of the state’s corrections system that dates back to at least 2001.
Hospital Replaces Pamphlets With Conversations To Get Parents to Stop Smoking
May 31, 2018 19:46 - 4 minutes - 3.83 MBBabies who start out life with a long hospital stay are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke. A new program at one children’s hospital in Oklahoma focuses on changing attitudes, not placing blame when they ask parents a simple question: ‘Do you smoke?’
Galvanized by walkout, Oklahoma teachers enter crowded election year with promises to prioritize schools
May 24, 2018 21:52 - 4 minutes - 4.23 MBFor some Oklahoma educators, the fight for more school funding didn’t stop when the teacher walkout ended. Many of them are now running for office in what’s shaping up to be a very busy election year. A record-breaking https://newsok.com/article/5590982/surge-of-oklahoma-candidate-filings-surpasses-expectations ( 794 people) filed for various state offices — including at least 80 teachers that are promising to make school funding a priority.
Oklahoma Prisons Overflow As Inmates Say ‘No’ To Parole
May 17, 2018 22:11 - 4 minutes - 4.13 MBUnlike some surrounding states, Oklahoma’s inmates can decide whether or not they want to be considered for parole. Roughly two out of three parole-eligible inmates choose not to go to their parole hearings, effectively disqualifying them for early release. State officials say this contributes to prison overcrowding and hurts inmates’ chances to avoid new convictions after they are released.
Oklahoma High School Student Makes Scientific Discovery By Questioning Common Knowledge
May 10, 2018 21:27 - 4 minutes - 4.15 MBAn Oklahoma science teacher gave his high school students a challenge: Think outside the box and question common knowledge. One student did just that — and made a scientific discovery that changes some of chemistry’s most basic principles.
Key Questions And Answers About SQ 788, Oklahoma’s Vote On Medical Marijuana
May 03, 2018 20:23 - 4 minutes - 4.31 MBIn June, Oklahomans will vote on medical marijuana, and many people are asking - how has this worked in other states? StateImpact reporters discuss some of the big questions people have about medical cannabis legalization, and what effects it’s had in other states.
One Idea To Boost Science Education In Oklahoma: Move Classrooms Outside And Way From Textbooks
April 26, 2018 22:08 - 4 minutes - 3.75 MBThe state’s market for engineering and technology jobs is growing, but Oklahoma students lag behind national averages on science and math test scores. Researchers say one way to fix this gap is training science educators to do more than teach the facts — and to think beyond the textbook.
Oklahoma Officials Endorse Nitrogen Executions As ‘Humane,’ But Some Medical Experts Aren’t Sure
April 20, 2018 00:45 - 4 minutes - 4.14 MBOklahoma wants to go where no state has gone before: Executing death row inmates with nitrogen gas. Officials say nitrogen will bring quick, painless deaths, but the research is slim — and it has never been used in U.S. executions.
Doctors Question Push For More Independent Nurses As Lawmakers Consider How to Fill Health Gaps
April 13, 2018 01:24 - 4 minutes - 4.15 MBIt’s hard to get basic health care like shots and x-rays in rural Oklahoma. The federal government considers all but one of the state’s 77 counties to have a primary care shortage. The problem is driving a legislative effort to allow highly educated nurses to fill that gap — but doctors and nurse practitioners are butting heads on who is qualified to help.