Tag: oklahoma
-
Pensioner sues Oklahoma over ESG restrictions
Former Oklahoma state employee Don Keenan is suing the state, alleging that the Oklahoma law prohibiting state contracts with financial firms that boycott oil, gas, and other types of companies violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law. Keenan says he thinks oil and gas are important economically but argues the law, in his view, imposes…
-
Oklahoma City will vote on measure to levy a 1% sales tax to fund new Oklahoma City Thunder basketball arena on Dec. 12
Voters in Oklahoma City will decide on a ballot measure that would levy a 1% sales tax to fund a new arena for the city’s NBA basketball team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 1% sales tax would be levied for a period of six years beginning on April 1, 2028, and would replace the existing…
-
Costs to collect signatures for state ballot initiatives in 2023 were higher than the average for the previous five odd-year cycles
In 2023, $12.95 million was expended on signature drives for seven citizen-initiated ballot measures, including six that voters will decide on Nov. 7. Earlier in 2023, voters decided on a ballot initiative in Oklahoma. The average cost for the signature drives amounted to $1.85 million, ranging from $75,341 for Oklahoma State Question 820 to $6.65…
-
Oklahoma pension board votes to retain financial advisors, including BlackRock
An Oklahoma law passed in 2022 required the state treasurer to maintain a list of businesses ineligible to do business with the state due to ESG investing policies. But the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System’s board voted on Aug. 23 to retain its current roster of financial advisers, including businesses that were on the treasurer’s…
-
Oklahoma treasurer announces 13 financial institutions can’t do business with the state over ESG policies
Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ (R) on May 3 issued a list of 13 financial institutions that are ineligible to do business with the state under a 2022 law because, according to Russ’s office, they engage in energy boycotts that, in its opinion, hurt the state’s economy. The listed institutions cannot manage state pension funds…
-
Voters in Oklahoma reject ballot initiative to legalize marijuana
Voters in Oklahoma rejected State Question 820, an initiative to legalize marijuana, on March 7. Results showed 62% voting ‘No’ on Question 820 and 38% voting ‘Yes’. Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, the campaign behind the initiative, wanted the issue on the general election ballot in 2022. However, due to delays in signature verification and…
-
States sue HHS to overturn public health emergency rule
Texas and Oklahoma filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on January 18, 2023, arguing that an Obama-era federal regulation issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) granting the World Health Organization (WHO) authority to define what constitutes a public health emergency infringes on national…
-
Oklahoma will vote on marijuana legalization in March. Ohio could follow in November
Voters in Oklahoma will decide on State Question 820, an initiative to legalize marijuana, on March 7, 2023. Voters in Ohio could decide on an initiative to legalize marijuana in Nov. 2023. Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, which is leading the campaign in support of State Question 820, wanted the citizen-initiated measure on the ballot…
-
Stitt, Hofmeister face off in Nov. 8 election for governor of Oklahoma
Incumbent Kevin Stitt (R), Joy Hofmeister, Natalie Bruno (L), and Ervin Yen (Independent) are running in the November 8, 2022, general election for governor of Oklahoma. Stitt was elected governor in 2018. Stitt has run on his record, saying “the momentum that we’ve created, and the momentum that we have to be a top 10 state—we’re halfway there. And I want to keep…
-
All candidates for Oklahoma State Senate District 22 complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey
Both of the candidates running in the November 8, 2022, general election for Oklahoma State Senate District 22 — Blake Aguirre (D) and Kristen Thompson (R) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office. Eighty-eight of the country’s 99…