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Oklahoma House overwhelmingly passes reading reform to tackle literacy crisis

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma state lawmakers have voted in overwhelming numbers to require focused intervention for grade-school students who are struggling in reading, with third-grade retention mandated as a last resort. The legislation largely duplicates a highly successful program used in Mississippi that has achieved national acclaim, and it also reinstates many provisions used successfully in Oklahoma prior…

House leaders comment on passage of Budget bill

Tulsa Beacon

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today approved the general appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2027, delivering the largest investment in education in state history while also strengthening funding for mental health services, health care and other core state priorities. The general appropriations bill serves as the foundation of the state budget, establishing…

Bill that Strengthens Oklahoma’s Emergency Response Infrastructure moves on

Tulsa Beacon

OKLAHOMA CITY — Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, is advancing House Bill 3831, a measure to formally establish Oklahoma Task Force 1 as the state’s official urban search and rescue team, ensuring long-term support and readiness as the legislation now moves to the next stage of the legislative process. House Bill 3831 places Oklahoma Task…

Abandoned Marijuana Grow Sites Bill Passes Committee

Tulsa Beacon

OKLAHOMA CITY — Senate Bill 640 by Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, has passed the House Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Committee, which aims at addressing abandoned and improperly maintained medical marijuana grow operations. The measure would require licensed medical marijuana businesses to properly remove and dispose of surface trash, debris and waste tied to their operations….

Oklahoma Route 66 Association Centennial Events

Tulsa Beacon

Big Band Hangar Dance will be held on April 25, 2026 at the Stafford Air & Space Museum. The Event will cost $50 per person ($45 for Oklahoma Route 66 Association members) The Oklahoma Route 66 Association, Stafford Air & Space Museum, and the City of Weatherford invite you to celebrate the early years of…

Reform bills advance as Medicaid expansion threatens Oklahoma budget

Tulsa Beacon

With the costs of Medicaid expansion exploding, and even greater increases potentially looming in the future, members of an Oklahoma Senate committee have voted overwhelmingly to place reform proposals before voters. “Oklahomans have a kind heart as a whole, and we want to make sure we can take care of those people who have a…

Governor Stitt Applauds U.S. Supreme Court for Upholding Equal Tax Rules in Oklahoma

Tulsa Beacon

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 6, 2026) – Governor Kevin Stitt today celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision in Stroble v. Oklahoma Tax Commission. This confirms that the McGirt decision does not extend to Oklahoma’s civil or taxing jurisdiction. Plainly stated, laws are not enforced based on race. “This is…

Freedom 250 Announces Rededicate 250: A National Moment of Faith

Tulsa Beacon

Uniting Americans in Faith as the Nation Enters Its Semiquincentennial Era WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Sunday, May 17, 2026, Americans from across the nation will gather on the National Mall for Rededicate 250, a once in a lifetime faith event that celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with a national jubilee of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. The…

Third-grade reading reform clears both chambers of Oklahoma Legislature

Tulsa Beacon

Legislation designed to dramatically improve Oklahoma’s public-school literacy outcomes, including a mandate that students repeat the third grade if they read far below grade level, has advanced from both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature with strong support. “This is legislation that I’ve been talking about, relentlessly, for many months now,” said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert,…

Tulsa burger shop owner says SQ 832 would force menu prices to rise again

Tulsa Beacon

The massive inflation unleashed during the Biden administration had a devastating impact on working families across the nation as food prices soared and earners’ real income declined. Now, a state question to hike Oklahoma’s minimum wage based on prices in the nation’s largest urban centers threatens to drive up fast-food prices even further, putting even…