Carmen Forman Related coverage The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Monday struck down a requirement that absentee ballots must be notarized to be valid.An order issued Monday by Chief Justice Noma Gurich bars the Oklahoma State Election Board from issuing ballot forms or other election materials that suggest notarization is required.Instead, a statement signed, dated and declared under the penalty of perjury will suffice on absentee ballots. The order from the state's high court requires the State Election Board to recognize the signed statements as proof that said voter did fill out their own...…Carmen Forman Related coverage The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Monday struck down a requirement that absentee ballots must be notarized to be valid.An order issued Monday by Chief Justice Noma Gurich bars the Oklahoma State Election Board from issuing ballot forms or other election materials that suggest notarization is required.Instead, a statement signed, dated and declared under the penalty of perjury will suffice on absentee ballots. The order from the state's high court requires the State Election Board to recognize the signed statements as proof that said voter did fill out their own...WW…

Chris Casteel In the state with the 2nd highest rate of uninsured people, U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn and her Republican challenger, state Sen. Stephanie Bice, have staked out opposing positions on health care coverage that track traditional partisan attitudes.Horn, D-Oklahoma City, supports the Affordable Care Act and backed the Medicaid expansion question that Oklahoma voters approved in June. Bice, of Oklahoma City, wants the Affordable Care Act repealed and opposed expanding Medicaid.Horn represents the 5th Congressional District, which includes most of Oklahoma County and Pottawatomie and...…Chris Casteel In the state with the 2nd highest rate of uninsured people, U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn and her Republican challenger, state Sen. Stephanie Bice, have staked out opposing positions on health care coverage that track traditional partisan attitudes.Horn, D-Oklahoma City, supports the Affordable Care Act and backed the Medicaid expansion question that Oklahoma voters approved in June. Bice, of Oklahoma City, wants the Affordable Care Act repealed and opposed expanding Medicaid.Horn represents the 5th Congressional District, which includes most of Oklahoma County and Pottawatomie and...WW…

An Oklahoma lawmaker threatened to pull tax benefits for the Oklahoma City Thunder if players were to kneel during the national anthem before Saturday's game.Rep. Sean Roberts (R-Hominy) posted a statement Friday afternoon making the threat and equating the Black Lives Matter movement to "Marxism" and trying to "destroy nuclear families."The Thunder and Utah Jazz knelt during the anthem before their 2:30 p.m. tip-off Saturday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, in first NBA seeding game since the regular season was suspended on .The Thunder did not respond to The...…An Oklahoma lawmaker threatened to pull tax benefits for the Oklahoma City Thunder if players were to kneel during the national anthem before Saturday's game.Rep. Sean Roberts (R-Hominy) posted a statement Friday afternoon making the threat and equating the Black Lives Matter movement to "Marxism" and trying to "destroy nuclear families."The Thunder and Utah Jazz knelt during the anthem before their 2:30 p.m. tip-off Saturday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, in first NBA seeding game since the regular season was suspended on .The Thunder did not respond to The...WW…

sharesThis content is being provided for free as a public service to our readers during the coronavirus outbreak. If local news is important to you, considerGov. Kevin Stitt said Friday his safer-at-home order is essentially the same as shelter-in-place orders issued by the governors of California and New York.Although the directives share some similarities, Stitt’s policy mandates only those who are over age 65 or have “serious underlying medical conditions” must remain home.Most other governors are asking all residents, not just those who might be more susceptible to COVID-19, to stay...…sharesThis content is being provided for free as a public service to our readers during the coronavirus outbreak. If local news is important to you, considerGov. Kevin Stitt said Friday his safer-at-home order is essentially the same as shelter-in-place orders issued by the governors of California and New York.Although the directives share some similarities, Stitt’s policy mandates only those who are over age 65 or have “serious underlying medical conditions” must remain home.Most other governors are asking all residents, not just those who might be more susceptible to COVID-19, to stay...WW…

Nolan Clay This content is being provided for free as a public service to our readers during the coronavirus outbreak. If local news is important to you, consider Oklahoma Health Commissioner Gary Cox won't be getting a new SUV after all.The Health Department was going to pay $27,239 for a 2020 Ford Explorer for the commissioner, according to a purchase order signed in January. The purchase was called off last week."The commissioner and many members of his team had originally been spending significant time on the road traveling around the state to local health departments," a spokeswoman...…Nolan Clay This content is being provided for free as a public service to our readers during the coronavirus outbreak. If local news is important to you, consider Oklahoma Health Commissioner Gary Cox won't be getting a new SUV after all.The Health Department was going to pay $27,239 for a 2020 Ford Explorer for the commissioner, according to a purchase order signed in January. The purchase was called off last week."The commissioner and many members of his team had originally been spending significant time on the road traveling around the state to local health departments," a spokeswoman...WW…

Nuria Martinez-Keel A virtual graduation ceremony for Oklahoma City University was interrupted Saturday when a hacker displayed a racial slur and a swastika on viewers’ screens.President Martha Burger said the university has initiated a report to state and federal authorities.“We are heartbroken and outraged at the hate-filled attack that occurred at the end of our virtual graduation celebration today,” Burger wrote in a message to the OCU community. “During a time that should have been focused on recognizing our graduating students, an unknown source was able to bypass the system and...…Nuria Martinez-Keel A virtual graduation ceremony for Oklahoma City University was interrupted Saturday when a hacker displayed a racial slur and a swastika on viewers’ screens.President Martha Burger said the university has initiated a report to state and federal authorities.“We are heartbroken and outraged at the hate-filled attack that occurred at the end of our virtual graduation celebration today,” Burger wrote in a message to the OCU community. “During a time that should have been focused on recognizing our graduating students, an unknown source was able to bypass the system and...WW…

EDITORIALSThe Oklahoman Editorial Board A Scripture passage has Jesus saying of Nathanael, “There is no duplicity in him.” The description applied perfectly to former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn of Muskogee, who lost his second fight with prostate cancer Saturday.Coburn didn’t mince words. If you asked him a question, he gave a straightforward answer. No dancing, no obfuscating. We recall an Oklahoman editorial board meeting with Coburn that lasted just 40 minutes — and covered numerous topics. Some politicians need at least 10 minutes just to say hello.Coburn didn’t gauge the political winds...…EDITORIALSThe Oklahoman Editorial Board A Scripture passage has Jesus saying of Nathanael, “There is no duplicity in him.” The description applied perfectly to former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn of Muskogee, who lost his second fight with prostate cancer Saturday.Coburn didn’t mince words. If you asked him a question, he gave a straightforward answer. No dancing, no obfuscating. We recall an Oklahoman editorial board meeting with Coburn that lasted just 40 minutes — and covered numerous topics. Some politicians need at least 10 minutes just to say hello.Coburn didn’t gauge the political winds...WW…

Randy Ellis An Oklahoma City federal judge on Monday rejected Gov. Kevin Stitt's request that he clarify the governor's authority to enter into tribal gaming compacts that Oklahoma's attorney general contends violate state law."In the Court's view, it would be inappropriate for a federal court to interfere in the resolution of such a sensitive state law matter, which implicates important concerns of sovereignty and comity that underlie many federal abstention doctrines," Chief Judge Timothy DeGiusti said in a four-page ruling.Judge DeGiusti also rejected the governor's request that he...…Randy Ellis An Oklahoma City federal judge on Monday rejected Gov. Kevin Stitt's request that he clarify the governor's authority to enter into tribal gaming compacts that Oklahoma's attorney general contends violate state law."In the Court's view, it would be inappropriate for a federal court to interfere in the resolution of such a sensitive state law matter, which implicates important concerns of sovereignty and comity that underlie many federal abstention doctrines," Chief Judge Timothy DeGiusti said in a four-page ruling.Judge DeGiusti also rejected the governor's request that he...WW…

Carmen Forman Oklahoma health officials are preparing a three-phased approach to distribute COVID-19 vaccines once a viable candidate is distributed to states.At the outset, state officials anticipate Oklahoma will receive enough vaccinations for 20,000-30,000 people, or roughly 1% of the population.Health care workers, including those that work in hospitals and have direct contact with COVID-19 patients, will be the first to be vaccinated, said State Department of Health Chief of Staff Jackie Shawnee.“Phase one, from what the CDC has laid out, will really be at-risk or critical health care...…Carmen Forman Oklahoma health officials are preparing a three-phased approach to distribute COVID-19 vaccines once a viable candidate is distributed to states.At the outset, state officials anticipate Oklahoma will receive enough vaccinations for 20,000-30,000 people, or roughly 1% of the population.Health care workers, including those that work in hospitals and have direct contact with COVID-19 patients, will be the first to be vaccinated, said State Department of Health Chief of Staff Jackie Shawnee.“Phase one, from what the CDC has laid out, will really be at-risk or critical health care...WW…

Chris Casteel Oklahoma Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford issued statements on the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday, but did not say whether they would oppose voting on a replacement in a presidential election year, as they both did in 2016.The two Republicans said they and their wives would pray for Ginsburg’s family and friends.“While we have disagreed on some issues and interpretations of the law, she was a remarkable legal mind that served honorably on the bench for 27 years,” Lankford said. “She was a force, a pioneer, and someone who loved our...…Chris Casteel Oklahoma Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford issued statements on the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday, but did not say whether they would oppose voting on a replacement in a presidential election year, as they both did in 2016.The two Republicans said they and their wives would pray for Ginsburg’s family and friends.“While we have disagreed on some issues and interpretations of the law, she was a remarkable legal mind that served honorably on the bench for 27 years,” Lankford said. “She was a force, a pioneer, and someone who loved our...WW…