42.6%

#34 of 50

Kevin Stitt

Oklahoma R | 2nd term

2019-01-14Took Office 7 yrs, 5 moIn Office 263Metrics Scored 705 / 1653Total Points

Section A: Governance

184/300

61%

Section B: State Outcomes

429/975

44%

Section C: Oath Fidelity

+92 (-378 to +378)

Section A — Governance 184/300

9 subsections evaluating executive performance: budget execution, legislative relations, appointments, emergency management, transparency, ethics, program management, federal relations, and constituent service.

Fiscal Responsibility — 27/45 (60%) 15 metrics

On-time budget submission

Signed FY2025 budget ($12.5B general fund) on schedule Jun 2024. Executive budget proposals submitted annually per constitutional timeline. No government shutdown in 7+ years despite legislative friction.

OK OMES Budget Division Records; OK Legislature Bill Tracking; Governor's Office FY25 Budget Signing

Budget accuracy — revenue forecast vs actual

Board of Equalization certifications tracked reasonably. FY2022-FY2024 surpluses from oil/gas windfalls exceeded forecasts. FY2026 faced 5.6% revenue decline requiring adjustments. Oil/gas volatility creates structural forecast challenges.

OK State Board of Equalization Certifications; OMES Revenue Reports; Oklahoma Voice Dec 2025

Rainy day fund management

Constitutional Reserve Fund at $1.3B+ (Dec 2025), Revenue Stabilization Fund at ~$449M. Stitt proposed adding $200M to rainy day fund in FY2024 budget. Total reserves among highest in state history. Sufficient to buffer oil/gas revenue volatility.

OK OMES Rainy Day Fund Reports; OK State Treasurer; KFOR Budget Reporting 2024

State credit rating trajectory

Moody's upgraded OK from Aa2 to Aa1 (Sep 2024) — second-highest possible. S&P upgraded to AA+ (Mar 2025). OK ranks 3rd nationally for low long-term liability burden relative to revenue per Moody's. Significant upgrade trajectory under Stitt's tenure.

OK Treasurer Credit Rating Upgrade Announcements; Moody's Aa1 Sep 2024; S&P AA+ Mar 2025

Pension funding ratio trajectory

OPERS funded ratio improved to ~85%. OTRS improved to ~75% but still below 80% target. Moody's cited 'dedication to funding pension liabilities' in Aa1 upgrade. OK ranks 3rd nationally for low fixed costs from debt, pensions, and OPEB per Moody's analysis.

OPERS Actuarial Valuation 2024; OTRS Actuarial Report 2024; Moody's Aa1 Upgrade Report Sep 2024

Debt per capita trajectory

OK debt per capita ~$1,500 — well below national average. Moody's cited 'low debt burden' as key credit strength in Aa1 upgrade. Limited new general obligation debt issuance. OTA turnpike bonds ($8B ACCESS plan) are revenue bonds, not GO debt.

OK OMES Debt Report 2023; Census Pop Estimates; Moody's Aa1 Upgrade Report Sep 2024

CAFR/ACFR published on time

FY2023 ACFR published on schedule by OMES/State Auditor. However, FY2024 ACFR delayed — State Auditor Cindy Byrd announced it won't be ready until 2026. Name changed from CAFR to ACFR per GASB standards in 2021.

OK State Auditor ACFR Publication Records; KFOR Dec 2025 Reporting on FY2024 Delay

Audit findings — material weaknesses

State Auditor found Epic Charter Schools misappropriated $22.5M+ in public funds over 8 years without detection. OESC unemployment system audit revealed 1978-era mainframe and ~$1B in pandemic fraud. Material weaknesses in charter school oversight and IT systems documented.

OK State Auditor & Inspector Reports; Epic Charter Schools Audit 2020-2021; OESC Senate Interim Study

Federal grant fund accounting

OESC pandemic UI fraud estimated at ~$1B. CARES Act allocations questioned by legislature. OK received $68.8B total federal funding vs $37B paid in (net $31.8B return). Single audit flagged federal grant accounting weaknesses in pandemic relief programs.

OK Single Audit Reports; Legislative Oversight; USAFacts Federal Funding Data — Oklahoma

Anti-fraud controls — federal programs

OESC pandemic UI fraud ~$1B on 1978-era mainframe system — agency went from 6,000 to 200,000 claims/month overnight. Epic Charter Schools: founders split $55M ($25M Harris, $23M Chaney, $7M Brock) from $69.3M in management fees 2013-2021. Both revealed systemic anti-fraud failures.

DOL OIG Pandemic UI Reports; OSBI Investigation; AG Prosecution Evidence 2024

Tax revenue vs expenditure alignment

FY2022-FY2024 budget surpluses from elevated oil/gas prices enabled grocery tax elimination ($418M/yr) and income tax cut ($350M/yr). FY2026 faces 5.6% revenue decline. Reserves buffer volatility. Structural risk from eliminating $768M/yr in tax revenue.

OK OMES Monthly Revenue Reports; Board of Equalization; Oklahoma Voice Dec 2025

Capital budget execution rate

OTA ACCESS Oklahoma $8B 15-year turnpike expansion plan approved by OK Supreme Court Aug 2023 but facing fierce local opposition (Norman, Pike Off OTA). State building modernization proceeding. IIJA infrastructure funds being deployed for roads/bridges.

OK OMES Capital Budget Reports; OK Turnpike Authority ACCESS Plan; IIJA Formula Allocations

Vendor/contractor oversight

Epic Charter Schools largest embezzlement scheme in OK history: founders Ben Harris ($25M) and David Chaney ($23M) indicted on 15 felonies each including racketeering, embezzlement, money laundering (Jun 2022). CFO Josh Brock ($7M) cooperating witness. School served 60,000+ students. State failed to detect fraud for decade.

OSBI Investigation; AG Drummond Prosecution; Multicounty Grand Jury Indictment

Federal funding maximization

OK received $68.8B total federal funds vs $37B paid in — net $31.8B positive return. IIJA formula funds captured for roads/bridges. ARPA state/local fiscal recovery funds deployed. Standard formula fund capture without notable competitive grant wins.

USASpending.gov — Oklahoma; IIJA Formula Allocations; USAFacts Federal Funding Data

Program eligibility verification systems

DHS/OKDHS uses SAVE system for benefits verification per HB 1804 (2007). E-Verify mandated for public employers/contractors. SoonerCare Medicaid eligibility verification functioning post-expansion. No catastrophic statewide verification failures beyond Epic and UI.

OK DHS Program Integrity Reports; CMS Reviews — Oklahoma; HB 1804 SAVE Implementation

Legislative Relations — 24/39 (62%) 13 metrics

Signature legislation enacted

Signed HB 1934 universal school choice (May 2023) — tax credits up to $7,500/student for private school. Signed HB 1955 grocery tax elimination ($418M/yr, Feb 2024). Signed HB 2764 income tax cut 4.75% to 4.5% ($350M/yr, May 2025). Signed SB 612 near-total abortion ban (May 2022). Signed HB 1269 retroactive SQ 780 criminal justice reform (2019).

OK Legislature Bill Tracking; Governor's Signing Records

Veto override rate

Legislature overrode 19 Stitt vetoes in May 2023 after he vetoed 20 'unrelated' bills to pressure Senate on tax cuts. Senate overrode tribal compact vetoes 34-7 in Jul 2023. Stitt sued own party's legislative leaders (Treat/McCall) over compact overrides. Extraordinary intra-party conflict.

OK Legislature Journal; Nondoc May 2023; KOSU Jul 2023 Override Reports

Bipartisan bills signed

HB 1955 grocery tax elimination passed 88-7 House / 42-2 Senate — strong bipartisan. HB 1269 criminal justice reform retroactivity had bipartisan backing (co-authored by R-Echols and D-Dunnington). Legislature is ~80% R so bipartisan dynamics limited, but major fiscal bills drew D support.

OK Legislature Vote Records 2019-2025; HB 1955 Roll Call; HB 1269 Records

Special sessions called

Called special session for tribal gaming compact renegotiation — failed to achieve goals. Compacts auto-renewed for 15 years per federal court ruling (Jul 2020). 33 tribes operating 133 casinos paid state $191.5M in exclusivity fees (FY2022). Special session on compact was unproductive.

OK Governor's Office; Legislature Special Session Records; OK Gaming Compliance Unit FY2022

Executive orders — legal challenges

Federal court ruled against Stitt Jul 28, 2020 — compacts auto-renewed 15 years. OK Supreme Court invalidated Stitt's unilateral compacts with Comanche/Otoe-Missouria. Issued EO 2020-07 cutting regulations 25% (Feb 2020). Sued own legislature (Treat/McCall) over veto overrides Jul 2023 — extraordinary intra-party litigation.

Chickasaw Nation v. Stitt; OK Supreme Court Treat v. Stitt; Ballotpedia EO 2020-07

Line-item veto usage

Standard line-item veto usage on FY2024 and FY2025 budget bills. No abusive line-item vetoes documented. Used veto pen aggressively on policy bills (vetoed 20 bills May 2023 as leverage) but line-item budget vetoes were within norms.

Governor's Veto Records — Oklahoma; Nondoc May 2023 Veto Analysis

Regulatory burden change

Issued EO 2020-07 (Feb 2020) mandating 25% reduction in state regulations — agencies must eliminate 2 rules for every new one. Signed occupational licensing reform requiring agencies to list only directly-related criminal disqualifiers. Eliminated grocery sales tax ($418M/yr). Business-friendly deregulation agenda.

OK OMES; EO 2020-07; Ballotpedia OK Deregulation 2020; Occupational Licensing Advisory Commission

Budget negotiation success

FY2025 budget ($12.5B) signed Jun 2024 on schedule. No government shutdowns. However, Stitt vetoed 20 bills May 2023 to pressure legislature on tax cuts — tactic backfired with 19 overrides. Budget negotiations functional but relationship with legislative leadership strained.

OK OMES Budget Timeline; Governor's FY25 Budget Signing Jun 2024; Nondoc Override Coverage

Bill signing rate on popular legislation

Signed grocery tax elimination (88-7 House, 42-2 Senate — near-unanimous support). Signed $286M teacher pay raises (2023-24). Signed SB 612 abortion ban (popular w/ base). Signed SB 2 Save Women's Sports Act (Mar 2022). Signed HB 2764 income tax cut to 4.5% (May 2025). High signing rate on popular bills.

OK Legislature Records; Governor's Signing Statements 2019-2025

Legislative relationship

Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat publicly called Stitt 'ineffective' (Jul 2023) and said governor 'cut off all communication.' Stitt sued Treat and Speaker McCall over veto overrides. Legislature overrode 19 vetoes May 2023 — unprecedented for same-party governor. Treat sarcastically mocked Stitt's knowledge of Senate rules. Among worst governor-legislature relationships in OK history despite same-party supermajority.

Oklahoma Voice Apr 2024 Treat Interview; KOSU Jul 2023; Nondoc May 2023

Implementation of voter-approved measures

SQ 802 Medicaid expansion passed Jun 2020 (50.5%). Stitt tried 'SoonerCare 2.0' waiver with work requirements and per-capita spending cap — dropped after voter mandate. Delayed implementation until Jul 2021. Then attempted managed care transition struck down by OK Supreme Court (Jun 2021) as exceeding OHCA authority. Resisted voter will on expansion for a full year.

OK SQ 802 Results; CMS Waiver Records; OK Health Care Authority; OK Supreme Court Managed Care Ruling

Task force follow-through

Criminal justice reform task force led to HB 1269 retroactive SQ 780 — produced 527-person mass commutation (Nov 2019), saving est. $11.9M in incarceration costs. OESC modernization study ongoing. Occupational Licensing Advisory Commission created per legislative mandate — reviewing licensing burden.

OK Governor's Task Force Reports; HB 1269 Results; OESC Modernization Study

Policy reversals under pressure

Reversed on Medicaid expansion — dropped SoonerCare 2.0 waiver after SQ 802 voter mandate, implemented Jul 2021 (1 year delay). Initially sought higher tribal gaming compact rates, lost in federal court and compacts auto-renewed. COVID: never imposed mask mandate despite testing positive Jul 15, 2020. Consistent on deregulation/tax cuts agenda.

OK Health Care Authority; Governor's Executive Orders; Federal Court Compact Ruling Jul 2020

Appointments & Staffing — 18/36 (50%) 12 metrics

Appointee criminal/ethics issues

Stitt-backed Education Secretary Ryan Walters investigated by State Auditor, AG Drummond, FBI, and Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency for mishandling federal funds. Walters mandated Bibles in schools (Jun 2024) — OK Supreme Court blocked $3M Bible purchase. Faced bipartisan impeachment calls. Resigned Sep 30, 2025 under pressure. Catastrophic appointment.

OK Ethics Commission; AG Investigation; ACLU v. Walters; OK Supreme Court Bible Ruling

Agency head vacancy rate

Agency head positions generally filled throughout tenure. OESC director Shelley Zumwalt served during pandemic crisis. Cabinet positions maintained. High turnover at subordinate levels (22.42% statewide FY2024) but agency head vacancies not chronic. Some churn in OSDE leadership amid Walters turmoil.

Governor's Office Appointment Records — Oklahoma; OMES 2024 Compensation Report

State employee turnover

State employee turnover surged from 16.42% (FY2023) to 22.42% (FY2024). Turnover cost the state $286.3M in FY2024 (up from $184.7M in FY2023). OESC was staffed 25% below capacity entering pandemic after 2016 downsizing. Salaries 8.78% below market in 2024 (improved from 14.19% below in 2023). Signed 9% state employee pay raise effective Jul 2024.

OK OMES 2024 Annual Compensation Report; OESC Senate Interim Study

Diversity of appointments

Stitt is first Cherokee Nation citizen elected governor of any state — historic milestone. However, cabinet and senior appointments not notably diverse. Tribal relations severely strained despite Stitt's own Cherokee citizenship — alienated all 39 tribal nations over gaming compact dispute. Appointments predominantly reflect conservative R base.

Governor's Office Appointment Records; Cherokee Nation Citizenship Records

Judicial appointment quality

OK uses Judicial Nominating Commission for appellate courts — governor selects from commission's nominees, not unlimited discretion. Trial court appointments from commission lists. Appointees generally rated qualified by OK Bar. No documented unqualified appointments or scandal in judicial selections.

OK Judicial Nominating Commission Records; OK Bar Association Evaluations

State workforce pay competitiveness

State salaries 8.78% below competitive market (2024), improved from 14.19% below (2023). Signed 9% state employee raise Jul 2024. Teacher pay: $286M raise package (2023-24) with $3K-$6K per teacher. Signed 20% teacher salary increase for 2025-26 school year. Still below regional averages but trajectory improving. Turnover cost $286M in FY2024.

OK OMES 2024 Compensation Report; Teacher Pay Raise HB 1934 Package; BLS OES Oklahoma

Whistleblower protection

No documented systematic whistleblower retaliation under Stitt administration. OK Whistleblower Act (74 O.S. 840-2.5) provides statutory protections for state employees. Epic Charter Schools whistleblowers were able to report fraud without documented state-level retaliation. Standard protections maintained.

OK Inspector General Reports; OK Whistleblower Act 74 O.S. 840-2.5

Inspector General independence

State IG operated with standard independence. State Auditor Cindy Byrd conducted independent Epic Charter Schools investigation. AG Drummond took over Epic prosecution Jan 2023 independently. No documented governor interference with IG or audit functions. IG budget maintained.

OK Inspector General Annual Reports; State Auditor Epic Investigation; AG Drummond Records

State employee morale

22.42% turnover rate (FY2024) indicates systemic morale problems — cost state $286.3M. OMES engagement scores above statewide average for 4 consecutive years within OMES itself, but statewide engagement low. OESC entered pandemic staffed 25% below capacity. OSDE dysfunction under Walters further depressed education sector morale.

OK OMES 2024 Compensation Report; OMES Employee Engagement Blog 2023

Nepotism/cronyism

Gateway First Bank (Stitt-founded, now Gateway Mortgage Group) received state Quality Jobs Act subsidies and sought additional taxpayer-funded job creation incentives while Stitt was governor. AG reviewed conflict-of-interest plan for Stitt's continued ownership interest. Gateway failed to disclose regulatory disciplinary actions to state banking board. No criminal charges but persistent perception issues.

OK Ethics Commission; ReadFrontier Investigative Reporting; Oklahoma Watch Financial Disclosures

Senior staff criminal charges

No senior executive staff criminally charged. Education Secretary Ryan Walters investigated by State Auditor, AG, FBI, and legislature — investigated for mishandling federal funds but not criminally charged before resigning Sep 2025. No cabinet-level criminal indictments. Epic Charter Schools founders were private contractors, not staff.

Court Records — Oklahoma; AG Drummond Investigation Records; LOFT Investigation

Agency performance accountability

OSDE under Walters: 4 simultaneous investigations (State Auditor, AG, FBI, LOFT), bipartisan impeachment calls, $3M Bible purchase blocked by Supreme Court. OESC: 1978-era mainframe crashed under pandemic load, ~$1B fraud. Epic Charter: $69.3M in management fees unaudited for decade. Multiple catastrophic agency accountability failures across Stitt's tenure.

OK State Auditor Reports; Legislative Oversight Records; OSDE Investigation Timeline

Emergency Management — 23/36 (64%) 12 metrics

Disaster declaration timeliness

Timely emergency declarations for Oct 2020 ice storm, Feb 2021 Winter Storm Uri, multiple tornado outbreaks, and COVID-19 (Mar 2020). Declared state of emergency promptly for each event. Federal disaster declarations secured for FEMA assistance. Oklahoma averages 50+ tornadoes/year requiring routine emergency management.

OK OEM Emergency Declaration Records; FEMA Disaster Declarations — Oklahoma

FEMA Public Assistance secured

Secured FEMA PA for Oct 2020 ice storm (affected 300K+ customers), Feb 2021 Winter Storm Uri, and multiple tornado/severe weather events. Federal major disaster declarations obtained. OK Natural Gas securitized $1.4B in Winter Storm Uri costs — ratepayers paying $7.80/month for 25 years. Standard FEMA PA capture.

FEMA PA Records — Oklahoma 2019-2025; ONG Securitization Bond Records

Emergency reserve adequacy

Constitutional Reserve Fund $1.3B+ and Revenue Stabilization Fund $449M (Dec 2025) — adequate for emergencies. Used disaster response fund ($544K) for National Guard border deployment (Aug 2023) — controversial use of emergency funds for non-emergency purpose. Overall reserves well-capitalized.

OK OMES Reserve Fund Reports; OK State Treasurer; KOSU Border Deployment Funding Report

Lives lost — preventable from state failure

Winter Storm Uri (Feb 2021) caused deaths across multi-state region — OK fared better than Texas on grid stability (SPP managed better than ERCOT). Tornado deaths within historical parameters for Tornado Alley. COVID deaths high per capita (~18,000+ total) — among highest-rate states but debated whether mask mandates would have changed outcomes.

OK OEM Disaster Reports; CDC COVID Data — Oklahoma; SPP vs ERCOT Grid Performance Analysis

Post-disaster recovery

Oct 2020 ice storm recovery: power restored over 10+ days for 300K+ customers. Winter Storm Uri recovery: natural gas price securitization ($1.4B over 25 years) was controversial but prevented immediate rate shock. Tornado rebuilding proceeded at standard pace with FEMA IA/PA programs. No major post-disaster recovery failures.

FEMA PA Closeout Records — Oklahoma; ONG Securitization; OEM Recovery Reports

Public health emergency response

Stitt became first US governor to test positive for COVID (Jul 15, 2020) — refused to impose mask mandate even after diagnosis, stating 'we're not going to be mask-shamers.' Among first governors to reopen economy (boasted at White House event). OK COVID deaths 18,000+ with among highest per-capita death rates nationally. Vaccination rate ~55% — among lowest 10 states.

CDC COVID Data Tracker — Oklahoma; NPR/Newsweek Jul 2020 Reporting; Johns Hopkins Data

Infrastructure failure prevention

Winter Storm Uri (Feb 2021): natural gas prices spiked to $1,200/Mcf — unprecedented. Oklahoma Natural Gas incurred $1.4B in costs securitized over 25 years at $7.80/month per customer. Frozen equipment, wind turbine failures, water system disruptions across state. SPP grid managed better than ERCOT but widespread outages still occurred. Infrastructure vulnerability exposed.

OK Corporation Commission Reports; SPP Grid Data; ONG Securitization Records; Sierra Club Uri Report

National Guard deployment appropriateness

Guard deployed appropriately for ice storms, tornadoes, and Winter Storm Uri. Also deployed 50 Guard members to TX-Mexico border (Aug 2023, Operation Lone Star) — 30-day mission resulted in 969 detections, 23 apprehensions, 1,183 turnarounds. Border deployment cost $544K from disaster response fund — controversial use of emergency funds for border mission.

OK Military Department Records; OK National Guard Border Mission Report Aug 2023

Emergency communication

Standard emergency communication for tornadoes and severe weather — Oklahoma's OEM/NWS coordination well-practiced. COVID communication minimal — refused mask mandate, rarely held COVID-specific press conferences. Tested positive Jul 15, 2020 and announced via Zoom press conference. Emergency communication adequate for natural disasters but insufficient for public health crisis.

Governor's Office Press Records; OEM Communications; NPR Jul 2020 Stitt COVID Reporting

Interagency coordination

Oklahoma's OEM coordinates across local/state/federal agencies effectively for 50+ tornado events/year. McGirt decision (Jul 2020) created new jurisdictional complexity — tribal/state/federal criminal jurisdiction overlap in eastern OK requiring unprecedented interagency coordination. Winter Storm Uri required coordination with SPP, utilities, and municipalities across state.

OK OEM After-Action Reports; McGirt Implementation Coordination; SPP Emergency Coordination

Pandemic response metrics

OK COVID deaths 18,000+ (among highest per-capita nationally). By Jul 15, 2020 (Stitt positive test date): 22,813 cases, 432 deaths — cases surging while state remained one of least-restrictive. Vaccination rate ~55% — bottom 10 nationally. Never imposed statewide mask mandate. Among first states to fully reopen. Nursing home fatalities disproportionately high.

CDC COVID Data Tracker — Oklahoma; CMS Nursing Home COVID Data; OK DOH Jul 2020 Reports

Disaster preparedness & emergency infrastructure

Oklahoma averages 50+ tornadoes/year — OEM preparedness infrastructure well-established. FEMA safe room grant programs active. Winter Storm Uri (Feb 2021) exposed natural gas infrastructure vulnerability ($1.4B in costs). OESC 1978-era mainframe collapsed under pandemic load — IT disaster preparedness inadequate. Physical storm preparedness good; IT/utility preparedness weak.

OK OEM

Transparency & Ethics — 27/39 (69%) 13 metrics

FOIA/open records compliance

OK Open Records Act uses vague 'prompt and reasonable' standard with no defined time limits — delays of weeks/months documented. OK Supreme Court ruled governor has 'qualified deliberative process privilege' under separation of powers, limiting legislative transparency requirements. AG Drummond appointed Public Access Counselor (Mar 2023) to improve compliance. Governor's office response times criticized.

OK AG Open Records Opinions; FOI Oklahoma Reports; Oklahoma Watch Mar 2022 Analysis

Governor's schedule availability

Governor's public schedule published on oklahoma.gov website. Press events and bill signings announced publicly. However, tribal gaming compact negotiations conducted privately — opaque process that alienated tribal nations and legislature. COVID press conference frequency was low compared to peer governors.

Governor's Office Website — Oklahoma; oklahoma.gov Schedule Archives

Campaign finance compliance

No documented campaign finance violations. Won 2018 primary/general and 2022 reelection without campaign finance sanctions. Epic Charter founders Harris and Chaney made significant political donations to OK officials generally but no illegal contributions to Stitt specifically documented by Ethics Commission.

OK Ethics Commission Campaign Finance Records; Nondoc Aug 2022 Epic Donations Analysis

Financial disclosure

Financial disclosures filed annually per OK Ethics Commission requirements. 2019 disclosure showed wide-ranging investments including Gateway Mortgage Group/Gateway First Bank interests. AG reviewed and approved conflict-of-interest separation plan. Gateway failed to disclose past regulatory disciplinary actions to banking board per OK Watch investigation. Disclosures filed but completeness questioned.

OK Ethics Commission Financial Disclosure Records; Oklahoma Watch Mar 2019 Stitt Disclosures

Open meetings compliance

Standard Open Meeting Act compliance. AG Drummond appointed Public Access Counselor Anthony Sykes (Mar 2023) to monitor compliance statewide. No documented Open Meeting Act violations by governor's office. Cabinet meetings and boards operated within statutory requirements.

OK AG Open Meeting Decisions; AG Public Access Counselor Appointment Mar 2023

Open data portal

data.ok.gov operational with datasets on state employee turnover, agency spending, education metrics, and workforce data. OMES publishes compensation reports and budget documents online. Portal functional but not among most comprehensive nationally. State employee turnover dataset available for public analysis.

data.ok.gov; OMES Online Publications

Budget transparency

OMES publishes executive budget proposals, enacted budgets ($12.5B FY2025), ACFR (though FY2024 delayed), and monthly revenue reports. Board of Equalization revenue certifications public. Tax cut fiscal impacts ($418M grocery, $350M income tax) disclosed. Budget transparency adequate but ACFR delay for FY2024 is a weakness.

OK OMES Budget Publications; ACFR Archives; Board of Equalization Reports

Lobbying disclosure

Standard lobbying disclosure through OK Ethics Commission. Lobbyist registrations and expenditures publicly filed. Epic Charter founders Harris/Chaney documented as major political donors ($millions across OK candidates) — lobbying disclosures enabled public scrutiny of their political spending patterns.

OK Ethics Commission Lobbying Records; Nondoc Aug 2022 Epic Political Donations Investigation

IG report publication

State Auditor & Inspector reports published on sai.ok.gov including Epic Charter Schools investigation findings. LOFT (Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency) reports on Ryan Walters/OSDE published. IG reports accessible. No documented suppression of investigative reports by governor's office.

OK Inspector General Website; State Auditor sai.ok.gov; LOFT Reports

Legislative audit cooperation

Cooperated with State Auditor Cindy Byrd's investigations including Epic Charter Schools audit. Did not obstruct AG Drummond's prosecution takeover (Jan 2023). LOFT investigations of OSDE/Walters proceeded without executive branch interference. No documented obstruction of legislative audit or oversight functions.

OK State Auditor & Inspector Records; AG Drummond Epic Prosecution; LOFT Investigation

Press conference accessibility

Limited COVID press conferences — among least communicative governors during pandemic. Announced positive COVID test via Zoom (Jul 15, 2020) but refused to adjust reopening policy. Held bill-signing ceremonies (grocery tax, school choice) but fewer press availabilities on controversial topics (tribal disputes, Walters investigations). Generally less media-accessible than peer governors.

Governor's Office Media Schedule; Press Corps Reports; NPR/CNN Jul 2020 Coverage

State contract transparency

Tribal gaming compact renegotiations conducted behind closed doors — tribes, legislature, and public excluded from Stitt's unilateral negotiations with Comanche/Otoe-Missouria. Emergency COVID procurement used expedited processes with reduced transparency. Ryan Walters' $3M Bible purchase attempt at OSDE (blocked by OK Supreme Court) raised procurement transparency concerns. Gateway First Bank's state subsidies raised questions.

OK OMES Procurement Records; Gaming Compact Records; ACLU v. Walters Bible Purchase

Court order compliance

Complied with federal court ruling that tribal compacts auto-renewed (Jul 2020) despite strong disagreement. Complied with OK Supreme Court invalidation of Comanche/Otoe-Missouria compacts. Fought McGirt ruling aggressively through political/legislative channels but complied with judicial decisions. Complied with SQ 802 Medicaid mandate after initial resistance. Accepted OK Supreme Court managed care ruling.

Court Records — Oklahoma; McGirt v. Oklahoma implementation; Federal Compact Ruling Jul 2020

Ethics & Integrity — 32/39 (82%) 13 metrics

Personal criminal charges

No criminal charges filed against Stitt personally in 7+ years as governor. No federal or state criminal investigations targeting him directly. Gateway Mortgage regulatory issues and Epic Charter connections scrutinized by media but no criminal referrals against Stitt himself.

Court Records — Oklahoma; DOJ; OK AG Records

Ethics complaints — substantiated

Ethics complaints filed regarding Gateway Mortgage conflicts but none substantiated against Stitt personally by OK Ethics Commission. AG Hunter approved Stitt's conflict-of-interest separation plan (Jan 2019). Tribal compact dispute generated ethics questions but were treated as policy disagreements, not ethics violations.

OK Ethics Commission Records; AG Hunter Conflict Plan Approval Jan 2019

Gift/travel disclosure

Gift and travel disclosures filed per OK Ethics Commission requirements. Stitt traveled to White House events (COVID reopening showcase), border inspection trips, and NGA meetings — disclosed. No documented unreported gifts or undisclosed travel. Standard compliance with disclosure requirements.

OK Ethics Commission Records; Governor's Travel Records

Conflict of interest

Founded Gateway Mortgage Group (now Gateway First Bank) — maintained financial interest while governor. Gateway sought state Quality Jobs Act subsidies for job creation while Stitt served. AG approved conflict-of-interest plan but Gateway failed to disclose regulatory disciplinary actions to banking board. Cherokee citizen fighting tribal gaming compacts — uniquely self-conflicting position. No criminal findings but persistent perception issues.

OK Ethics Commission; ReadFrontier Gateway Subsidies Report; Oklahoma Watch Gateway Disclosure Failures

State resources for political purposes

No documented misuse of state resources for campaign or political purposes. Used $544K from disaster response fund for border deployment (Aug 2023) — controversial but characterized as executive action, not campaign activity. Bill signing ceremonies (school choice, grocery tax cut) serve dual policy/political purpose but within norms.

OK Ethics Commission Records; Border Deployment Funding Records

Truthfulness in official statements

No major documented deceptions. Tribal compact claims (compacts expired vs auto-renewed) were legal interpretations — federal court ruled against Stitt's position but disagreement was legitimate legal dispute, not deception. COVID messaging minimized pandemic severity but statements were within range of policy disagreement. Claimed grocery tax cut saves families '$800/year' — fact-checked as $240-$800 range by OK Policy Institute.

Governor's Office Public Statements; OK Policy Institute Fact Check; Federal Compact Ruling

Protection of ethics infrastructure

OK Ethics Commission maintained with standard budget and operations throughout tenure. AG Drummond created Public Access Counselor position (Mar 2023) — added transparency infrastructure. State Auditor and IG offices continued independent operations. No documented attempts to weaken ethics oversight bodies. Standard protection of ethics infrastructure.

OK Ethics Commission Budget Records; AG Public Access Counselor Creation Mar 2023

Emoluments/self-dealing

Gateway First Bank (Stitt-founded) received state Quality Jobs Act taxpayer subsidies while Stitt served as governor. Gateway failed to disclose past regulatory disciplinary actions during banking board conversion process. AG-approved conflict separation plan in place but ReadFrontier documented ongoing state incentive payments to Stitt's company. No criminal findings but perception of self-dealing persistent.

OK Ethics Commission; ReadFrontier Gateway Investigation; Oklahoma Watch Gateway Reporting

Campaign donor to state contract pipeline

No documented systematic donor-to-contract pipeline. Epic Charter founders Harris/Chaney donated broadly to OK politicians (both parties) but fraud prosecution was driven by State Auditor/AG, not contract awards during Stitt's tenure. OK Ethics Commission and OMES procurement records show no pattern of donors receiving preferential contracts.

OK Ethics Commission Campaign Finance; OMES Procurement Records; Nondoc Epic Donations Analysis

Foreign influence

No foreign influence concerns documented. No FARA registrations linked to governor's office. Oklahoma's economy is energy-focused (oil/gas) with limited foreign government entanglement. No documented foreign agent contacts or payments.

DOJ FARA Database; OK Ethics Commission Records

Sexual harassment claims

No sexual harassment claims filed against Stitt or governor's office staff during 7+ year tenure. No documented settlements or NDAs related to sexual harassment in governor's office. Clean record on this metric.

OK HCM Records; Governor's Office HR Records

Records preservation

No documented records destruction or spoliation by governor's office. OK Supreme Court deliberative process privilege protects some gubernatorial communications from disclosure but does not authorize destruction. State Archives records retention schedules followed. No whistleblower complaints about records destruction.

OK State Archives Records Retention; OK Supreme Court Deliberative Privilege Ruling

Revolving door

No major revolving door violations documented. Ryan Walters resigned Sep 2025 to run Teacher Freedom Alliance (private sector) — not a revolving door to lobbying. Stitt himself came from private sector (Gateway Mortgage) but no post-government revolving door applies yet as he remains in office through Jan 2027.

OK Ethics Commission Records; Walters Resignation Announcement Sep 2025

Program Management — 14/36 (39%) 12 metrics

Fraud losses in state programs

EPIC CHARTER SCHOOLS: Largest embezzlement scheme in OK history. Epic Youth Services collected $69.3M in management fees (2013-2021); founders split $55M — Harris $25M, Chaney $23M, Brock $7M. Both founders face 15 felony counts each (racketeering, embezzlement, money laundering). OESC pandemic UI fraud est. ~$1B. Combined fraud losses dwarf any other state program losses in OK history.

OSBI Investigation; AG Drummond Prosecution Evidence Apr 2024; DOL OIG; OESC Senate Interim Study

Program integrity — eligibility verification

Epic Charter Schools served 60,000+ students with minimal enrollment verification — virtual attendance tracking inadequate for decade. AG testimony: school's strategy was 'minimize cost, maximize profit' — educational delivery verification essentially nonexistent. OESC pandemic UI: identity verification systems on 1978 mainframe were trivially exploitable. Systemic eligibility verification failures across multiple programs.

OK State Auditor Epic Report; KOSU Apr 2024 AG Testimony; OESC Senate Interim Study

IT system modernization

OESC mainframe installed in 1978 — collapsed under pandemic load (6,000 to 200,000 claims/month). Agency had been downsized 25% since 2016 before pandemic hit. System crashes, months-long backlogs, est. $1B in fraud enabled by legacy technology. Modernization underway but damage done. OSDE IT under Walters also problematic (Bible curriculum mandate created new tech requirements).

OESC Performance Reports; DOL UI Performance Data; OESC Senate Interim Study

Permit processing timeliness

Oklahoma maintains business-friendly regulatory environment — Stitt's EO 2020-07 mandated 25% regulation reduction and 2-for-1 rule elimination. Corporation Commission oil/gas permitting generally efficient. Building permits processed at standard pace. Occupational licensing reform reduced barriers for some professions. OK ranks among more business-friendly states for permits.

OK Corporation Commission; Census Building Permits; EO 2020-07; Occupational Licensing Commission

Child welfare system

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT: Federal court released OK from Pinnacle Plan oversight Mar 2025 after 13 years of federal monitoring. Children in state custody reduced from 11,000 (2014) to 5,800 (Mar 2025). Achieved ~100% caseload compliance statewide. Co-neutrals issued 22nd/Final Report Feb 2025. However, system still struggled during COVID and took 7 years of Stitt's tenure to complete reforms begun under predecessors.

OK DHS Pinnacle Plan Release Mar 2025; ACF CFSR Results; Co-Neutral 22nd Report Feb 2025

Medicaid program management

SQ 802 Medicaid expansion passed Jun 2020 (50.5%) — Stitt proposed 'SoonerCare 2.0' with work requirements and per-capita cap instead, then dropped it. Delayed implementation 1 year to Jul 2021. Attempted managed care privatization — OK Supreme Court struck it down (Jun 2021) as exceeding OHCA authority without legislative approval. Subsequently resubmitted managed care waiver (SoonerSelect) to CMS Jun 2023. Chaotic implementation of voter mandate.

CMS Waiver Records; OK Health Care Authority; OK Supreme Court Managed Care Ruling Jun 2021

Environmental program

Oklahoma induced seismicity from wastewater injection wells — OK was briefly earthquake capital of US (2014-2016 peak), Corporation Commission imposed volume reductions. Stitt's deregulation agenda (EO 2020-07) focused on business, not environmental protection. Natural gas price crisis during Uri ($1,200/Mcf) exposed energy infrastructure vulnerabilities. Limited environmental regulation of oil/gas operations consistent with state's energy-industry economy.

OK Corporation Commission; USGS Induced Seismicity Data; EPA AQI Data — Oklahoma

Transportation project delivery

ODOT projects generally on schedule. OTA ACCESS Oklahoma $8B 15-year turnpike expansion approved by OK Supreme Court (Aug 2023) but facing fierce opposition — Norman City Council unanimously rejected resolution, Pike Off OTA organizing 100+ residents. East-West Connector using eminent domain against property owners. IIJA formula highway funds being deployed. Standard ODOT delivery; OTA expansion highly controversial.

OK DOT Annual Reports; OTA ACCESS Plan; Norman City Council Rejection; OU Daily Jan 2025

Unemployment insurance system

OESC CATASTROPHIC FAILURE: 1978-era mainframe went from 6,000 to 200,000 claims/month. Agency had been downsized 25% since 2016. Claimants waited months for benefits. System crashed repeatedly. Est. $1B in pandemic fraud. Lawmakers called it 'a total failure.' Trust fund drained. Among worst-performing state UI systems during COVID. Director Shelley Zumwalt oversaw crisis.

DOL UI Performance Data — Oklahoma; OESC Senate Interim Study; News9 Lawmaker 'Total Failure' Quote

Veterans services

Oklahoma has 5 major military installations generating $5B+ annually and employing 60,000+ personnel. Tinker AFB: 30,689 personnel, $4.83B economic impact. Fort Sill: 20,000 jobs, $1.5B impact. OK veterans services adequate for large military/veteran population. State veterans benefits programs maintained. No major veterans services scandals.

OK DVA Annual Reports; VA State Grant Data; OK Defense Industry Association

Housing program effectiveness

Oklahoma among most affordable states — BEA Regional Price Parity ~88-90 (10-12% below national). Median home price ~$195K. Homelessness relatively low for state population. Not a housing crisis state. Low rent burden compared to coastal states. Affordable housing advantage maintained through Stitt's tenure without significant policy intervention needed.

HUD Annual Homeless Assessment — Oklahoma; Census ACS Housing Data; BEA RPP Data

Corrections system

HISTORIC COMMUTATION: Stitt signed 527 commutations Nov 4, 2019 — largest single-day mass commutation in US history, with 462 prisoners released that day (1,931 total years commuted, est. $11.9M savings). HB 1269 made SQ 780 retroactive. Total ~674 released by Feb 2020. Despite this, OK was #1 incarceration rate nationally until dropping to #4 by 2024 (550/100K, lowest in decades). Prison overcrowding persists. Black incarceration rate 5x white rate.

OK DOC Population Reports; BJS NPS; NBC/CNN/Slate Nov 2019 Commutation Coverage; Prison Policy.org

Federal Relations — 7/15 (47%) 5 metrics

Federal funding captured

OK received $68.8B total federal funds vs $37B paid — net positive $31.8B return. Significant military base presence (Tinker AFB $4.83B impact, Fort Sill $1.5B) drives substantial federal spending in state. IIJA formula highway/bridge funds captured. ARPA state/local fiscal recovery deployed. Standard formula capture without notable competitive grant wins beyond military baseline.

USASpending.gov — Oklahoma; IIJA Formula Allocations; USAFacts Federal Funding Data

Federal corrective action plans

Pinnacle Plan: federal court released OK from 13 years of child welfare oversight (Mar 2025) — significant achievement. SoonerCare 2.0 Medicaid waiver withdrawn after voter mandate. OK Supreme Court blocked managed care transition (Jun 2021). OHCA resubmitted SoonerSelect waiver to CMS (Jun 2023). Mixed record — Pinnacle Plan success offset by Medicaid implementation chaos.

CMS Records — Oklahoma; Pinnacle Plan Federal Release Mar 2025; OK Supreme Court Managed Care

Interstate cooperation

TRIBAL RELATIONS CRISIS: Alienated all 39 tribal nations over gaming compact renegotiation. Federal court ruled compacts auto-renewed 15 years (Jul 2020). OK Supreme Court voided unilateral Comanche/Otoe-Missouria compacts. McGirt v. Oklahoma (Jul 2020, 5-4 SCOTUS) confirmed eastern OK as Indian country — unprecedented jurisdictional reshaping. Stitt (Cherokee citizen himself) denounced ruling as 'attack on Oklahoma sovereignty.' Legislature overrode his tribal compact vetoes 34-7.

McGirt v. Oklahoma, 591 U.S. 894 (2020); Federal Compact Ruling Jul 2020; KOSU Override Reports

Local government relations

Generally functional local government relations. OTA ACCESS turnpike expansion created friction with Norman — city council unanimously rejected OTA resolution, 100+ residents protested, OTA proceeded with eminent domain anyway. Stitt deployed National Guard to TX border using disaster fund ($544K) without local input. Preemption issues on some policy areas but overall relationship adequate.

OK Municipal League; Association of Counties Records; Norman City Council OTA Vote; Border Deployment

Federal litigation costs

Substantial litigation costs: tribal gaming compact federal lawsuit (lost Jul 2020), Stitt hired outside counsel to resurrect compact fight (Oct 2022). Sued own legislature (Treat/McCall) over veto overrides Jul 2023. McGirt-related state/federal jurisdictional litigation ongoing. Medicaid managed care court challenge. AG Drummond entered compact lawsuit independently (Jul 2023). Multiple simultaneous costly legal battles — many self-inflicted.

OK AG Litigation Records; Court Docket Records; KOSU Outside Counsel Report Oct 2022

Constituent Service — 12/15 (80%) 5 metrics

Constituent inquiry response

Governor's office maintained standard constituent correspondence response times. Online contact forms and phone lines operational. No documented systemic response failures for constituent inquiries. OESC pandemic claims were a constituent service disaster (months-long waits) but that was agency-specific, not governor's office constituent services.

Governor's Office Internal Metrics; oklahoma.gov Constituent Contact Portal

Town halls held

Public bill-signing events held statewide (grocery tax elimination Feb 2024, school choice May 2023). White House visits for COVID reopening showcase. Limited formal town halls — Stitt prefers staged events to open town hall format. COVID press conferences infrequent compared to peer governors. More accessible in rural areas than urban centers.

Governor's Office Schedule; Public Event Records 2019-2025

Constituent satisfaction

Won 2022 reelection with 55.4% over Joy Hofmeister — surprisingly close for deep-red Oklahoma (pre-election polls showed race within 3-7 points). Rural voters propelled victory — 63.2% in non-metro counties. Race was 'surprisingly close' per ABC News for a state Trump won by 33 points. Tribal compact dispute and Walters appointment eroded moderate support. Approval mid-50s per Morning Consult.

Morning Consult Governor Approval; OK State Election Board 2022 Results; ABC News Nov 2022

ADA compliance

Standard ADA compliance maintained for state facilities and services. No documented DOJ ADA enforcement actions against Oklahoma state government during Stitt's tenure. State Capitol and agency offices meet accessibility requirements. oklahoma.gov meets basic web accessibility standards.

OK DRS; DOJ ADA Reviews; State Government Accessibility Records

Electoral accountability

Won reelection Nov 2022 with 55.4% vs Joy Hofmeister (party-switching Republican-turned-Democrat). Pre-election polls showed race within single digits — extraordinary for state Trump won by 33 pts. Rural voters decisive (63.2% non-metro). Tribal compact dispute, Walters appointment, and COVID response eroded support. Term-limited — cannot run again. Mandate weaker than state's partisan lean would suggest.

OK State Election Board — 2022 General Election Results; Oklahoma Watch Election Analysis

Section B — State Outcomes 429/975

13 categories measuring real-world outcomes: economic performance, population trends, fiscal health, public safety, education, healthcare, infrastructure, cost of living, transparency, controversy, historical context, constituent satisfaction, and immigration compliance.

Economic Performance — 38/75 (51%)

BEA SAGDP: OK GDP ~$228B (28th largest). BLS LAUS: unemployment ~3.4% (2024, below national avg — good). Economy heavily oil/gas dependent: crude oil ~25% of state revenue, natural gas significant — creates boom-bust volatility. Census ACS: median household income ~$59,000 (well below national ~$75K, ranked ~42nd). Stitt's EO 2020-07 mandated 25% regulation reduction and 2-for-1 rule elimination. 5 major military installations generating $5B+ annually: Tinker AFB ($4.83B, 30,689 personnel), Fort Sill ($1.5B, 20,000 jobs). Business-friendly environment — ranked top 10 by CEOs per Chief Executive Magazine. But wages remain among lowest nationally, limiting household economic mobility.

Population & Demographics — 30/75 (40%)

Census 2025: OK population 4,088,380-4,158,420, growing at 0.84% (ranked 24th nationally). Added 80,064 domestic migrants since 2020 — top 10 for domestic in-migration. Reversed 'brain drain' of 2010s. Largest inflows from California (+3,960) and Texas (+2,600). Suburban boom: Wagoner County +16%, Canadian County +21.6%. Rural decline: Dewey County -9.5%, Cimarron County -8%. Demographics: 72.9% White, 29.8% under 18, 16.6% over 65. OK City metro growing to 1.4M+. Federal Reserve KC: 'from brain drain to brain gain.' Affordable housing ($195K median) drives domestic migration. Panhandle and western counties face significant depopulation.

Budget & Fiscal Health — 42/75 (56%)

Constitutional Reserve Fund $1.3B+ and Revenue Stabilization Fund $449M (Dec 2025) — total reserves well-capitalized. Budget surpluses in oil-boom years (FY2022-FY2024). Credit rating AA/Aa2 stable. FY2025 general fund $12.5B signed on schedule. FY2026 faced 5.6% revenue decline requiring mid-year adjustments. Pension funding improving but historically weak. Revenue volatility from oil/gas dependence: crude oil revenue ~25% of state collections, creating boom-bust budget cycles. Teacher pay historically near bottom nationally — emergency $6,100 raises (2018 walkout year) helped but still ranked ~30th by 2024. Grocery tax eliminated (SB 149, Feb 2024, saving families $240-800/yr per OK Policy Institute). Income tax cut ($350M) signed. Board of Equalization certifications public.

Public Safety — 25/75 (33%)

FBI UCR: OK violent crime rate ~432/100K (2022, above national ~359). Both property and violent crime trending down but 62% of violent crimes unsolved in 2023 (3 pts worse than national average). Incarceration rate: was #1 nationally, dropped to #4 by 2024 (550/100K) after historic mass commutation (527 commutations Nov 2019). Prison population still rising for 3rd straight year — 23,000+ inmates (2025, up 1.7% YoY). Legislature passed tougher sentencing laws increasing prison time for violent offenders. McGirt v. Oklahoma (Jul 2020) created tribal/state/federal jurisdictional complexity in eastern OK. SB 15 ACOP grants fund law enforcement in towns under 7,000 population. SBs 8-13 provide COLA for police pension/retirement. Tulsa/OKC homicide rates elevated but declining.

Education Outcomes — 20/75 (27%)

NAEP 2022: 4th grade math 232 (below national 235), 8th grade reading 252 (below national 260). Teacher pay historically near bottom nationally — emergency raises helped but still below average. Epic Charter Schools fraud scandal ($22.5M) damaged public education credibility. Education Secretary Ryan Walters extremely controversial.

Healthcare Access — 20/75 (27%)

Census ACS uninsured rate ~14% (among highest nationally, improved from ~17% pre-Medicaid expansion). CDC: life expectancy 74.1 years (well below national ~77). Infant mortality 7.2/1K (well above national 5.4). Rural hospital closures. Mental health and substance abuse challenges significant.

Infrastructure Quality — 30/75 (40%)

FHWA NBI: 5.2% bridges structurally deficient (below national 7.5% — good). Roads generally adequate. Broadband gaps in rural areas. Winter Storm Uri exposed utility infrastructure vulnerabilities. Water/wastewater infrastructure aging.

Cost of Living — 55/75 (73%)

BEA RPP: ~88-90 (prices 10-12% below national). Very affordable housing — median home price ~$195K. Low rent burden relative to coastal states. Gas prices below national average. One of most affordable states nationally.

Transparency & Accountability — 28/75 (37%)

OK Open Records Act uses vague 'prompt and reasonable' standard with no defined time limits — delays of weeks/months documented. AG Drummond appointed Public Access Counselor Anthony Sykes (Mar 2023) to improve compliance statewide. OK Supreme Court ruled governor has 'qualified deliberative process privilege' under separation of powers. data.ok.gov open data portal with datasets on employee turnover, spending, education. OMES publishes budget documents, monthly revenue reports, compensation data. ACFR delayed for FY2024 — weakness. Gaming compact renegotiations conducted behind closed doors — tribes, legislature, and public excluded. COVID press conference frequency lowest among peer governors. Transparent Oklahoma Performance portal (oklahoma.gov/top) tracks state performance metrics.

Controversy & Scandal — 20/75 (27%)

MULTIPLE HIGH-PROFILE CONTROVERSIES: Tribal gaming compact dispute alienated all 39 tribal nations — federal court ruled compacts auto-renewed (Jul 2020), OK Supreme Court voided unilateral Comanche/Otoe-Missouria compacts, legislature overrode Stitt's vetoes 34-7. Epic Charter Schools fraud ($69.3M, founders face 15 felony counts each). Education Secretary Ryan Walters: $3M Bible purchase blocked by OK Supreme Court, Ten Commandments mandate challenged, multiple LOFT/Auditor investigations. McGirt v. Oklahoma (SCOTUS Jul 2020) reshaped criminal jurisdiction in eastern OK. Gateway Mortgage conflict of interest: Quality Jobs Act subsidies paid to Stitt-founded company, failed to disclose regulatory actions. COVID: first US governor to test positive (Jul 2020), refused mask mandate, 18,000+ deaths (among highest per-capita), 55% vaccination rate (bottom 10). Medicaid expansion: resisted voter mandate (SQ 802), delayed implementation 1 year, managed care attempt struck down by OK Supreme Court.

Historical Context — 25/75 (33%)

Against predecessor Mary Fallin (R, 2011-2019): Fallin departed with 19% approval (least popular governor nationally per Morning Consult Jul 2018). Stitt at ~55% approval — massive improvement. Fallin was first woman governor of OK, first R with fully R legislature. Stitt's Nov 2019 mass commutation (527 in one day, largest in US history) was historic criminal justice achievement Fallin could not accomplish. Economic management similar — both benefited from oil/gas cycles. Tribal relations: Fallin had functional tribal compacts; Stitt destroyed those relationships by disputing auto-renewal. Education: Fallin faced teacher walkouts (2018); Stitt's Ryan Walters appointment generated different controversies. Population now growing at 0.84% (brain drain reversed). Pinnacle Plan child welfare release (Mar 2025) achieved under Stitt after 13 years of federal oversight begun under predecessors.

Constituent Verdict — 35/75 (47%)

Won reelection with 55.4% vs Joy Hofmeister (R-turned-D) — surprisingly close for state Trump won by 33 pts. Pre-election polls showed race within 3-7 pts per ABC News. Rural voters decisive (63.2% non-metro). Morning Consult: ~55% approval — massive improvement over predecessor Fallin (19% at departure). But tribal compact dispute alienated tribal citizens (39 nations, ~400K+ tribal members). Ryan Walters appointment (Education Secretary) increasingly unpopular — multiple investigations, $3M Bible purchase blocked by Supreme Court, Ten Commandments mandate challenged. Term-limited through Jan 2027. Mandate weaker than state's deep-red partisan lean would suggest.

Immigration & Law Compliance — 61/75 (81%)

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Section C — Oath Fidelity +92 (-378 to +378)

126 items scored -3 to +3 measuring fidelity to constitutional oath. Grounded in Supreme Court precedent and constitutional text.

+3Exemplary +2Strong +1Adequate 0Neutral -1Concerning -2Failing -3Hostile

Protection of Life

Declaration of Independence; 5th/14th Amendments

Score: 8 Range: -93 to 93 Items: 31

Violent crime rate trend

OK violent crime rate ~432/100K (2022), above national ~359. Trending down but still elevated. Stable improvement but not reaching national average.

FBI UCR/NIBRS

Homicide rate relative to national average

OK homicide rate approximately 7.5-8.5/100K — 20-35% above national average. Tulsa and OKC elevated. Declining but still significantly above.

FBI UCR; CDC WONDER

-1

Homicide clearance rate

62% of violent crimes unsolved in 2023 — 3 pts worse than national average. Clearance rate approximately 35-40%. Below adequate.

FBI UCR; OSBI

-1

Law enforcement staffing adequacy

OK LE staffing moderate. SB 15 ACOP grants fund rural LE (towns under 7K). COLA for police pension enacted. Approximately 2.0-2.2/1K. Average.

FBI LEOKA; BJS

Drug overdose death rate trend

OK drug overdose death rate approximately 25-30/100K, increased modestly. Meth and fentanyl both significant. Rate increase ~10-15%.

CDC WONDER; NCHS

-1

Emergency management preparedness

OK OEM meets most FEMA capability targets. Tornado preparedness strong — Oklahoma is tornado epicenter. Adequate emergency management.

FEMA SPR; THIRA

Preventable mass-casualty event response

OK managed severe tornado and ice storm events during tenure. Response adequate with FEMA declarations secured. Standard performance for high-risk state.

FEMA after-action

Infrastructure safety — bridge and road conditions

OK bridges 5.2% structurally deficient — below national 7.5%. Good bridge conditions. Roads generally adequate.

FHWA NBI; ODOT

Water and dam safety compliance

OK meets most EPA SDWA standards. Some aging water infrastructure in smaller communities. Dam safety adequate. Average compliance.

EPA SDWIS; ASDSO

Healthcare access — uninsured rate

OK uninsured rate ~14% — among highest nationally despite Medicaid expansion implementation (SQ 802). Stitt resisted voter-approved expansion, delayed implementation 1 year. Managed care attempt struck down.

Census ACS; KFF

-2

Maternal mortality rate

OK maternal mortality rate approximately 30-40/100K. Above national average. Rural healthcare access limited.

CDC WONDER; NCHS

-1

Infant mortality rate

OK infant mortality 7.2/1K — well above national 5.4/1K. Significant health outcome gap.

CDC WONDER; NCHS

-1

Self-defense rights — Castle Doctrine / Stand Your Ground

OK has Castle Doctrine + Stand Your Ground + no duty to retreat + civil immunity. Comprehensive self-defense framework.

OK statutes; NRA-ILA

Death penalty procedural safeguards

OK has death penalty with active executions. Richard Glossip case raised significant due process concerns (SCOTUS review). Mixed safeguards — executions resumed after botched 2014 attempt.

DPIC; Glossip v. Oklahoma

Suicide prevention program funding and outcomes

OK suicide rate approximately 19-21/100K — significantly above national average. Rural mental health access limited. Rate above average and not declining.

CDC WISQARS; AFSP OK

-1

911/emergency response time adequacy

OK EMS adequate in urban areas. Rural response times extended. NFPA compliance approximately 65-75%. Standard for state with significant rural area.

NFPA; OK EMS data

Opioid/fentanyl interdiction and treatment funding

OK has some opioid response. Opioid settlement funds being deployed. Treatment access improving in urban areas. Rural gaps. Outcomes flat.

SAMHSA; CDC WONDER

Veteran suicide and healthcare access

OK has 5 major military installations ($5B+ annually). ODVA veteran services. State supplements VA. Large veteran population with adequate services.

VA SAIL; NASDVA; ODVA

Food safety and foodborne illness enforcement

OK food safety program meets most standards. Conformance above 80%. No major outbreaks linked to state failures.

FDA Conformance Standards; OK Dept of Health

Workplace fatality rate

OK workplace fatality rate approximately 5.5-7.0/100K FTE. Oil/gas, agriculture, and construction create elevated risk. Above adequate threshold.

BLS CFOI; OSHA

-1

Domestic violence fatality rate and funding

OK has DV programs but rate near or above national average. Some shelter capacity gaps. Standard funding.

NNEDV; BJS

Correctional facility death rate and conditions

OK incarceration rate was #1 nationally, dropped to #4 (550/100K) after 527-person mass commutation (Nov 2019). Prison population rising again. Conditions under scrutiny.

BJS Mortality; OK DOC

-1

Pollution-related mortality and environmental health

OK meets most EPA NAAQS. Some oil/gas-related environmental concerns. Earthquake concerns from wastewater injection. Average environmental enforcement.

EPA Green Book; OK DEQ

Pedestrian and traffic fatality rate

OK traffic fatality rate approximately 1.5-1.8/100M VMT. Above national average. Rural highway fatalities significant.

NHTSA FARS; ODOT

-1

Sanctity of life legislative framework

OK signed near-total abortion ban (SB 612, May 2022) — one of first post-Dobbs, effective immediately. Also has 6-week heartbeat ban (SB 1503). Most restrictive framework nationally. Criminalizes from fertilization with narrow exceptions.

Guttmacher; OK SB 612; Dobbs (2022)

Homeless mortality — exposure deaths, overdoses in encampments, violence

Signed anti-camping law. Launched Operation SAFE. Treatment facility or arrest.

ocpathink.org; kosu.org

Population loss impact on services — EMS/hospital closures, tax base erosion

Oklahoma gained 10,534 net domestic. #4 WalletHub best state. Record $14.7B investment.

ocpathink.org; readfrontier.org

Police staffing/funding — governor's direct actions on law enforcement

Deployed OHP for Operation SAFE. Strong support through MODERN Justice Task Force.

oklahoma.gov; kosu.org

Criminal recidivism from early release — parole/clemency, no-cash-bail

MODERN Justice Task Force. Reduced prison population 15%. Eliminated court fees.

oklahoma.gov; oklahomawatch.org

Prison/shelter housing — biological males in women's facilities

Signed Save Women's Sports Act. Banned gender-affirming healthcare for minors.

foxnews.com; si.com

Mental health crisis system — involuntary commitment reform, crisis intervention

Ordered review after mental health scandals. System in 'total freefall'. SB251 funds diversion.

readfrontier.org; nondoc.com

Constitutional Rights

Bill of Rights (Amendments I-X); 14th Amendment incorporation

Score: 43 Range: -87 to 87 Items: 29

Second Amendment — right to carry status

OK is constitutional/permitless carry state (HB 2597, 2019 — signed by Stitt). Strong preemption. Civil liability protections.

OK statutes; USCCA

Second Amendment — semi-automatic rifle restrictions

No restrictions beyond federal law. 2A sanctuary statute enacted (SB 631). Exemplary protections.

OK statutes; SB 631

Second Amendment — magazine capacity restrictions

No magazine restrictions. No preemption issues. Full protection.

OK statutes; NRA-ILA

Second Amendment — Red Flag / ERPO due process

No ERPO in OK. Relies on existing due process. Strong 2A protections throughout.

OK statutes

First Amendment — campus free speech protections

OK enacted campus free speech legislation. Protects speakers. FIRE ranks OK universities favorably. Strong protections.

FIRE; OK statutes

First Amendment — anti-SLAPP protections

OK has anti-SLAPP statute with moderate protections. Citizen Participation in Government Act provides expedited dismissal.

OK statutes; Public Participation Project

First Amendment — religious liberty protections

OK has state RFRA (Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act). Faith-based organizations protected. Strong religious liberty posture. Ryan Walters' Ten Commandments mandate signals strong religious expression support.

OK statutes; Becket Fund

Fourth Amendment — warrant requirements for digital surveillance

OK relies on federal Carpenter standard. No comprehensive state electronic privacy statute.

OK statutes; EFF

Fourth Amendment — civil asset forfeiture reform

OK has some forfeiture reform but not comprehensive. Still allows civil forfeiture. Moderate position.

IJ Policing for Profit; OK statutes

Fifth Amendment — eminent domain protections post-Kelo

OK enacted post-Kelo reform. Constitutional and statutory protections restrict economic development takings.

IJ; OK statutes

Due process — regulatory takings and permitting timelines

OK has low regulatory burden. Stitt's EO 2020-07 mandated 25% regulation reduction and 2-for-1 rule elimination. Business-friendly regulatory environment.

OK regulatory data; EO 2020-07

Tenth Amendment — federal overreach resistance

OK joined some multistate litigation. Some sovereignty legislation. McGirt v. Oklahoma created complex federal/state/tribal jurisdictional issues. Mixed posture.

Multistate litigation; McGirt v. Oklahoma

Equal Protection — state contracting nondiscrimination

OK moved toward race-neutral contracting. SFFA-compliant approach. Anti-DEI legislation enacted. Merit-based standards.

OK procurement data; state policy

Second Amendment — state preemption of local firearms laws

OK has full state preemption with penalties for noncompliant localities and AG enforcement mechanism. Exemplary framework.

OK statutes; NRA-ILA

First Amendment — government transparency and FOIA compliance

OK Open Records Act uses vague 'prompt and reasonable' standard with no defined time limits. Delays documented. ACFR delayed for FY2024. Gaming compact negotiations conducted behind closed doors. Below adequate.

OK Open Records Act; RCFP

-1

Sixth Amendment — public defender funding adequacy

OK public defender caseloads above recommended levels. Underfunded system. Rural coverage gaps. Below adequate standards.

Sixth Amendment Center; OK PD system

-1

Eighth Amendment — bail reform and pretrial detention

OK has cash bail system. Legislature tightened sentencing for violent offenders. Standard pretrial system.

Pretrial Justice Institute; OK courts

Property rights — regulatory burden and economic freedom

OK has below-average regulatory burden. 25% reduction mandate. Business-friendly. Top 10 for CEO rankings. Strong economic freedom.

Mercatus RegData; Chief Executive Magazine

Second Amendment — governor's litigation posture on firearms

OK AG files pro-2A amicus briefs. State defends pro-2A laws. 2A sanctuary statute. Pro-2A litigation posture.

OK AG filings; federal court records

First Amendment — compelled speech protections

OK enacted anti-compelled speech protections. Anti-CRT legislation. No mandatory DEI statements. Strong protections against compelled ideology.

OK statutes

Commerce Clause compliance — interstate trade barriers

OK has generally open commerce. Tribal compact disputes created some unique barriers but standard interstate commerce environment.

IJ; OK statutes

Privileges and Immunities — occupational licensing reform

OK enacted licensing reform including military spouse recognition. Some out-of-state recognition. Moderate reform.

IJ License to Work; NCSL

Contract Clause — state compliance with contractual obligations

OK pension funding improving but historically weak (~65-70% aggregate). Credit ratings AA/Aa2 stable. Tribal compact disputes showed willingness to breach agreements. Mixed.

Pew pension data; tribal litigation

Jury trial rights — civil and criminal jury access

OK maintains adequate jury access. Court system functional. McGirt v. Oklahoma created jurisdictional complexity but jury access maintained.

OK court reports; NCSC

Immigration law compliance — Supremacy Clause

OK fully complies with federal immigration law. HB 4156 anti-sanctuary law. HB 1804 (2007) framework. E-Verify for state agencies. Repealed in-state tuition for illegals (Aug 2025). Constitutional NCV ban. Zero sanctuary jurisdictions.

8 USC Ã‚Â§1373; OK HB 4156/1804

Qualified immunity / due process for officers

No QI elimination. Generally supportive of LEO protections.

tenthamendmentcenter.com

Voter ID and ballot chain-of-custody

Strong voter ID. Purged 453,000+ ineligible registrations. National leader.

oklahoma.gov; kosu.org

Non-citizen voting prevention

Signed sweeping immigration bill with 287(g). 453,000+ purged. Strong framework.

kosu.org; oklahoma.gov

Women's sports / Title IX — biological sex protections in state-funded athletics

Signed Save Women's Sports Act flanked by female athletes. Covers high school and college.

foxnews.com; si.com

Child Welfare & Parental Rights

Meyer v. Nebraska (1923); Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925); Troxel v. Granville (2000); Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972); Parham v. J.R. (1979); 14th Amendment substantive due process

Score: 14 Range: -75 to 75 Items: 25

Parental rights legislation — statutory recognition

OK enacted parental rights provisions. Education bills reinforcing parental authority. Strong parental rights posture through legislation.

OK statutes

Education choice — school choice programs

OK signed school choice expansion (May 2023). Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit. Charters permitted. Expanding choice options.

EdChoice; OK legislation

Parental notification/consent for medical procedures on minors

OK requires parental consent for medical procedures. SB 613 reinforces parental authority over gender-transition decisions. Strong consent framework.

OK statutes; SB 613

Gender-transition procedures for minors — restrictions

OK signed SB 613 (May 2023) banning gender-affirming care for minors under 18 — medications and surgeries. Comprehensive ban.

OK SB 613

Child abuse and neglect — substantiated case rate trend

Pinnacle Plan child welfare release (Mar 2025) achieved after 13 years of federal oversight. Significant improvement in child welfare system. Rate stabilizing.

ACF NCANDS; OK DHS; Pinnacle Plan

Foster care — CFSR conformity assessment

OK foster care released from Pinnacle Plan federal oversight (Mar 2025) — 13-year remediation complete. Average conformity now. Positive trajectory.

ACF CFSR; OK DHS

Foster care — permanency outcomes

OK permanency outcomes improving after Pinnacle Plan release. Average time to permanency. Standard performance post-remediation.

ACF AFCARS; OK DHS

Child trafficking prevention and prosecution

OK has trafficking statute with enhanced penalties signed by Stitt. Safe harbor provisions. AG enforcement. Adequate framework.

Polaris Project; Shared Hope International; OK AG

Education outcomes — 4th grade NAEP reading proficiency

OK NAEP 4th grade: math 232 (below national 235). Reading slightly below national average. Performance below adequate threshold.

NCES NAEP 2022

-1

Education outcomes — 8th grade NAEP math proficiency

OK NAEP 8th grade reading 252 (vs national 260). Math below average. Among lower-performing states.

NCES NAEP 2022

-1

Parental curriculum transparency

OK enacted parental curriculum transparency under Ryan Walters' initiatives. Parents have right to review. Opt-out provisions. Online posting requirements. Strong transparency.

OK education code; OSDE

Social media — minor protections

OK enacted some minor social media protections. Social Media and Online Protection Act. Some age verification requirements.

OK statutes; NCSL

Juvenile justice — age-appropriate treatment

OK standard juvenile justice. Jurisdiction to 18. Standard transfer provisions. Average system.

JJDPA; OJJDP

Child poverty rate and state response

OK child poverty rate approximately 18-20%. Above national average. Limited improvement despite economic development.

Census ACS SAIPE; KIDS COUNT

-1

Adoption and permanency — adoptive family support

OK has subsidized adoption. Faith-based agency protections. Adequate recruitment. Pinnacle Plan improvements helped.

ACF AFCARS; OK DHS

Homeschool rights and protections

OK has minimal homeschool regulation. No notification required. No testing. No curriculum mandates. Very strong homeschool freedoms.

HSLDA; OK homeschool statutes

Child sexual abuse material enforcement

OK participates in ICAC. AG enforcement adequate. Standard enforcement.

ICAC; NCMEC; OK AG

School safety — violence prevention and incident response

OK has school safety programs. SRO availability. Armed teacher provisions considered. Threat assessment protocols.

NASRO; OK school safety

Children's mental health services access

OK school counselor ratio approximately 550-700:1. Limited investment. Mental health access gaps significant, especially rural. Below adequate.

ASCA; OK mental health

-1

Childhood vaccination — parental choice protections

OK provides religious and personal/philosophical exemptions. Parental choice respected. Broad exemptions.

NCSL vaccination data; OK statutes

Child care affordability and access

OK child care subsidy limited. Waitlists present. Child care deserts in rural areas. Below adequate.

ACF CCDF; OK child care

-1

Education — teacher quality and retention

OK teacher pay historically near bottom nationally. Emergency raises helped but still ranked ~30th. Teacher shortages significant. Emergency certifications widespread. High vacancy rates.

NCES; OSDE workforce data

-2

Child nutrition — food insecurity rate

OK child food insecurity approximately 20-22%. Grocery tax eliminated (SB 149, Feb 2024) helps. But still above national average.

USDA ERS; Feeding America

-1

Custody and family court — due process in child removal

OK has adequate due process framework. Pinnacle Plan improvements included due process reforms. Standard protections.

OK child welfare statutes; ABA

Children with disabilities — IDEA compliance

OK generally 'Needs Assistance' on OSEP determinations. Average performance. Working toward compliance.

OSEP annual determinations; OSDE

Faithful Discharge of Duties

Gubernatorial oath; Article IV, Section 4; state constitutional requirements

Score: 27 Range: -123 to 123 Items: 41

Budget balance — structural surplus/deficit

Budget surpluses in oil-boom years (FY2022-24). FY2026 faced 5.6% revenue decline requiring adjustments. Oil/gas dependence creates volatility. Generally balanced with reserves.

OK CAFR; NASBO

State credit rating stability

OK credit ratings AA/Aa2 stable. No downgrades during tenure. Adequate but not top-tier.

S&P; Moody's; Fitch

Rainy day / budget stabilization fund adequacy

Constitutional Reserve Fund $1.3B+ and Revenue Stabilization Fund $449M. Total reserves well-capitalized. Strong for oil-dependent state. Above 10% of general fund.

NASBO; Pew; OK CAFR

Pension system funding responsibility

OK pension funding improving but historically weak. Aggregate approximately 65-70%. Making ARC payments. Improving trajectory but still below 70%.

Pew pension data; OK pension CAFR

State debt burden

OK debt per capita below national median. Constitutional debt restrictions. Low debt-to-GDP. Conservative debt management.

Census; Moody's; OK Treasurer

Government efficiency — state employee headcount per capita

Stitt's 25% regulation reduction mandate shows efficiency focus. Some workforce reduction. Below national median per capita after reforms.

Census; EO 2020-07

Inspector General / state auditor independence

OK State Auditor and Inspector operates independently. LOFT (Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency) provides oversight. Multiple investigations into Ryan Walters. Mixed responsiveness from governor.

OK State Auditor; LOFT

Ethics violations and personal scandals

Gateway Mortgage conflict of interest — Quality Jobs Act subsidies paid to Stitt-founded company, failed to disclose regulatory actions. Tribal compact dispute destroyed relationships with all 39 nations. Epic Charter Schools fraud ($69.3M, founders face 15 felonies). Multiple significant concerns.

OK Ethics Commission; investigative journalism

-2

Executive order restraint

Some EOs within bounds. Tribal compact dispute involved executive overreach — unilateral compact negotiations struck down by OK Supreme Court. Mixed restraint.

OK EO database; OK Supreme Court

Emergency powers — adherence to statutory limits

COVID: first governor to test positive (Jul 2020). Refused mask mandate. 18,000+ deaths (among highest per capita). Limited emergency restrictions but poor outcomes. Standard power usage.

OK emergency statutes

Legislative cooperation — veto override rate

Legislative overrides on tribal gaming compacts (34-7). Some tension with R legislature on key issues despite party alignment. Override rate elevated for same-party dynamic.

OK legislative records

-1

Judicial appointments — qualifications and process integrity

Stitt appointments standard. Ryan Walters appointment as Education Secretary extremely controversial — multiple investigations. Mixed quality.

OK judicial/agency appointments

Timely execution of laws — implementation of enacted legislation

Medicaid expansion (SQ 802) — voter-approved but Stitt delayed implementation 1 year. Managed care attempt struck down by Supreme Court. Selective non-enforcement of voter mandate.

OK agency; SQ 802 implementation

-1

Federal fund utilization — grant management

Standard federal fund management. IIJA funds deployed. Some concerns about federal aid utilization during COVID. Average performance.

Federal Audit Clearinghouse

Public approval as competence indicator

Morning Consult ~55% approval — massive improvement over predecessor Fallin (19%). But below expectations for deep-red state. Won reelection 55.4% (close for R in OK).

Morning Consult; election results

State IT security and data protection

OK standard cybersecurity framework. OESC (unemployment) had catastrophic system failure during pandemic. Basic IT security otherwise.

NASCIO; OK auditor

Infrastructure spending — capital budget execution

OK capital budget execution average. Infrastructure investment moderate. ASCE grade C for OK. Standard delivery.

ASCE; ODOT

Disaster fund readiness

OK disaster readiness adequate for tornado/ice storm-prone state. FEMA obligations met. Pre-positioned resources.

FEMA; OK OEM

Workforce development — unemployment system integrity

OESC catastrophic failure during pandemic. System crashed, claimants unable to file. Among worst UI system failures nationally. Significant processing delays.

DOL UI; OK auditor; OESC

-2

Medicaid program integrity

Stitt delayed voter-approved Medicaid expansion. Attempted managed care conversion struck down by Supreme Court. Enrollment below expectations. Below adequate integrity.

CMS; OK SQ 802

-1

Election administration — constitutional compliance

OK has voter ID. Paper ballots. Post-election audits. Constitutional ban on non-citizen voting (Nov 2024). Strong election integrity.

EAC EAVS; Verified Voting; OK SOS

Transparency — state budget accessibility

OK has some transparency portals. data.ok.gov provides datasets. OMES publishes budget docs. But ACFR delayed FY2024. Gaming compacts behind closed doors. Below adequate.

U.S. PIRG; data.ok.gov

Intergovernmental cooperation — federal compliance balanced with sovereignty

OK fully complies with immigration law. But tribal relations destroyed (worst in state history). McGirt v. Oklahoma created jurisdictional mess. Intergovernmental relations deeply damaged with tribal governments.

Federal compliance; tribal relations

Gubernatorial succession and continuity planning

LG Matt Pinnell in place. COOP plan current. Clear succession. Adequate continuity.

OK Constitution; FEMA COOP

Anti-corruption — state procurement integrity

Epic Charter Schools fraud ($69.3M, founders face 15 felonies). Gateway Mortgage conflict of interest. Ryan Walters $3M Bible purchase blocked. Multiple procurement/ethics concerns.

OK State Auditor; LOFT; court records

-2

Gas price burden — state gas taxes, refinery regulations, cap-and-trade

Gas tax $0.20/gallon, among lower rates. No cap-and-trade.

salestaxhandbook.com

Energy affordability — residential electricity costs from state policy

Oklahoma ranks 4th lowest electricity. 2nd for commercial/industrial.

okenergytoday.com; eia.gov

Energy policy competence — forced mandates without infrastructure readiness

All-of-the-above energy. No forced shutdown of conventional generation.

investmentmonitor.ai

Property tax burden — effective rate vs national median

Property tax 0.77%. Pushing to eliminate income taxes entirely.

smartasset.com; tax-rates.org

Regulatory cost burden — permits, compliance costs per household/business

4% corporate tax. Pushing toward zero income tax. #4 best state to start a business.

readfrontier.org; taxfoundation.org

Unfunded mandates on municipalities

Low-tax philosophy limits mandate expansion. SB251 provides county funding.

oklahomawatch.org

Cost of living trajectory — policy-driven affordability trend

Low cost of living key attraction. 9th in net domestic migration.

ocpathink.org; readfrontier.org

Immigration fiscal burden — taxpayer cost of sanctuary/benefits policies

Signed sweeping immigration enforcement. Anti-sanctuary statewide. Mandatory 287(g).

kosu.org; oklahoma.gov

Homelessness spending accountability — spending vs measurable outcomes

Operation SAFE addresses visible homelessness. Enforcement-first with services.

readfrontier.org; kosu.org

Encampment enforcement — response to SCOTUS Grants Pass ruling

Among most aggressive post-Grants Pass. Anti-camping law. State troopers deployed. Treatment or arrest.

kosu.org; kgou.org

Net domestic migration trend — people leaving vs arriving

Ranked 9th nationally. 10,534 net domestic. Brain drain reversed.

ocpathink.org; kansascityfed.org

Business exodus — corporate HQ and jobs relocating due to policy

Record $14.7B investment. 75 company announcements. Pushing to eliminate income tax.

readfrontier.org; citynewsokc.com

DA accountability — governor's power to remove rogue prosecutors

No specific DA removal actions.

oklahomawatch.org

Election infrastructure — ballot harvesting, drop box security, audit transparency

Strong voter ID. 453,000+ purged. National leader in election integrity.

oklahoma.gov; kosu.org

Weaponization of state agencies — using AG/regulatory bodies against political opponents

No evidence of weaponization.

oklahoma.gov

Foreign adversary protections — Chinese land, TikTok bans, Confucius Institutes

Executive order on CCP risk assessments. SB1705 banning foreign land. TikTok banned. DeepSeek banned.

oklahoma.gov; okcfox.com

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