HOUSE BILL 2153
www.oklegislature.gov/cf_pdf/2025-...

/2 House Bill 2153, by state Rep. Rob Hall and state Sen. Avery Frix, mandates that all OSSAA hearings, particularly hearings regarding “rule violations, eligibility determinations, and requests for hardship waivers,” must be conducted in an open meeting that members of the public can attend.

Bill forcing OSSAA meetings into public view clears Senate panel A Senate committee advanced House Bill 2153, which would force the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association to hold open, public meetings whenever…

#foioklahoma By Ray Carter, ocpathink.org: Legislation that would mandate open meetings whenever the officials at the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) determine students’ eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities has advanced from a state Senate committee.

/2 The City of Tulsa has so far denied The Frontier’s access to those records.

Disability rights watchdog opens probe into Tulsa city jail after Frontier investigation A federally designated watchdog is examining conditions at the municipal jail, citing concerns over medical care and treatment of people with mental illness.

#foioklahoma By Garrett Yalch, readfrontier.org: Once inside, investigators plan to walk through areas where detainees are held, conduct private interviews with inmates, and review documents including policies, incident reports, and records related to deaths and medical incidents.

STILL SHE RISES V. TULSA POLICE DEPARTMENT
www.oscn.net/dockets/GetD...

/2 They also assert that "TPD illegally charges time-and-labor fees in at least three circumstances, when a request takes more than an hour to complete, when a request calls for production of audio or video records, and when a person submits an ORA request with the assistance of counsel."

Lawsuit claims TPD violates Open Records Act "The Tulsa Police Department does not comply with its obligations under Oklahoma's Open Records Act." That's the fist line of the lawsuit brought by Still She R

#foioklahoma By Burt Mummolo, ktul.com: The nonprofit Still She Rises says that the Tulsa Police Department violates the Open Records Act by routinely charging hourly fees instead of just charging for the actual costs involved.
ktul.com/news/local/l...

/2 And the LPD has "serious training issues," Wilson said, pointing to the recent arrest of a Fort Sill soldier who was soon released from custody.

#foioklahoma By Mike W. Ray, swoknews.com: He urged the council to delay acceptance of the software because the City of Lawton "has already exhibited ongoing transparency issues" and not providing "timely responses to open records requests."
www.swoknews.com/community_ne...

/2 The video, which News 4 obtained through an open records request, provides the first visual confirmation of Moore’s heroic actions, which officials have credited with stopping a potential mass shooting, and also shows how the suspect entered the building.

Video shows Pauls Valley principal heroically tackling school gunman, reveals person opened locked door to let him inside Newly released surveillance video shows Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore heroically tackling the gunman who opened fire inside the school, and reveals someone opened a locked door to l…

#foioklahoma By Spencer Humphrey, kfor.com: Newly released surveillance video shows Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore heroically tackling the gunman who opened fire inside the school, and reveals someone opened a locked door to let the suspect inside.
kfor.com/news/local/v...

Video shows Pauls Valley principal heroically tackling school gunman, reveals person opened locked door to let him inside Newly released surveillance video shows Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore heroically tackling the gunman who opened fire inside the school, and reveals someone opened a locked door to l…

#foioklahoma By Spencer Humphrey, kfor.com: Newly released surveillance video shows Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore heroically tackling the gunman who opened fire inside the school, and reveals someone opened a locked door to let the suspect inside.
kfor.com/news/local/v...

Developers plan construction phasing for Norman’s Rock Creek Entertainment District Rainier Development Company and the University of Oklahoma Foundation formalize construction phasing for Norman's billion-dollar arena district amid legal challenges.

#foioklahoma By Sam Royka, journalrecord.com: While developers formalize the construction schedule for Norman’s billion-dollar arena district, a local organization seeks a referendum vote on funding while alleging open meeting act violations by the city and county.
journalrecord.com/2026/04/15/r...

House Bill 3278
www.oklegislature.gov/cf_pdf/2025-...

/2 “Oklahomans deserve a government that operates in the open and plays by the rules,” Drummond, who is running for governor, said in a statement after the bills passed the House. “These bills give our office the practical tools to enforce transparency and hold public officials accountable.”

Oklahoma Lawmakers Move to Close Revolving Door Loophole Exposed by Former Prison Chief's Job Switch - Oklahoma Watch Oklahoma lawmakers are moving to close a conflict-of-interest loophole exposed when former Department of Corrections Director Steven Harpe approved a million-dollar contract with a tech company and to...

#foioklahoma By Keaton Ross, oklahomawatch.org: A measure [House Bill 3278] that allows the attorney general to enforce violations of the Open Meeting Act is alive in the Senate.
oklahomawatch.org/2026/04/15/o...

Appeal filed in lawsuit over Tulsa superintendent hiring process Former TPS board member Jennettie Marshall and outgoing board member E’Lena Ashley are asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to weigh in after a summary judgment earlier this year ended the pair’s lawsuit...

#foioklahoma By Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, tulsaworld.com: As per an open records request, Tulsa Public Schools spent more than $555,000 on attorneys’ fees and other costs associated with the lawsuit through the end of the fall 2025 semester.
tulsaworld.com/news/local/e...

/2 However, federal investigators identified “potential excess benefit transactions” between Epic and its founders’ for-profit management company, which could result in significant financial penalties.

IRS Flags Potential Excess Benefit Transactions at Epic Charter Schools, State Criminal Trial Looms - Oklahoma Watch The IRS has identified potential excess benefit transactions between Epic Charter Schools and its founders' for-profit management company, even as it allowed the school to keep its nonprofit tax statu...

#foioklahoma By Andrea Eger, oklahomawatch.org: Newly obtained public records reveal Oklahoma’s largest charter school is out of the woods when it comes to keeping its tax-exempt status.

/2 ORED’s letter claims the city of Norman and Cleveland County willfully violated the Open Meeting Act in connection with the adoption of and attempt to move forward with the Rock Creek Entertainment District project plan.

Council to seek clarity on authority to hold public vote on Rock Creek Entertainment District TIF districts Norman City Council will consider an agenda item Tuesday that could help determine if the city has the authority to hold a public vote on the Rock Creek Entertainment District

#foioklahoma By Natalie Armour, Anusha Fathepure & Thomas Pablo, oudaily.com: “(The letter) just puts everybody on notice, ...” Paul Arcaroli, ORED member, told OU Daily Friday. “What the letter says is we will sue for Open Meeting (Act) violation if you don’t put this to a public vote.”

TID committee recommends giving Project Mustang 100% property tax break A committee of Rogers County taxing entities recommended a project plan March 31 that would exempt Beale Infrastructure from paying property taxes for decades.

#foioklahoma By Emmet Jamieson, claremoreprogress.com: Claremore City Manager John Feary, head of the committee, said the Project Mustang project plan must receive further approval before it takes effect. Feary said people must make open records requests to the city to obtain a copy of the plan.

Expert: Power-Hungry Inola Smelter With Unclear Plans Will Enable Isolationism - Oklahoma Watch In Inola, a heavily subsidized aluminum smelter tied to national security priorities is advancing despite unanswered questions that could reshape the region’s farms, livestock and public health.

#foioklahoma By J.C. Hallman, oklahomawatch.org: When compared to the most sophisticated smelters in the world, public records indicate Inola’s plant will be allowed to emit twice as much pollution in some cases.
oklahomawatch.org/2026/04/13/e...

/2 … and if the county and UNP North, LLC continue to proceed with the project.

#foioklahoma By Peggy Dodd, normantranscript.com: In the letter, which The Transcript obtained from the city through an Open Records Act request, Norman wrote legal action will occur if the city does not repeal the ordinance or put the matter to a public vote, …

#foioklahoma From inet-investigation.com: Check out public records tips for journalists boiled down at this handy free online guide through inet-investigation.
www.inet-investigation.com/public-recor...

/2 While the city leaders were forbidden from disclosing of the plans, one expert when it comes to public records, contends the NDA contained a small but critical loophole. It did not forbid the release of information sought through use of the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

#foioklahoma By Jerry Bohnen, okenergy.com: In Yukon one such NDA was required by Beltline Energy, a a firm still seeking approval for a proposed data center.
www.okenergytoday.com/2026/04/tale...

#foioklahoma By Wendy Suares, okcfox25.com: FOX 25 found Zumwalt remained on the state payroll for months after announcing her resignation, collecting more than $108,000 in payments, followed by a separate settlement tied to Open Records Requests.
okcfox.com/news/local/f...