Rethinking Emergency Powers in Oklahoma
Rethinking Emergency Powers in Oklahoma Author Mike Davis Abstract This paper analyzes Oklahoma’s gubernatorial emergency powers and finds them lacking. It recommends enacting a tight limit on the amount of time an emergency can be declared to exist, limiting local...
Oklahoma Government Revenues and Spending in Perspective – Update
Oklahoma Government Revenues and Spending in Perspective – UpdateAuthor Jason LawterAbstract This paper is the latest update to 1889 Institute’s annual comparison of state and local taxes and spending in six areas as a percentage of personal income across...
Trust but Verify: Open Government and Oklahoma Public Trusts
Trust but Verify: Open Government andOklahoma Public TrustsAuthor Brad GalbraithAbstract This paper explores whether public trusts are appropriate for managing public assets. It finds that Oklahoma’s public trust law suffers from a lack of transparency, avoidance of...
Independent, Principled
State Policy
Emergency Implies Urgency: Why Covid-19 in Oklahoma Never Qualified
In March of 2020, New York experienced a health emergency in the form of the Covid-19 virus. In just a few days’ time, and with very little warning, they went from a few confirmed cases to several...
Western Heights Fiasco Highlights Need for Reform
Last Monday the State Board of Education voted unanimously to amend the conditions of accreditation for the Western Heights school district, effectively taking over the district, substituting...
Can Kids Handle CRT?
On Monday Oklahoma’s State Board of Education approved rules to implement HB 1775, a bill that bans critical race theory from public schools. The announcement renewed debate about CRT and...
Our Story
The 1889 Institute is named for the first land run in Oklahoma. On April 22, 1889, pioneers gathered at a starting line and raced to claim tracts of land from the U.S. government for the price of staying on the
land for five years. The land run typifies the American ideal of opportunity – readily available to anyone with the personal initiative to take it, but without expecting equal results. Regardless of status, education, or station, no participant in a land run had an official advantage. In this way, the land run illustrates 1889 Institute’s commitment to fighting privilege granted by government, and expanding opportunity where government has intruded excessively.
Who We Are
The 1889 Institute is an independent group of scholars dedicated to making Oklahoma the best it can be. We are not affiliated with a political party, do not receive any money from any government entity, and do not engage in grassroots advocacy.
What We Do
The 1889 Institute analyzes and develops state public policy for the state of Oklahoma based on principles of limited and responsible government, free enterprise, and a robust civil society. We disseminate analyses and recommendations to policymakers and the general public.