Overview

In addition to our direct service work, CAP also serves as a proactive advocate in the development and promotion of policy ideas that will support our objective of eradicating poverty.

CAP's public policy department aims to produce and disseminate timely and informative analysis to the public and legislators on public policy issues which impact the working poor. This website includes both information we've produced on a range of key issues and links to other valuable sources of information.

To sign up for public policy updates, click here.

***NEW RELEASES FROM CAP PUBLIC POLICY***
The most recent reports, analysis, and fact sheets from CAP's public policy department. For more on various subjects, scroll down this page or click on the tabs on the upper right.
  • 2008 Oklahoma Legislative and Budget Primer (Janaury 2008)     [NEW]
  • State Fiscal Outlook: Facing the Challenges to Achieve our Common Goals (Presentation, January 2008)     [NEW]
  • Gambling and Tobacco Taxes Provide Small Boost but Long-Term Funding Gap is Widening (Issue Brief, Dec. 2008)     [NEW]
  • Lottery (SQ 705&706) Factsheet     [NEW]
  • Gaming (SQ 712) Factsheet     [NEW]
  • Tobacco Taxes (SQ 713) Factsheet     [NEW]
  • HB 1804: Facts and Fiction (Nov 2007)     [NEW]
  • Securing Oklahoma's Fiscal Future: Presentation to House Revenue and Tax Committee (Sept. 2007)     [NEW]
  • Congress Should Override President's SCHIP Veto
  • Census Data Shows Soaring Poverty Rate in Oklahoma (Press Release, August 2007)
  • Interpreting HB 1804: A Guide to Understanding Oklahoma's New Immigration Bill (CAP Brief, August 2007)
  • Growing Oklahoma's Economy: The Evidence on What Really Works (CAP Issue Brief, April 2007)
  • Invest in People for Economic Growth (Tulsa World Op-Ed, May 5)
  • Proven Tools for Growing Oklahoma's Economy (Fact Sheet, April 2007)
  • Cover All Kids: Expanding Health Insurance is a Wise Investment in Oklahoma Future (CAP Issue Brief, April 2007)

    New Statewide Policy Organization
    CAP's public policy department is being spun-off into a new statewide policy organization.

  • Statement of Purpose     [NEW]

    Legislative Information
    Resources on Oklahoma's legislative and budget process

  • 2008 Legislative and Budget Primer - (Jan. 2008)     [NEW]
  • FY '08 Appropriations Summary (Senate Staff)     [NEW]
  • Candidates and Election Results: 2006 and Previous Years
  • FY '07 Budget and Tax Wrap-Up Issue Brief (July '06)     [NEW]
  • 2006 Senate Session Overview (June 31, 2006)
  • 2006 House of Representatives Session Overview (June 12, 2006)
  • Oklahoma Legislature Home Page
  • Find Your State and Federal Legislators
  • Office of State Finance Website
  • Lobbyist Information - State Ethics Commission

    Tax and Budget
    CAP conducts extensive research and analysis on state fiscal policy issues. Follow the links below for complete information

  • CAP's Tax and Budget Webpage
  • Alliance for Oklahoma's Future
  • TABOR

    Immigration
    HB 1804 confers broad new powers and responsibilities for enforcing federal immigration laws to state and local agencies, law enforcement and businesses.

  • HB 1804: Facts and Fiction (Nov 2007)     [NEW]
  • Interpreting HB 1804: A Guide to Understanding Oklahoma's New Immigration Bill (CAP Brief, August 2007)
  • Presentation on HB 1804 (David Blatt, June 2007)
  • Presentation on HB 1804 - Law Enforcement Provisions (Elizabeth McCormick, June 2007)
  • Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Pledge of Resistance and Catholic Church Statements on Immigration     [NEW]
  • What Do Our Faith Communities Have to Say About Immigration?
  • Tulsa Metropolitan Ministries Statement on Immigration (June 2007)
  • HB 1804 (Final Version)
  • Supplementary Materials related to HB 1804 (Federal laws and regulations)
  • Council of Economic Advisors: Economic Impact of Immigrants (July 2007)
  • Issue Brief: Federal Pre-emption of state and local immigration laws (NILC, June 2007)
  • Analysis of HB 1804: The Wrong Approach for Oklahoma (National Immigration Law Center)
  • Data on the Undocumented Immigration Population in the U.S. (Pew Research Center)
  • Paying Their Way and Then Some: Facts about the Contributions of Immigrants to Economic Growth and Public Investment (NILC)

    Health Insurance and Medicaid - Oklahoma
    Oklahoma has the third-highest proportion of uninsured in the country. Various programs have been implemented or are being proposed to expand health insurance coverage.

  • Information on New Medicaid Citizenship and Identity Requirements: What To Do To Maintain Eligibility (July 2007)     [NEW]
  • Cover All Kids: Expanding Health Insurance is a Wise Investment in Oklahoma Future (CAP Issue Brief, April 2007)
  • SB 424: All Kids Act (Engrossed Bill)
  • Families USA: Premiums versus Paychecks: A Growing Burden for Oklahoma's Workers (November 2006)
  • Issue Brief: Medicaid Basics: Facts to Keep Straight in the Reform Debate (Jan. 25, 2006)
  • Oklahoma Health Care Authority: Oklahoma's Premium Assistance Program (O-EPIC)
  • Fact Sheet: Premium Assistance and Health Savings Accounts (May '05)
  • CAP Issue Paper: Oklahoma's Uninsured - Who They Are and Why They Lack Insurance(May '04)
  • Fact Sheet: Oklahoma's Uninsured (May '04)

    Health Insurance and Medicaid - National
    The 2005 Deficit Reduction Act has serious implications for Medicaid funding and for how the program will operate at the state level. Meanwhile, the percentage of Americans without health insurance continues to grow.

  • Congress Should Override President's SCHIP Veto     [NEW]
  • GAO Study Showing New Medicaid Documentation Resulting in Declining Enrollment for Eligible Citizens (July 2007)
  • New Medicaid Citizenship Rules Primarily Harming US Citizen Children (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, July 2007 )
  • Center for Children and Families: A Review of Key Medicaid Provisions Affecting Children and Families (Mar '06)
  • Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured: Deficit Reduction Act of 2005: Implications for Medicaid (Feb '06)
  • CBPP: Number of Uninsured Americans Continues to Rise
  • Urban Institute: Workers Without Health Insurance - Who Are They and How Can They Be Helped?
  • KFF Medicaid Resource Book

    STATE OF WORKING OKLAHOMA REPORT
    In January 2007, Community Action Project released an in-depth report on The State of Working Oklahoma. You can read and download the full report, the Executive Summary, Key Findings and Facts, Policy Recommendations and Fact Sheets.

  • The State of Working Oklahoma: The Uneven Recovery Leaves Many Behind (Full Report)
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - Executive Summary
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - Key Findings and Facts
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - Summary of Recommendations
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - Complete Set of Recommendations
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - Health Care Fact Sheet
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - EITC Fact Sheet
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - College Savings Fact Sheet
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - Payday Lending Fact Sheet
  • The State of Working Oklahoma - Early Childhood Fact Sheet

    Income and Poverty

  • "Our Challenge: Easing Poverty a Second Century Goal" (Oklahoman Editorial, Sept 2007)     [NEW]
  • "Poor No More" (Tulsa World editorial, Sept 2007)     [NEW]
  • New Poverty Data - Oklahoma Questions and Answers with David Blatt (Sept 2007)     [NEW]
  • Census Data Shows Soaring Poverty Rate in Oklahoma (Press Release, August 2007)     [NEW]
  • Press Release: Census Data Reveals Declining Median Income, Rising Poverty Rates in Oklahoma (Aug 2006)     [NEW]
  • CBPP: Nationally, Poverty Remains Higher, Income Lower than When Recession Hit Bottom in 2001     [NEW]
  • Link to Census Bureau Income, Poverty, Health Insurance Data
  • Official Federal Poverty Guidelines

    Child Care
    CAP has been actively engaged in efforts over recent years to increase state funding to support the child care subsidy program, which provides essential support for low-income working families.

  • State Child Care Assistance Policies 2006 (National Women's Law Center, Sept. 06)     [NEW]
  • Quality Early Care and Education: A Smart Investment for Oklahoma (Mar '06)
  • The 2003 Economic Impact of Oklahoma's Child Care Industry (Executive Summary)
  • CAP Analysis: Funding Quality Child Care in Oklahoma
  • DHS Division of Child Care
  • Oklahoma Child Care Portfolio
  • National Child Care Information Center

    Head Start/Early Childhood Education
    There is a growing literature on the importance of quality early childhood education programs. Research shows benefits accrue to both individuals exposed to quality programs and to society at large.

  • National Reports from "Pre-K Now" Lauds Oklahoma's Leadership in Early Childhood Education (Oct. 06)     [NEW]
  • Tulsa World: Early Child Education is the Key, Study Says (Apr 19, '05)
  • Legal Momentum's Family Initiative and the MIT Workplace Center: Early Childhood Education for All: A Wise Investment (Apr '05)
  • Committee for Economic Development: Preschool for All: Investing in a Productive and Just Society (Dec '04)
  • Georgetown Public Policy Institute: The Effects of Oklahoma's Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program on School Readiness (Nov '04)
  • High/Scope Perry Preschool Project: A Report on the Long-Term Effects of Quality Pre-K Programs (Nov '04)
  • Economic Policy Institute: Exceptional Returns: Economic, Fiscal, and Social Benefits of Investment in Early Childhood Development (Nov '04)
  • American Prospect: You're Doing Fine, Oklahoma! The Universal Pre-K Movement Takes Off in Unlikely Places
  • The Oklahoman: Policy Group Praises State's Prekindergarten
  • NIEER: 2004 State Preschool Yearbook (Nov '04)

    Food Security
    Oklahoma continues to do quite well in enrolling eligible individuals in the Food Stamp Program and in providing breakfasts to children in schools. The state fares much less well in serving meals through the summer. Oklahoma also has the highest rate of food insecurity with hunger in the country.

  • Household Food Security in the United States, 2005 (Nov. '06)     [NEW]
  • Tulsa World Readers Forum: Help Kids Stay Healthy This Summer (Jun 4, '06)     [NEW]
  • FRAC: State of the States 2004: A Profile of Food and Nutrition Programs Across the Nation (Mar '06)
  • FRAC: School Breakfast Scorecard 2005 (Dec '05)
  • FRAC: Food Stamp Participation Access Rates State-by-State (Nov '04)
  • Food Stamp Benefits for Immigrants - English
  • Al Programa de Estampillas de Comida para inmigrantes - Espanol
  • USDA Guide to Food Stamp Eligibility for Non-Citizens
  • Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)
  • USDA Food and Nutrition Services
  • OKlahoma Department of Human Services - Food Stamps

    TANF/Welfare Reform
    The 10-year anniversary of the TANF program coincided with passage of a reauthorization bill and interim final rules that will change how states enforce work participation requirements.

  • CAP Op-Ed: On Welfare Reform 10 Years Later (Oklahoman, Aug. 20, 2006)     [NEW]
  • TANF AT 10: Program Results are More Mixed Than Often Understood (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Aug 2006)
  • Analysis of New Interim Final TANF Regulations (CLASP and CBPP, July 2006)
  • Dangers and Opportunities for States in New TANF Legislation (CBPP and CLASP, May '06)
  • A Decade of Welfare Reform: Facts and Findings
  • Office of Family Assistance: For general information on TANF

    Social Safety Net
    The 2nd Edition of CAP's Social Safety Net Handbook.

  • The Social Safety Net: A Handbook of Major Social Assistance Programs for Oklahomans
  • CBPP: What Does the Safety Net Accomplish? Series of Reports on Major Programs (July 2005)
  • E.j. Dionne: Government Really Can Lessen Poverty
  • CBPP: State Policies to Assist Working-Poor Families (Dec '04)

    Public Policy Links - Research and Analysis
    Links to national and state organizations that provide effective research and analysis on issues affecting low-income people, as well as starting points for key public data.

  • Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
  • State Fiscal Analysis Initiative (other state level budget and tax policy groups)
  • Economic Policy Institute
  • EARN (Economic Analysis Research Network)
  • Moving Ideas Network
  • Center on Law and Social Policy
  • National Employment Law Project (Unemployment)
  • Kaiser Family Foundation (Health Care)
  • Children's Defense Fund
  • Citizens Policy Center
  • Oklahoma Department of Commerce Data and Research Center
  • Oklahoma League of Political Scientists
  • Community Service Council of Tulsa

    Public Policy Links - Advocacy and Politics

  • Alliance for Oklahoma's Future
  • Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy
  • SoonerPolitics.com (Prof. Keith Gaddie)
  • Vote Smart Website to Identify your elected officials
  • Congress.org
  • Follow the Money (campaign contributions)

    Public Policy Links - Advocacy and Politics

    If you wish to communicate with CAP's Public Policy Department or wish to receive information about our activities call (918) 382-3200