TOP HEADLINES
Fees to increase Friday as new Oklahoma laws take effect:
It will be more expensive to file for divorce and get a traffic ticket due to new laws that take effect Friday. More than 60 bills are taking effect Friday after the Legislature adjourned in May [Tulsa World].
Unused tax credits are ‘wild card’ in state budget:
Unused tax credits have created a big cloud over future state revenue collections, and officials say they can’t predict with certainty when or even if a storm might strike [Oklahoma Watch].
A new fiscal year begins, but the same old problems remain:
The state budget approved by the Legislature in May and going into effect on Friday is inadequate. Core state services are underfunded and the result is that Oklahomans will be ill-educated, ill-treated and underserved [Tulsa World].
Coal ash bedevils Oklahoma town, revealing weakness of EPA rule:
The source of Bokoshe’s enduring misery is coal ash, an often-toxic byproduct of burning coal for electricity. Clouds of it, swirling like tornadoes at times, descend upon people while they sit in their yards and mow their lawns [StateImpact Oklahoma].
107 Nobel laureates sign letter blasting Greenpeace over GMOs:
More than 100 Nobel laureates have signed a letter urging Greenpeace to end its opposition to genetically modified organisms [Washington Post].
Washington Week in Review: GMO labeling bill clears procedural hurdle:
The Senate GMO labeling bill received a strong signal of support form Senate lawmakers this week. Agri-Pulse’s Phil Brasher and Spencer Chase discuss what that could mean for the legislation going forward [Agri-Pulse].
USDA planting report points to bumber corn, bean, cotton crops:
U.S. farmers have once again planted corn and soybeans at or near historic highs, according to Department of Agriculture estimates released on Thursday [Agri-Pulse].
Froman: Rejecting TPP would weaken the US:
A rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal would go far beyond just causing U.S. exporters to miss out on lower tariffs, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said today [Agri-Pulse].
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
As we celebrate our country and our freedom, OKAgPolicy Today will take a break on Monday, July 4 and will resume Tuesday, July 5. Enjoy your holiday weekend!
