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Oklahoma
Posted: Apr 24, 2026 10:27 AMUpdated: Apr 24, 2026 11:02 AM
CAPITOL CALL Powered by Phillps 66 4-24-26
Tom Davis
Workforce Development and the "Certificate of Value" and a state question regarding the state and Medicad expansion were the hot topics on CAPITOL CALL Powered by Phillips 66 with Rep. Judd Strom and Rep. John B. Kane.
Rep. Judd Strom teed up Workforce Development and the "Certificate of Value" which is a new initiative involving the State Regents for Higher Education, CareerTech, and Workforce Development. The goal is to provide students starting as young as 16 with a clear data-driven "roadmap" for their careers.
Judd said, " Some of the key features of the certificate includes Identifying available jobs within specific regions and across Oklahoma; providing transparency on entry-level pay vs. long-term salary; and calculating the Return on Investment (ROI) by comparing tuition/fee costs against future earnings to prevent heavy debt for low-paying fields.
Strom is encouraged to see the shift from "Brain Drain" to "Brain Gain" and how these advancements allow students to find attractive careers locally rather than moving to cities like Dallas or Kansas City.
Rep. John B. Kane talked about Medicaid Expansion and State Question Strategy. Kane said there is a proposed State Question asking to move Medicaid expansion from the State Constitution into State Statute.
Kane explained that moving it to statute gives the legislature "latitude" to manage costs and balance the state budget if federal funding decreases. The current 90/10 federal split is expected to shift to 80/20 or lower by 2028. He estimates a $300M–$500M state impact if federal matching drops by just 10%.
Kane highly stressed that the goal is not to "rip away" healthcare but to ensure the sustainability of the "safety net" for the aged, blind, and disabled. Kane brought up the "moral rightness" of implementing work requirements for able-bodied recipients. Acknowledgment that while it may not "pencil out" to massive savings immediately, it is viewed as the "right thing to do" to encourage workforce participation.
Both Strom and Kane commented on the legislative session progress completing of the 12th week of the scheduled 16-week session. Strom said there is "end-of-session rush" where members attempt to revive "dead" legislation before the fall elections. Kane said there is a lot of movement of House and Senate bills between chambers.
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