Child care: Oklahoma is eligible for almost $590 million from two federal child care programs that were part of this spring’s American Rescue Plan, according to figures released Friday by the Biden administration.
That figure does not include Oklahoma tribes’ share of the $1.2 billion earmarked for native governments nationwide.
According to the White House, the state is eligible for $226.4 million in child care development block grants and $362.9 million in child care stabilization funding.
The block grants are primarily intended to boost pay for child care workers in order to coax better-qualified people into the field.
The stabilization fund is intended to help child care providers dig out of financial difficulties created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Session notes: Gov. Kevin Stitt cleaned up some unfinished work from the legislative session by signing House Joint Resolution 1046, which rejects a handful of administrative rules.
His office also disclosed that Stitt vetoed House Bill 2510 on June 2. That measure would have allowed private attorneys representing local governments in opioid lawsuits to be paid with proceeds of a state settlement of a related case.
Bottom lines: Luke Vanderwork, a Woodward native and 2021 Oklahoma State University graduate, is 3rd District Congressman Frank Lucas’ field representative for Tulsa-area constituents including those in Creek, Osage and Pawnee counties. … The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services extended Harmon Memorial Hospital’s designation as a critical access hospital, thus allowing the Hollis facility to remain open.
