(The Center Square) – The NFIB Small Business Legal Center is asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to uphold Gov. Kevin Stitt's decision to withdraw early from federal supplemental unemployment benefits.

Stitt issued an executive order pulling Oklahoma out of the federal pandemic-related program that provides $300 in weekly payments to unemployed workers on top of state benefits, citing the struggles businesses were having hiring.

Stitt's order led to lawsuits challenging his authority to pull out of the Congressionally approved program, which expires in September.

"We believe it was well within Governor Stitt's authority to end the state's participation in a federally funded program that he has determined discourages some people from reentering the workforce and frustrates Oklahoma's economic recovery," Karen Harned, executive director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center, said in a statement.

NFIB filed an amicus brief with the Oklahoma Supreme Court supporting Stitt against the lawsuits.

"The supplemental benefits were essential early in the pandemic when social distancing and other COVID-19 restrictions forced employers to scale back and displaced workers couldn't find new jobs because no one was hiring," NFIB State Director Jerrod Shouse said in a statement. "One year later, businesses are hiring, but they're struggling to find enough workers. Ending the additional benefits now would encourage more people to reenter the workforce and enable small businesses and other employers to meet the increasing needs of their customers."

According to NFIB, 46% of small business owners nationwide reported job openings they couldn't fill.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) appointed John O’Connor (R) as the state’s attorney general on July 23. O’Connor was sworn in on the same day for a term expiring in 2023.

O’Connor succeeded former attorney general Mike Hunter (R), who resigned on June 1. Hunter had served as the attorney general since 2017.

O’Connor has worked as an attorney in private practice and served on the Board of Trustees of Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. Trump nominated O’Connor to a split seat on the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma on April 10, 2018. The U.S. Senate did not confirm O’Connor during the 115th Congress, and O’Connor withdrew his name from consideration for re-nomination by the next Congress on Apr. 12, 2019.

The Oklahoma Attorney General is an elected executive position in state government. The attorney general serves as the state’s chief legal officer and prosecutes violations of state law, represents the state in legal disputes and issues legal advice to state agencies and the legislature.

Life expectancy fell by 1.5 years in the United States in 2020. The decline, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid crisis, represents the most pronounced regression in public health in the United States since World War II.

While the most recent dip in life expectancy in the U.S. is alarming, there are many parts of the country where poor health outcomes and other socioeconomic hardships have long been the norm.

Using an index of three measures -- life expectancy at birth, bachelor's degree attainment, and poverty rate -- 24/7 Wall St. identified the worst counties to live in in every state.

Okfuskee County, in east-central Oklahoma, ranks as the worst county to live in in the state. Major employers in the area include several manufacturing facilities and a correctional facility, but jobs appear to be low paying. The typical household in the county earns just $38,411 a year, and 26.3% of the local population live below the poverty line -- compared to a median income of $52,919 and a poverty rate of 15.7% across Oklahoma.

Of the 77 counties that make up Oklahoma, Okfuskee is the only one where life expectancy at birth is below 70 years. Across the state, life expectancy at birth is 76 years.

Data on bachelor's degree attainment and poverty are from the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey and are five-year estimates. Data on average life expectancy at birth came from the 2021 County Health Rankings, a joint program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, and are based on mortality data from the years 2017 to 2019. Supplemental data on population and income are from the ACS, and unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted for May 2021 and are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the worst county to live in every state.

PlacePoverty rate (%)Adults with a bachelor's degree (%)Life expectancy at birth (years)Alabama: Wilcox County30.112.570.8Alaska: Bethel Census Area28.311.971.6Arizona: Apache County35.512.373.1Arkansas: Phillips County34.513.871.1California: Tulare County23.814.678.7Colorado: Otero County23.718.674.0Connecticut: Windham County11.424.378.5Delaware: Kent County13.523.777.8Florida: Hamilton County29.97.976.2Georgia: Ben Hill County29.611.273.0Hawaii: Hawaii County15.629.480.6Idaho: Shoshone County19.411.575.5Illinois: Saline County21.119.273.4Indiana: Fayette County19.013.373.0Iowa: Appanoose County17.716.377.1Kansas: Wyandotte County19.218.175.8Kentucky: Leslie County38.08.770.4Louisiana: Madison Parish36.412.872.0Maine: Somerset County20.416.576.5Maryland: Somerset County21.714.475.5Massachusetts: Hampden County16.427.178.2Michigan: Clare County22.712.674.9Minnesota: Wadena County14.313.876.1Mississippi: Holmes County42.410.270.6Missouri: Pemiscot County27.412.771.5Montana: Roosevelt County28.317.467.7Nebraska: Dakota County16.213.079.1Nevada: Nye County16.410.774.2New Hampshire: Coos County12.518.277.3New Jersey: Cumberland County16.515.675.3New Mexico: McKinley County34.811.471.9New York: Bronx County28.020.180.9North Carolina: Robeson County27.713.772.8North Dakota: Rolette County27.119.672.3Ohio: Scioto County22.615.772.0Oklahoma: Okfuskee County26.311.669.6Oregon: Malheur County21.813.778.1Pennsylvania: Fayette County17.317.375.2Rhode Island: Providence County15.229.079.4South Carolina: Dillon County32.611.172.9South Dakota: Todd County55.515.667.4Tennessee: Cocke County23.511.671.5Texas: Zavala County33.810.976.0Utah: San Juan County25.018.376.4Vermont: Orleans County13.121.578.5Virginia: Buchanan County28.411.874.0Washington: Adams County25.614.380.2West Virginia: McDowell County33.25.469.0Wisconsin: Juneau County15.113.778.2Wyoming: Big Horn County12.719.076.1

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) appointed Dana Kuehn to the Oklahoma Supreme Court on July 26. The appointment filled a vacancy on the court caused by former Justice Tom Colbert’s retirement on Feb. 1. Kuehn is Stitt’s third nominee to the nine-member supreme court.

Under Oklahoma law, state supreme court justices are selected by the governor with help from a nominating commission. The nominating commission puts forward a list of three names from which the governor chooses the appointee. The appointed judge serves an initial term of at least one year before standing for retention in the next general election.

Before her appointment to the supreme court, Kuehn served as a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. She was appointed to that seat in 2017. From 2006 to 2017, Kuehn was a Tulsa County associate district judge. Prior to becoming a judge, she worked as a Tulsa County district attorney and as an attorney in private practice with Steidley & Neal, PLLC. Kuehn earned a B.A. in political science from Oklahoma State University and a J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

With her appointment to the supreme court, Kuehn became the first woman to serve on both of Oklahoma’s high courts.

In 2021, there have been 14 supreme court vacancies in 12 of the 29 states where replacement justices are appointed instead of elected. To date, 12 of those vacancies have been filled.

(The Center Square) – Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday appointed John O’Connor to serve as the attorney general of Oklahoma.

“I am excited to appoint John O’Connor to serve as Oklahoma’s attorney general,” Stitt said in a statement. “John is the right leader for this moment. As an attorney, John is known amongst his peers to be of the highest competence and integrity, receiving the highest possible ethical and legal ratings during his 40 years of practice. More importantly, John is a man of high moral character who will do the right things for the right reasons – not for personal gain. I have the utmost confidence in him to uphold the law and fight for all 4 million Oklahomans.”

O’Connor replaces former Attorney General Mike Hunter, who announced in May that he was resigning from the position, citing "personal matters that are becoming public."

The unexpired term ends Jan. 9, 2023. O’Connor, an attorney at Hall Estill in Tulsa, said he plans to run for the office in 2022.

The obesity epidemic in the U.S. is a major health issue, and it's getting worse. The current national adult obesity rate is 29.7%, but almost half of adults are projected to be obese, not just overweight, by 2030, according to Harvard researchers estimates published in December 2019 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

While the country as a whole is facing an obesity crisis, the problem is much more pronounced in some states.

Oklahoma is the state with the seventh highest adult obesity rate in the U.S. About 34.5% of adult residents report a body mass index of 30 or greater. High obesity rates can detrimentally affect health.

About 20.9% of adults in Oklahoma report being in poor or fair health, the eighth highest share in the U.S. Nationwide, 17.0% of adults report subpar health.

Obesity is a leading risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, and 12.3% of Oklahoma residents over the age of 20 have diabetes, the ninth highest share of all states. The diabetes prevalence across the country among the same age group is 10.5%

There are a multitude of social and economic factors that predispose certain populations to higher obesity rates. People with lower incomes are less able to afford proper medical care and healthy lifestyles, which include eating a healthy diet and having easy access to gyms and other options for physical activity.

The median household income in Oklahoma is $54,449 a year, the eighth lowest in the U.S. and $11,263 less than the median across the country of $65,712 a year.

Insufficient sleep, defined as sleeping less than seven hours per night on average, has been shown to be a contributing factor to obesity. Sleep deprivation interferes with the two hormones that control appetite. Lack of sleep can lead to increased levels of ghrelin (increased appetite) and decreased levels of leptin (diminished feeling of fullness), possibly leading to weight gain.

About 37.5% of adults in Oklahoma report not getting enough sleep, the 18th highest share in the U.S. and compared to 35.2% of U.S. adults.

Health experts have pointed to several lifestyle factors that are likely contributing to the excess weight problem among Americans, including a sedentary lifestyle. The physical inactivity rate in Oklahoma is 27.8%, the seventh highest in the U.S. Nationwide, 22.7% of adults don't exercise on a regular basis.

To identify the most obese states, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed health data from the 2021 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program. These are the most obese states in America

StateAdult obesity ratePop. Over 20 with diabetesAdults in poor or fair healthAdults who don't exercise regularlyMedian household income a yearMississippi39.1%14.6%22.1%30.4%45,792West Virginia37.8%15.1%23.6%28.0%48,850Louisiana36.3%13.0%21.4%28.0%51,073Alabama36.1%14.5%21.4%29.3%51,734Arkansas35.0%13.5%23.3%30.4%48,952Kentucky34.6%12.7%21.8%28.7%52,295Oklahoma34.5%12.3%20.9%27.8%54,449Iowa34.3%9.9%13.5%22.6%61,691South Carolina34.0%13.3%17.8%26.0%56,227Indiana33.9%12.1%18.2%26.7%57,603North Dakota33.9%9.4%13.6%23.1%64,577Ohio33.5%12.2%17.8%26.1%58,642Nebraska33.4%10.0%13.8%22.7%63,229Tennessee33.3%12.5%21.2%27.2%56,071Kansas33.0%10.5%16.3%23.9%62,087Missouri32.5%11.4%19.5%25.5%57,409Michigan32.4%11.0%18.3%23.1%59,584Delaware32.4%11.8%16.3%27.3%70,176South Dakota32.4%10.1%13.4%22.0%59,533North Carolina32.3%11.5%18.0%23.3%57,341Georgia32.3%12.0%18.4%26.4%61,980Alaska31.9%8.3%15.6%19.3%75,463Wisconsin31.7%9.5%14.8%20.3%64,168Maryland31.6%11.1%15.2%21.9%86,738Texas31.4%10.2%18.7%23.2%64,034Pennsylvania30.8%11.0%17.6%22.0%63,463Virginia30.5%10.7%16.6%22.2%76,456Maine29.8%10.4%17.1%20.8%58,924Illinois29.7%9.9%15.9%21.6%69,187Oregon29.3%9.7%18.2%17.3%67,058Wyoming29.2%9.0%15.3%23.1%65,003Idaho29.0%9.3%15.1%20.4%60,999Minnesota29.0%8.5%12.9%19.6%74,593Washington28.6%9.3%15.0%16.4%78,687New Hampshire28.6%9.6%12.8%20.8%77,933Rhode Island28.5%10.1%16.5%23.5%71,169Arizona27.9%9.6%18.6%21.2%62,055New Mexico27.3%9.5%20.3%19.0%51,945Florida27.2%10.8%19.5%25.8%59,227Montana27.1%8.9%14.1%21.7%57,153Nevada27.1%10.5%19.1%22.5%63,276Vermont27.0%8.8%12.8%18.4%63,001Utah27.0%7.5%14.8%16.7%75,780New Jersey27.0%9.9%15.5%26.6%85,751New York26.4%10.1%16.3%23.4%72,108Connecticut26.3%9.2%13.0%19.9%78,833Massachusetts25.0%8.7%13.5%20.0%85,843Hawaii24.6%11.1%15.4%19.6%83,102California24.3%8.8%17.6%17.7%80,440Colorado22.4%6.6%13.8%14.8%77,127

More than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2020, a nearly 30% surge from 2019 and the most ever recorded in a single year, according to recently released data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Addiction experts say the increase in overdose deaths was largely driven by the increased presence of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl in the U.S. Other contributors include problems related to the coronavirus pandemic, such as increased isolation and job losses.

Oklahoma is the state with the 13th fewest drug overdose deaths per capita in 2020. There were 19 fatal overdoses per 100,000, or a total of 746 drug overdose-related deaths.

Last year, most reported an increase in drug overdose deaths after seeing a decrease in deaths in 2019. In Oklahoma, there were 16 fatal drug overdoses in the state per 100,000 residents, or a total of 618, in 2019.

The average number of overdose deaths in Oklahoma between 2015 and 2019 was 18 per 100,000 people a year, the 23rd fewest of all U.S. states, or an average of 723 overdose-related deaths a year.

To determine the states with the highest drug overdose fatality rates, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed recently released CDC preliminary estimates of drug overdose deaths. The states are ranked based on the number of drug-related deaths per 100,000 residents. These are the states with the most drug overdose deaths per capita in 2020. These are the states with the most drug overdose deaths in 2020.

StateOverdose deaths per 100,000 (2020)Total overdose deaths (2020)Overdose deaths per 100,000 (2019)Total overdose deaths (2019)Average overdose deaths a year per 100,000 (2015-2019)Total average over deaths a year (2015-2019)West Virginia741,3264885248868Kentucky472,104311,369311,391Delaware464494342334329Maryland462,761392,360352,086Tennessee453,091312,138261,771Ohio455,215374,279364,217Louisiana411,925281,304231,090Pennsylvania405,172354,444354,441Connecticut391,385351,231291,031New Mexico387882960925524Rhode Island373963031731329Maine364902736226347Arizona362,644271,981221,585Florida357,555265,524234,850Indiana342,268251,704231,578South Carolina341,728221,13119969Massachusetts332,293322,215312,102New Jersey322,815312,774262,329Missouri311,921261,603231,422Vermont301861911820125Nevada309142371023716New Hampshire293932939532438North Carolina293,011212,236202,064Illinois283,528222,775202,513Michigan272,743242,358242,383Wisconsin261,530211,200191,083Colorado261,512191,100171,004Virginia262,186181,538161,357New York264,979193,634183,544California239,142166,363135,280Washington231,724161,251151,162Alabama209891573915749Alaska201461813317126Utah196221857520630Hawaii192741724515206Oregon197981461013539Minnesota191,0661478812682Oklahoma197461661818723Wyoming1710112721377Georgia171,848131,378131,389Mississippi175101236511330Arkansas175151236213397North Dakota1612312901076Kansas164681338012336Idaho162801526413237Montana151571313912124Texas144,153113,123102,887Iowa134191135010316Nebraska1120981467136South Dakota8741088870

(The Center Square) – Oklahoma's recent score on the Mid-America Business Conditions Index indicates a strengthening economy that is returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The June index value for Oklahoma was 73.6, which was an increase from 68.9 the previous month. Index values greater than 50 indicate an expanding economy in the following three to six months, and those index values below 50 indicate a contracting economy.

"Oklahoma’s pre-pandemic index was registering close to neutral growth so the recent index value is a stronger reading as business confidence returns," Jon Chiappe, director, Research & Economic Analysis at Oklahoma Department of Commerce, told The Center Square. "Unemployment rates are decreasing and labor markets are tight, but there are more people returning to work. The tighter labor market has contributed to strong income gains, but inflation is a concern."

The index's inflation measure went up to 98.4 in June, exceeding the previous month's measure of 96.3.

Regional unemployment, which covers nine states including Oklahoma, is hovering around 4.1%, while the national average is 5% according to Public Radio Tulsa. Manufacturers and other employers said they plan to continue to increase hiring, seeing no layoffs for 2021.

"Since April 2020, which was the low point for Oklahoma’s employment after the pandemic, employment has grown by nearly 100,000 jobs but it has not fully recovered from the pandemic job losses," Chiappe said. "Looking forward with the Mid-America Business Conditions Indicator, job growth should continue in the next few months."

Though no industry in the economy was untouched by the effects of the pandemic, some of those industries are making significant progress in recovery.

"The largest gains since the pandemic occurred in some of the hardest-hit industries nationally, including leisure, hospitality and retail industries; however, in Oklahoma, non-durable manufacturing has gained 14% employment," Chiappe said.

Continuing challenges include supply chain bottlenecks, disruptions, transportation issues and rising input prices.

More than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2020, a nearly 30% surge from 2019 and the most ever recorded in a single year, according to recently released data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Addiction experts say the increase in overdose deaths was largely driven by the increased presence of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl in the U.S. Other contributors include problems related to the coronavirus pandemic, such as increased isolation and job losses.

Oregon is the state with the 15th fewest drug overdose deaths per capita in 2020. There were 19 fatal overdoses per 100,000, or a total of 798 drug overdose-related deaths.

Last year, most reported an increase in drug overdose deaths after seeing a decrease in deaths in 2019. In Oregon, there were 14 fatal drug overdoses in the state per 100,000 residents, or a total of 610, in 2019.

The average number of overdose deaths in Oregon between 2015 and 2019 was 13 per 100,000 people a year, the 10th fewest of all U.S. states, or an average of 539 overdose-related deaths a year.

To determine the states with the highest drug overdose fatality rates, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed recently released CDC preliminary estimates of drug overdose deaths. The states are ranked based on the number of drug-related deaths per 100,000 residents. These are the states with the most drug overdose deaths per capita in 2020. These are the states with the most drug overdose deaths in 2020.

StateOverdose deaths per 100,000 (2020)Total overdose deaths (2020)Overdose deaths per 100,000 (2019)Total overdose deaths (2019)Average overdose deaths a year per 100,000 (2015-2019)Total average over deaths a year (2015-2019)West Virginia741,3264885248868Kentucky472,104311,369311,391Delaware464494342334329Maryland462,761392,360352,086Tennessee453,091312,138261,771Ohio455,215374,279364,217Louisiana411,925281,304231,090Pennsylvania405,172354,444354,441Connecticut391,385351,231291,031New Mexico387882960925524Rhode Island373963031731329Maine364902736226347Arizona362,644271,981221,585Florida357,555265,524234,850Indiana342,268251,704231,578South Carolina341,728221,13119969Massachusetts332,293322,215312,102New Jersey322,815312,774262,329Missouri311,921261,603231,422Vermont301861911820125Nevada309142371023716New Hampshire293932939532438North Carolina293,011212,236202,064Illinois283,528222,775202,513Michigan272,743242,358242,383Wisconsin261,530211,200191,083Colorado261,512191,100171,004Virginia262,186181,538161,357New York264,979193,634183,544California239,142166,363135,280Washington231,724161,251151,162Alabama209891573915749Alaska201461813317126Utah196221857520630Hawaii192741724515206Oregon197981461013539Minnesota191,0661478812682Oklahoma197461661818723Wyoming1710112721377Georgia171,848131,378131,389Mississippi175101236511330Arkansas175151236213397North Dakota1612312901076Kansas164681338012336Idaho162801526413237Montana151571313912124Texas144,153113,123102,887Iowa134191135010316Nebraska1120981467136South Dakota8741088870

(The Center Square) – Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law that legalizes privately funded needle exchange programs throughout the state for the next five years.

"The legalization of syringe service programs (SSP) is another tool in Oklahoma’s efforts to reduce infectious disease, drug addiction and increase referrals for both mental health and drug treatment," Sally Bouse, administrative programs manager at Oklahoma State Department of Health, told The Center Square.

Senate Bill 511 allows for government entities including the State Department of Health, nonprofit groups, religious institutions, for-profit companies, non-government entities partnering with a government agency and tribal governments to operate needle exchange programs. The bill prohibits state funds from being used to purchase needles.

"Oklahoma is estimated to have the second-highest prevalence of hepatitis C in the United States," Bouse said. "Hepatitis C is mainly spread through injection drug use and the sharing of injection equipment. We expect the numbers of new hepatitis C infections to decrease."

Along with the needle exchange, the law allows SSPs to offer other health services, including: referral and resources to treat substance abuse; education on the risk of transmission of infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis, etc.); rapid testing for HIV, hepatitis C and STDs; referrals to medical and mental health services; collection of used needles for safe disposal; and distribution of new needles, cleaning kits, test kits and opioid antagonists. Organizations may also provide rapid testing to identify the potency or toxicity of unknown substances.

Needle exchange providers will be required to register with the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Quarterly, they must report the number of clients served; number and type of referrals provided; the number of syringes, test kits and antagonists distributed; the number of used syringes collected; and the number of HIV and hepatitis tests performed along with the number of reactive results, the bill states.

"New users of SSPs are five times more likely to enter drug treatment, and three times more likely to stop using drugs than those who don’t use the programs," Bouse said. "Also, SSPs help to remove used needles from the community, helping to prevent accidental contact or exposure."

The Oklahoma Drug and Alcohol Professional Counselors Association (ODAPCA) sees this as a compassionate action in the right direction.

"This act, while not considered to be an actual treatment intervention, has long been considered among other states and nations to be a harm reduction strategy which has the capacity to save the life of those who inject illegal drugs," Dr. Bill Sharp, president of ODAPCA, told The Center Square. "As the largest professional organization of drug treatment counselors in the State of Oklahoma, ODAPCA appreciates this act which may give an individual who uses illegal drugs one more chance for a longer life as well as an opportunity to find recovery."