An act relating to juvenile bureaus, the official text

1                            STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2             1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)

3 HOUSE BILL 1579                 By: Lawson

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6                               AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to juvenile bureaus; amending 10A

    O.S. 2021, Section 2-4-107, which relates to salaries

8   and expenses; modifying salary limitations; and

    providing an effective date.

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11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

12  SECTION 1.      AMENDATORY  10A O.S. 2021, Section 2-4-107, is

13 amended to read as follows:

14  Section 2-4-107. A. 1. The salary of the director and other

15 employees of the bureau and any detention home established pursuant

16 to Section 2-4-108 of this title shall be fixed by the judge of the

17 Juvenile Division, subject to the general administrative authority

18 of the county commissioners of the contracting county. The salary

19 of the director shall not exceed ninety percent (90%) of salaries of

20 county Class A officers.

21  2. The salary of any other employee of the juvenile bureau

22 shall not exceed eighty-five percent (85%) of Class A county

23 officers.

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    Req. No. 10979                                               Page 1
1   B. The judge of the Juvenile Division, subject to the general

2 administrative authority of the county commissioners of the

3 contracting county, may fix a limit on the amount of expenses that

4 may be incurred by the director and assistants to the director, such

5 limit to be in the judgment of the judge adequate to care for the

6 expenses necessary to carrying out the orders of the court in an

7 efficient and expedient manner. The director and assistants to the

8 director and other personnel of the court shall keep and maintain

9 their offices at the place where the office of the judge of the

10 court is kept, unless the judge of the Juvenile Division, subject to

11 the general administrative authority of the county commissioners of

12 the contracting county, shall direct otherwise. The offices of the

13 director and assistants to the director shall contain adequate

14 equipment, desk space and consultation rooms necessary for

15 appropriate office procedure.

16  C. In addition to their salaries, the director and assistants

17 to the director shall be reimbursed at the same rate as state

18 employees for mileage traveled by them in the investigation of court

19 cases and in supervising probationers. The director and assistants

20 may also receive reimbursement, at the rate and in the manner

21 applicable to other county officers, for actual and necessary

22 expenses incurred by them in attending conferences, meetings,

23 seminars or official business of the court either within or outside

24 of the State of Oklahoma.

    Req. No. 10979                                                 Page 2
1   D. In all counties having a juvenile bureau, the budget of the

2 juvenile bureau for salaries and expenses of the director,

3 counselors and other employees shall be established and funded as

4 follows:

5   1. All expenses incurred in complying with the provisions of

6 this article shall be a county charge or funded by a special sales

7 tax dedicated to juvenile programs and expenses;

8   2. The salaries and other compensation of all employees of the

9 juvenile bureau shall be fixed by the judge within the limit of the

10 total appropriations therefor; and

11  3. It is made the duty of the county excise board to make the

12 necessary appropriation and levy for the payment of salaries of the

13 director and all other employees, together with the expenses of

14 administering the bureau, consistent with the duty to do likewise

15 with the budget estimates of other county officers under the board's

16 jurisdiction, as required by the Constitution and laws of this

17 state.

18  4. Except in instances where it is entitled to representation

19 because of insurance coverage, the district attorney of the county

20 in which the juvenile bureau is located shall represent the juvenile

21 bureau and any employee who was acting in his or her official

22 capacity at the time of the act or omission complained of in any

23 lawsuit. If the district attorney has a conflict of interest or

24 otherwise declines to represent the juvenile bureau or its

    Req. No. 10979                                                  Page 3
1 employees, the county commissioners may request the assistance of

2 the Attorney General or authorize the employment of private counsel

3 for the juvenile bureau and its employees in their official

4 capacity.

5   SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.

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7   60-1-10979      CMA  12/20/24

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    Req. No. 10979                                             Page 4