Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 3627 By: Lawson
4
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to public meetings; amending 25 O.S.
2021, Section 307.1, as last amended by Section 3,
8 Chapter 369, O.S.L. 2025 (25 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section
307.1), which relates to videoconference exceptions;
9 providing exception for the State Committee of Blind
Vendors; requiring members to be audible or visible;
10 providing information meeting notice shall contain;
and declaring an emergency.
11
12
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 25 O.S. 2021, Section 307.1, as
15 last amended by Section 3, Chapter 369, O.S.L. 2025 (25 O.S. Supp.
16 2025, Section 307.1), is amended to read as follows:
17 Section 307.1. A. A public body may hold meetings by
18 videoconference where each member of the public body is visible and
19 audible to each other and the public through a video monitor,
20 subject to the following:
21 1. a. except as provided for in subparagraph b of this
22 paragraph, no less than a quorum of the public body
23 shall be present in person at the meeting site as
24 posted on the meeting notice and agenda,
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1 b. a virtual charter school approved and sponsored by the
2 Statewide Charter School Board pursuant to the
3 provisions of Section 3-132.1 of Title 70 of the
4 Oklahoma Statutes, or the Statewide Independent Living
5 Council established pursuant to Section 625.2 of Title
6 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or the State Committee of
7 Blind Vendors established pursuant to Section 78 of
8 Title 7 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall maintain a
9 quorum of members for the entire duration of the
10 meeting whether using an in-person site,
11 videoconference sites or any combination of such sites
12 to achieve a quorum, and
13 c. each public meeting held by videoconference or
14 teleconference shall be recorded either by written,
15 electronic, or other means;
16 2. The meeting notice and agenda prepared in advance of the
17 meeting, as required by law, shall indicate if the meeting will
18 include videoconferencing locations and shall state:
19 a. the location, address, and telephone number of each
20 available videoconference site, and
21 b. the identity of each member of the public body and the
22 specific site from which each member of the body shall
23 be physically present and participating in the
24 meeting;
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1 3. After the meeting notice and agenda are prepared and posted,
2 as required by law, no member of the public body shall be allowed to
3 participate in the meeting from any location other than the specific
4 location posted on the agenda in advance of the meeting;
5 4. In order to allow the public the maximum opportunity to
6 attend and observe each public official carrying out the duties of
7 the public official, a member or members of a public body desiring
8 to participate in a meeting by videoconference shall participate in
9 the videoconference from a site and room located within the district
10 or political subdivision from which they are elected, appointed, or
11 are sworn to represent;
12 5. Each site and room where a member of the public body is
13 present for a meeting by videoconference shall be open and
14 accessible to the public, and the public shall be allowed into that
15 site and room. Public bodies may provide additional videoconference
16 sites as a convenience to the public, but additional sites shall not
17 be used to exclude or discourage public attendance at any
18 videoconference site;
19 6. The public shall be allowed to participate and speak, as
20 allowed by rule or policy set by the public body, in a meeting at
21 the videoconference site in the same manner and to the same extent
22 as the public is allowed to participate or speak at the site of the
23 meeting;
24
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1 7. Unless confidential or privileged under applicable law, any
2 materials shared electronically between members of the public body,
3 before or during the videoconference, shall also be immediately
4 available to the public in the same form and manner as shared with
5 members of the public body; and
6 8. All votes occurring during any meeting conducted using
7 videoconferencing shall occur and be recorded by roll call vote.
8 B. Except as provided for in subsections C and D of this
9 section, no public body shall conduct an executive session by
10 videoconference.
11 C. The Oklahoma Tax Commission may conduct executive sessions
12 with the taxpayer at issue attending using videoconference
13 technology to discuss confidential taxpayer matters as provided for
14 in Section 205 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes. During
15 executive sessions, the Commission is required to be physically
16 present while taxpayers may appear using videoconference technology.
17 The technology selected and utilized by the Commission shall ensure
18 taxpayer confidentiality including compliance with safeguards as
19 provided for in Internal Revenue Service Publication 1075.
20 D. The Statewide Independent Living Council established
21 pursuant to Section 625.2 of Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes may
22 conduct executive sessions using videoconference technology. For
23 such executive sessions, no Council member shall be required to be
24 physically present as long as each Council member is audible or
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1 visible to each other. The meeting notice and agenda prepared in
2 advance of the meeting as required by law shall indicate if the
3 executive session will include videoconferencing and shall also
4 state the identity of each Council member appearing remotely, and
5 whether any member will be physically present at the meeting site,
6 if any, for the executive session.
7 E. The State Committee of Blind Vendors established pursuant to
8 Section 78 of Title 7 of the Oklahoma Statues may conduct executive
9 sessions using videoconference technology. For such executive
10 sessions, no Committee member shall be required to be physically
11 present as long as each Committee member is audible or visible to
12 other members participating in the executive session. The meeting
13 notice and agenda prepared in advance of the meeting as required by
14 law shall indicate whether the executive session will include
15 videoconferencing, shall state the identity of each Committee member
16 appearing remotely, and shall note whether any member will be
17 physically present at the meeting site, if any, for the executive
18 session.
19 SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
20 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
21 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
22 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
23
24 60-2-15153 CMA 12/16/25
Req. No. 15153 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.