An act relating to the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the official text

1                            STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)

3 HOUSE BILL 3973            By: Caldwell (Trey)

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6                            AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to the Office of Juvenile Affairs;

    stating intent with regard to the Office of Juvenile

8   Affairs for development of secure care and specialty

    residential services; requiring the implementation of

9   a reestablishment strategy for certain facility;

    authorizing certain assistance by the Office of

10  Management and Enterprise Services; authorizing the

    acceptance on behalf of the State gifts of facilities

11  and properties; authorizing the utilization of

    certain funds for certain purposes; creating the

12  Southwest Oklahoma Juvenile Center Reestablishment

    Revolving Fund; establishing revolving fund nature

13  and characteristics; placing the fund under the

    authority of the Office of Juvenile Affairs;

14  establishing purpose for fund usage; requiring

    certain expenditure procedures repealing 10A O.S.

15  2021, Section 2-7-618, which relates to Office of

    Juvenile Affairs planning and execution of

16  construction strategy for youth campuses; providing

    for codification; providing an effective date; and

17  declaring an emergency.

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

21  SECTION 1.      NEW LAW  A new section of law to be codified

22 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2-7-618A of Title 10A, unless

23 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

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    Req. No. 14188                                                 Page 1
1   A. It is the intent of the State of Oklahoma for the Office of

2 Juvenile Affairs (OJA) to plan, develop, redevelop and occupy campus

3 modifications to serve Oklahoma youth in need of secure care and

4 specialty residential services.

5   B. In furtherance of this intent announced in subsection A of

6 this act, OJA shall plan and execute a reestablishment strategy for

7 the facility previously operated as the Southwest Oklahoma Juvenile

8 Center, located in Manitou. The Office of Management and Enterprise

9 Services (OMES) is authorized to assist OJA in assessing the best

10 option and proceeding with necessary steps. The Office of

11 Management and Enterprise Services is authorized to accept, on

12 behalf of the State, such facilities, associated properties, and

13 connecting properties if offered to the State as a gift or by

14 immaterial charge. OJA is authorized to make improvements to the

15 facility as needed to achieve the goal of reestablishing the

16 facility's ability to provide residential services. OJA may utilize

17 funds available in the revolving fund created pursuant to subsection

18 C of this act, along with any other funds available to OJA to

19 achieve the purpose described in this act.

20  C. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving

21 fund for the Office of Juvenile Affairs to be designated the

22 "Southwest Oklahoma Juvenile Center Reestablishment Revolving Fund".

23 The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year

24 limitations, and shall consist of all monies legally designated for

    Req. No. 14188                                                  Page 2
1 deposit to the fund. All monies accruing to the credit of said fund

2 are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the

3 Office of Juvenile Affairs to fulfill the provisions of this act.

4 Expenditures from said fund shall be made upon warrants issued by

5 the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with

6 the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for

7 approval and payment.

8   SECTION 2.      REPEALER  10A O.S. 2021, Section 2-7-618, is

9 hereby repealed.

10  SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.

11  SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation

12 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby

13 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and

14 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.

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16  60-2-14188      JM   01/09/26

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    Req. No. 14188                                                 Page 3