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
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 1461 By: Bergstrom
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to education; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
7 Section 23-105, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 296,
8 O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 23-105),
8 which relates to the Oklahoma Educational Television
9 Authority; extending sunset date; updating statutory
9 language; providing an effective date; and declaring
10 an emergency.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-105, as
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15 amended by Section 1, Chapter 296, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,
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16 Section 23-105), is amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 23-105. There is hereby re-created, to continue until
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18 July 1, 2026 July 1, 2036, in accordance with the provisions of the
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19 Oklahoma Sunset Law, Section 3901 et seq. of Title 74 of the
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20 Oklahoma Statutes, a body corporate and politic to be known as the
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21 "Oklahoma Educational Television Authority", and by that name the
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22 Authority may sue and be sued, and plead and be impleaded. The
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23 Authority is hereby constituted an instrumentality of the state, and
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24 the exercise by the Authority of the powers conferred by this
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Req. No. 2802 Page 1
1 article section for the planning, construction, operation, and
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2 maintenance of educational television facilities shall be deemed and
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3 held to be an essential function of the state.
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4 The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority shall consist of
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5 thirteen (13) members, including the President of the University of
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6 Oklahoma, the President of Oklahoma State University, the State
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7 Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chancellor of the The
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8 Oklahoma State Regents for System of Higher Education, the president
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9 of one of the state-supported four-year colleges to be chosen by the
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10 presidents of this group of said institutions, the president of one
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11 of the state-supported two-year colleges to be chosen by the
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12 presidents of this group of said institutions, and seven additional
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13 members to be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent
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14 of the Senate, to serve seven-year terms.
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15 The appointed members shall have been residents of the state for
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16 at least five (5) years preceding the date of their appointment.
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17 The appointed members shall include one member from each of the
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18 congressional districts, and any remaining members shall be
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19 appointed from the state at large. However, when congressional
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20 districts are redrawn each member appointed prior to July 1 of the
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21 year in which such modification becomes effective shall complete the
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22 current term of office, and appointments made after July 1 of the
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23 year in which such modification becomes effective shall be based on
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24 the redrawn districts. Appointments made after July 1 of the year
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Req. No. 2802 Page 2
1 in which such modification becomes effective shall be from any
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2 redrawn districts which are not represented by an authority member
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3 until such time as each of the modified congressional districts are
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4 represented by an authority member. A majority of the appointed
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5 members shall be actively engaged in the profession of education.
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6 Each appointed member of the Authority, before entering upon the
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7 duties of the member, shall take the oath provided for by Section 1
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8 of Article XV of the Oklahoma Constitution of the State of Oklahoma.
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9 The seven original members appointed by the Governor shall
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10 continue in office for terms expiring on June 30, 1954; June 30,
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11 1955; June 30, 1956; June 30, 1957; June 30, 1958; June 30, 1959;
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12 and June 30, 1960, respectively. The terms of each of the original
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13 appointed members shall be designated by the Governor, and said such
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14 members shall serve for their appointed terms and until their
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15 respective successors shall be appointed and qualified. The
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16 successor of each appointed member shall be appointed for a term of
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17 seven (7) years, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy
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18 shall be appointed to serve only for the unexpired term in said of
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19 such vacancy.
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20 The Authority shall elect from the its membership of the
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21 Authority a chair, a vice-chair vice chair, and a secretary-
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22 treasurer secretary treasurer. Any such officers elected by the
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23 Authority on or after July 1, 1984, shall be appointed to serve a
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24 term of one (1) year. Seven members of the Authority shall
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Req. No. 2802 Page 3
1 constitute a quorum, and the vote of seven members shall be
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2 necessary for any action taken by the Authority. No vacancy in the
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3 membership of the Authority shall impair the right of a quorum to
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4 exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the Authority.
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5 The Authority shall meet at least quarterly.
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6 The members of the Authority shall not be entitled to
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7 compensation for their services, but each member shall be reimbursed
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8 for travel expenses incurred in performing official duties in
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9 accordance with the provisions of the State Travel Reimbursement
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10 Act. No liability or obligation shall be incurred by the Authority
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11 beyond the extent to which monies shall have been provided pursuant
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12 to the authority of this article section.
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13 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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14 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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15 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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16 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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17 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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19 60-2-2802 EB 1/8/2026 1:47:54 PM
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Req. No. 2802 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.