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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 1869 By: Standridge
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the Oklahoma Educational
7 Television Authority; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Sections
8 23-105, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 296, O.S.L.
8 2023, 23-106, as amended by Section 574, Chapter 486,
9 O.S.L. 2025, and 23-118 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Sections
9 23-105 and 23-106), which relate to the Oklahoma
10 Educational Television Authority; removing certain
10 essentiality of the Authority; altering certain
11 powers of the Authority; prohibiting the Authority
11 from charging certain fee for certain programs;
12 prohibiting transfer of appropriated monies to the
12 Authority; directing transfer of certain funds to the
13 Healthy Parks Healthy Minds Fund; transferring
13 certain facilities to the Office of Management and
14 Enterprise Services; authorizing the Office of
14 Management and Enterprise Services to lease certain
15 facilities to the Authority; creating the Healthy
15 Parks Healthy Minds Fund; repealing 70 O.S. 2021,
16 Sections 23-101, 23-107, 23-108, 23-109, 23-110, 23-
16 111, 23-112, 23-113, 23-114, 23-115, 23-116, 23-117,
17 23-120, 23-121, 23-122, 23-123, 23-124, and 23-126,
17 which relate to the Oklahoma Educational Television
18 Authority; providing for codification; providing an
18 effective date; and declaring an emergency.
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21 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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22 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-105, as
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23 amended by Section 1, Chapter 296, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,
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24 Section 23-105), is amended to read as follows:
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Req. No. 2856 Page 1
1 Section 23-105. There is hereby re-created, to continue until
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2 July 1, 2026, in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma
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3 Sunset Law, Section 3901 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma
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4 Statutes, a body corporate and politic to be known as the "Oklahoma
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5 Educational Television Authority", and by that name the Authority
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6 may sue and be sued, and plead and be impleaded. The Authority is
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7 hereby constituted an instrumentality of the state, and the exercise
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8 by the Authority of the powers conferred by this article for the
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9 planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of educational
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10 television facilities shall be deemed and held to be an essential
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11 function of the state.
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12 The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority shall consist of
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13 thirteen (13) members, including the President of the University of
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14 Oklahoma, the President of Oklahoma State University, the State
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15 Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chancellor of the Oklahoma
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16 State Regents for Higher Education, the president of one of the
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17 state-supported four-year colleges to be chosen by the presidents of
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18 this group of institutions, the president of one of the state-
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19 supported two-year colleges to be chosen by the presidents of this
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20 group of institutions, and seven additional members to be appointed
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21 by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve
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22 seven-year terms.
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23 The appointed members shall have been residents of the state for
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24 at least five (5) years preceding the date of their appointment.
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1 The appointed members shall include one member from each of the
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2 congressional districts and any remaining members shall be appointed
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3 from the state at large. However, when congressional districts are
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4 redrawn each member appointed prior to July 1 of the year in which
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5 such modification becomes effective shall complete the current term
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6 of office and appointments made after July 1 of the year in which
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7 such modification becomes effective shall be based on the redrawn
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8 districts. Appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such
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9 modification becomes effective shall be from any redrawn districts
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10 which are not represented by an authority member until such time as
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11 each of the modified congressional districts are represented by an
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12 authority member. A majority of the appointed members shall be
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13 actively engaged in the profession of education. Each appointed
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14 member of the Authority, before entering upon the duties of the
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15 member, shall take the oath provided for by Section 1 of Article XV
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16 of the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma.
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17 The seven original members appointed by the Governor shall
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18 continue in office for terms expiring on June 30, 1954; June 30,
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19 1955; June 30, 1956; June 30, 1957; June 30, 1958; June 30, 1959;
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20 and June 30, 1960, respectively. The terms of each of the original
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21 appointed members shall be designated by the Governor, and said
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22 members shall serve for their appointed terms and until their
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23 respective successors shall be appointed and qualified. The
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24 successor of each appointed member shall be appointed for a term of
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Req. No. 2856 Page 3
1 seven (7) years, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy
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2 shall be appointed to serve only for the unexpired term in said
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3 vacancy.
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4 The Authority shall elect from the membership of the Authority a
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5 chair, a vice-chair, and a secretary-treasurer. Any such officers
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6 elected by the Authority on or after July 1, 1984, shall be
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7 appointed to serve a term of one (1) year. Seven members of the
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8 Authority shall constitute a quorum, and the vote of seven members
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9 shall be necessary for any action taken by the Authority. No
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10 vacancy in the membership of the Authority shall impair the right of
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11 a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of
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12 the Authority. The Authority shall meet at least quarterly.
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13 The members of the Authority shall not be entitled to
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14 compensation for their services, but each member shall be reimbursed
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15 for travel expenses incurred in performing official duties in
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16 accordance with the provisions of the State Travel Reimbursement
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17 Act. No liability or obligation shall be incurred by the Authority
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18 beyond the extent to which monies shall have been provided pursuant
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19 to the authority of this article.
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20 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-106, as
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21 amended by Section 574, Chapter 486, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp.
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22 2025, Section 23-106), is amended to read as follows:
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23 Section 23-106. The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority
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24 is hereby authorized and empowered:
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Req. No. 2856 Page 4
1 1. To accept, assume, and control the television channels
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2 assigned by the Federal Communications Commission to the State of
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3 Oklahoma for educational purposes;
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4 2. To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the
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5 conduct of its business;
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6 3. To adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure;
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7 4. To maintain an office at such place or places within the
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8 state as it may designate designated by the Office of Management and
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9 Enterprise Services;
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10 5. To sue and be sued in its own name, plead and be impleaded;
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11 provided, however, that any and all actions, at law or in equity,
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12 against the Authority shall be brought in the county in which the
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13 principal office of the Authority shall be located, or in the county
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14 of the residence of the plaintiff, or in the county where the cause
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15 of action arose;
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16 6. To construct, maintain, repair and operate television
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17 facilities which with their access connections are designated
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18 ultimately to extend to and include all sections and areas of the
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19 State of Oklahoma;
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20 7. To issue revenue bonds of the Authority, payable solely from
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21 dedicated revenues, for the purpose of paying all or any part of the
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22 cost of needed facilities;
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23 8. To fix and revise from time to time any necessary charges
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24 for the use of any facilities;
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1 9. To pay for the annual cost of the operation, maintenance and
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2 repair of such facilities;
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3 10. To pay as and when due the principal and interest on the
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4 revenue certificates or bonds issued to pay for such facilities;
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5 11. To accumulate and maintain such reserves as are provided
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6 for in the resolution or trust indenture under which such bonds are
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7 issued or secured;
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8 12. To acquire, hold, or dispose of real and personal property
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9 in the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties
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10 under this act;
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11 13. To acquire in the name of the Authority by purchase or
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12 otherwise, on such terms and conditions and in such manner as it may
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13 deem proper, or by the exercise of the right of condemnation in
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14 manner hereinafter provided, such public or private lands, rights-
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15 of-way, property, rights, easements, and interests, as it may deem
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16 necessary for carrying out the provisions of this article; and it is
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17 the intent of the Legislature that all public property damaged in
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18 carrying out the powers granted by this article shall be restored or
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19 repaired and placed in its original condition as nearly as
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20 practicable;
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21 14. To designate, except as is provided for herein, the
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22 locations; and to establish, limit and control such points of
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23 ingress to and egress from each facility as may be necessary or
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Req. No. 2856 Page 6
1 desirable in the judgment of the Authority to insure the proper
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2 operation and maintenance of such facility;
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3 15. 8. To make and enter into all contracts and agreements
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4 necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the
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5 execution of its powers under this article, and to employ consulting
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6 engineers, attorneys, accountants, construction and financial
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7 experts, superintendents, managers, and such other employees and
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8 agents as may be necessary in its judgment, and to fix their
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9 compensation;
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10 16. To receive appropriations from the State Legislature and
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11 accept from any federal agency grants for or in aid of the
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12 construction and operation of any project; provided, the acceptance
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13 of such grants or appropriations will not reduce the amount of
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14 federal aid for other education in this state; and to receive and
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15 accept aid or contributions from any source of either money,
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16 property, labor, or other things of value;
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17 17. 9. To do any and all things necessary to comply with rules,
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18 regulations, or requirements of the Federal Communications
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19 Commission or any other federal agency administering any law enacted
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20 by the Congress of the United States to aid or encourage education;
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21 and
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22 18. 10. To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out
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23 the powers expressly granted in this article.
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Req. No. 2856 Page 7
1 It shall be unlawful for any member, officer, or employee of the
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2 Authority to transact with the Authority, either directly or
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3 indirectly, any business for profit of such member, officer, or
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4 employee; and any person, firm or corporation knowingly
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5 participating therein shall be equally liable for violation of this
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6 provision.
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7 The term "business for profit" shall include, but not be limited
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8 to, the acceptance or payment of any fee, commission, gift or
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9 consideration to such member, officer, or employee.
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10 Any person found guilty of violating any of the provisions of
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11 this section shall be guilty of a Class D1 felony offense, and shall
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12 be punishable by a fine of not less than Five Hundred Dollars
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13 ($500.00), and not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or
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14 by imprisonment as provided for in subsections B through F of
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15 Section 20N of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or by both such
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16 fine and imprisonment.
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17 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-118, is
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18 amended to read as follows:
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19 Section 23-118. Each project when constructed and placed in use
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20 shall be maintained and kept in good condition and repair by the
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21 Authority. When all bonds issued under the provisions of this
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22 article in connection with any project and the interest thereon
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23 shall have been paid or a sufficient amount for the payment of all
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24 such bonds and the interest thereon to the maturity thereof shall
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Req. No. 2856 Page 8
1 have been set aside in trust for the benefit of the bondholders,
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2 such project, if then in good condition and repair to the
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3 satisfaction of the State Legislature, shall become part of the
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4 State Educational System.
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5 A. All counties, cities, towns, municipalities and, school
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6 districts of the state and all, institutions of higher education,
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7 state boards, commissions, officials, and other public agencies,
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8 notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, are hereby authorized
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9 and empowered:
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10 1. To lease, lend, grant or convey to the Authority at its
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11 request upon such terms and conditions as the proper authorities of
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12 such counties, cities, towns, municipalities, school districts of
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13 the state, and all state boards, commissions, officials and other
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14 public agencies may deem reasonable and fair and without the
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15 necessity for any advertisement, order of court or other action or
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16 formality other than the regular and formal action of the
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17 authorities concerned, any personal property, real property and
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18 other things of value which may be necessary or convenient to the
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19 effectuation of the authorized purposes of the Authority, including
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20 real property already devoted to public use; and
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21 2. To lease, rent or contract to receive from the Authority,
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22 for telecasting purposes, any programs that would be beneficial to
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23 their interest and that of the State of Oklahoma. The Authority
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24 shall not charge a fee for such programs.
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1 B. No counties, cities, towns, municipalities, school
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2 districts, institutions of higher education, state boards,
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3 commissions, officials, or other public agencies shall transfer to
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4 the Authority any monies that have previously been appropriated by
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5 this state to such entities.
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6 SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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7 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 23-127 of Title 70, unless there
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8 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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9 On the effective date of this act, all remaining funds and
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10 monies to the credit of or in the possession of the Oklahoma
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11 Educational Television Authority that were previously appropriated
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12 by this state in fiscal year 2026 and earlier shall be transferred
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13 into the Healthy Parks Healthy Minds Fund, as provided for in
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14 Section 6 of this act.
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15 SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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16 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 23-128 of Title 70, unless there
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17 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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18 All facilities of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority,
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19 as defined in Section 23-104 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
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20 shall be transferred to the Office of Management and Enterprise
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21 Services (OMES). OMES shall lease such facilities to the Oklahoma
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22 Educational Television Authority, with the proceeds of such leases
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23 to be deposited in the Healthy Parks Healthy Minds Fund, as provided
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24 for in Section 6 of this act.
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1 SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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2 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2295 of Title 74, unless there
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3 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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4 There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
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5 for the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department to be designated
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6 the "Healthy Parks Healthy Minds Fund". The fund shall be a
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7 continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall
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8 consist of all monies received by the Department from transfers from
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9 the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, as provided for in
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10 Section 4 of this act, and all monies received by the Office of
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11 Management and Enterprise Services from leasing such facilities, as
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12 provided for in Section 5 of this act. All monies accruing to the
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13 credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and
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14 expended by the Department for the maintenance of transferred
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15 facilities and the improvement and maintenance of state parks.
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16 Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the
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17 State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the
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18 Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for
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19 approval and payment.
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20 SECTION 7. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-101, is
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21 hereby repealed.
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22 SECTION 8. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-107, is
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23 hereby repealed.
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1 SECTION 9. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-108, is
REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-109, is
1 REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-110, is
REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-111, is
2 hereby repealed. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-112, is
2 REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-113, is
REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-114, is
3 SECTION 10. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-115, is
REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-116, is
3 REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-117, is
REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-120, is
4 hereby repealed. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-121, is
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5 SECTION 11.
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6 hereby repealed.
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7 SECTION 12.
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8 hereby repealed.
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9 SECTION 13.
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10 hereby repealed.
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11 SECTION 14.
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12 hereby repealed.
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13 SECTION 15.
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14 hereby repealed.
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15 SECTION 16.
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16 hereby repealed.
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17 SECTION 17.
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18 hereby repealed.
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19 SECTION 18.
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20 hereby repealed.
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21 SECTION 19.
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22 hereby repealed.
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23 SECTION 20.
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24 hereby repealed.
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Req. No. 2856
1 SECTION 21. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-122, is
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2 hereby repealed.
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3 SECTION 22. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-123, is
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4 hereby repealed.
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5 SECTION 23. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-124, is
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6 hereby repealed.
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7 SECTION 24. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-126, is
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8 hereby repealed.
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9 SECTION 25. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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10 SECTION 26. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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11 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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12 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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13 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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Req. No. 2856 Page 13Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.