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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1
2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
2
3 SENATE BILL 983 By: Standridge
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4
4
5
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
6
7 An Act relating to turnpikes; amending 69 O.S. 2021,
7 Section 1705, which relates to the powers and duties
8 of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority; requiring audit
8 prior to the issuance of certain bonds; defining
9 scope of certain audit; requiring certain evaluation
9 of toll increases; updating statutory language;
10 updating statutory references; providing an effective
10 date; and declaring an emergency.
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11
12
12
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 69 O.S. 2021, Section 1705, is
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15 amended to read as follows:
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16 Section 1705. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is hereby
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17 authorized and empowered:
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18 (a) To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and
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19 conduct of its business.
19
20 (b) To adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure.
20
21 (c) To maintain an office at such place or places within the
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22 state as it may designate.
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23 (d) To sue and be sued in contract, reverse condemnation,
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24 equity, mandamus, and similar actions in its own name, plead and be
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Req. No. 1342 Page 1
1 impleaded; provided, that any and all actions at law or in equity
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2 against the Authority shall be brought in the county in which the
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3 principal office of the Authority shall be located, or in the county
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4 of the residence of the plaintiff, or the county where the cause of
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5 action arose. All privileges granted to the Authority and duties
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6 enjoined upon the Authority by the provisions of Sections 1701
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7 through 1734 1736 of this title may be enforced in a court of
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8 competent jurisdiction in an action in mandamus.
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9 (e) To construct, maintain, repair, and operate turnpike
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10 projects and highways, with their access and connecting roads, at
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11 such locations and on such routes as it shall determine to be
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12 feasible and economically sound; provided, that until specifically
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13 authorized by the Legislature, the Authority shall be authorized to
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14 construct and operate toll turnpikes only at the following
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15 locations:
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16 (1) The Turner Turnpike between Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
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17 (2) The Southwestern (H.E. Bailey) Turnpike between Oklahoma
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18 City and Wichita Falls, Texas.
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19 (3) The Northeastern (Will Rogers) Turnpike between Tulsa and
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20 Joplin, Missouri.
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21 (4) The Eastern (Indian Nation) Turnpike between Tulsa and
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22 Paris, Texas, including all or any part thereof between McAlester
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23 and the Red River south of Hugo.
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Req. No. 1342 Page 2
1 (5) The Cimarron Turnpike between Tulsa and Interstate Highway
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2 35 north of Perry, including a connection to Stillwater.
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3 (6) The Muskogee Turnpike between Broken Arrow and Interstate
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4 Highway 40 west of Webbers Falls.
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5 (7) All or any part of an extension of the Muskogee Turnpike,
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6 beginning at a point on Interstate Highway 40 near the present south
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7 terminus of the Muskogee Turnpike, and extending in a southeasterly
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8 direction on an alignment near Stigler, Poteau, and Heavener to the
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9 vicinity of the Arkansas State Line state line to furnish access to
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10 Hot Springs, Texarkana, Shreveport, and New Orleans.
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11 (8) A tollgate on the Turner Turnpike in the vicinity of
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12 Luther, Oklahoma, and in the vicinity of the intersection of State
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13 Highway 33 and Turner Turnpike in Creek County, Oklahoma, or in the
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14 vicinity of the intersection of State Highway 33 and Turner Turnpike
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15 or U.S. Highway 66 in Creek County, Oklahoma, from any monies
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16 available to the Authority.
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17 (9) Add on the Will Rogers Turnpike a northbound automatic
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18 tollgate onto State Highway 28 and a southbound on-ramp from State
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19 Highway 28.
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20 (10) A turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning in the
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21 vicinity of Duncan extending east to the vicinity of the City of
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22 Davis, and extending in a northeasterly direction, by way of the
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23 vicinity of the City of Ada, to a connection in the vicinity of
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24 Henryetta or in the vicinity of the intersection of State Highway 48
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Req. No. 1342 Page 3
1 and Interstate 40; and a turnpike or any part or parts thereof from
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2 the vicinity of Snyder extending north to the vicinity of Woodward.
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3 (11) A turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning at a
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4 point in the vicinity of Ponca City, or at a point on the Kansas-
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5 Oklahoma state boundary line east of the Arkansas River and west of
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6 the point where Oklahoma State Highway No. 18 intersects said such
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7 state boundary line, and extending in a southeasterly direction to a
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8 connection with the Tulsa Urban Expressway System in the general
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9 area of the Port of Catoosa.
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10 (12) All or any part of an Oklahoma City toll expressway system
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11 connecting the residential, industrial, and State Capitol Complex in
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12 the north part of Oklahoma City with the residential, industrial,
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13 and Will Rogers World Airport Complex in the south and southwest
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14 parts of Oklahoma City.
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15 (13) A turnpike (The Industrial Parkway) or any part or parts
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16 thereof beginning at a point on the Oklahoma-Kansas state boundary
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17 line between the point where U.S. Highway 66 intersects the boundary
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18 line and the northeast corner of Oklahoma and ending by means of a
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19 connection or connections with Shreveport, Louisiana, and Houston,
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20 Texas, in southeastern Oklahoma and at no point to exceed thirty
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21 (30) miles west of the Missouri or Arkansas border.
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22 (14) A turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning in the
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23 vicinity of Velma or County Line Countyline to a point intersecting
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24 with Interstate 35 in the area south of Davis.
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Req. No. 1342 Page 4
1 (15) A turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning in the
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2 vicinity of Watonga and extending south and/or or east to the
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3 vicinity of north and/or or west Oklahoma City.
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4 (16) A tollgate on the Will Rogers Turnpike near the
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5 intersection of State Highway 137 and the Will Rogers Turnpike,
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6 located south of Quapaw.
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7 (17) A tollgate on the Muskogee Turnpike in the vicinity of
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8 Porter, Oklahoma, a tollgate on the Will Rogers Turnpike in the
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9 vicinity of Adair, Oklahoma, a tollgate on the Turner Turnpike in
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10 the vicinity of Luther, Oklahoma, and a tollgate on the H.E. Bailey
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11 Turnpike at Elgin, Oklahoma, from any monies available to the
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12 Authority.
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13 (18) A tollgate on the Turner Turnpike in the vicinity of
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14 Wellston, Oklahoma, from any monies available to the Authority.
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15 (19) A tollgate on the Muskogee Turnpike in the vicinity of
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16 Brushy Mountain, Oklahoma, and in the vicinity of Elm Grove,
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17 Oklahoma, from any monies available to the Authority.
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18 (20) All or any part of an Oklahoma City Outer Loop expressway
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19 system beginning in the vicinity of I-35 Interstate 35 and the
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20 Turner Turnpike and extending west into Canadian County and then
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21 south to I-40 Interstate 40; and then south and east to I-35
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22 Interstate 35 in the vicinity of Moore and Norman; and then
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23 extending east and north to I-40 Interstate 40 east of Tinker Field;
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24
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Req. No. 1342 Page 5
1 and then extending north to the Turner Turnpike to complete the
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2 Outer Loop.
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3 (21) All or any part of the Tulsa south bypass expressway
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4 system beginning in the vicinity of the Turner Turnpike near Sapulpa
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5 and extending south and east to U.S. Highway 75 in the vicinity of
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6 96th Street to 121st Street; and then east across the Arkansas River
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7 to a connection with the Mingo Valley Expressway; and then south
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8 and/or or east to a point on the Tulsa-Wagoner County Line county
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9 line near 131st street Street south in the city City of Broken
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10 Arrow.
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11 (22) A new turnpike or any part thereof from near the west gate
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12 of the Will Rogers Turnpike south to the west end of south Tulsa
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13 Turnpike at the Tulsa-Wagoner County Line county line.
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14 (23) A new turnpike or any parts thereof from the vicinity of
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15 the connection between State Highway 33 and U.S. Highway 69 easterly
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16 to the Arkansas State Line state line.
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17 (24) A four-lane extension of the Muskogee Turnpike from
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18 Interstate Highway 40 west of Webbers Falls to the Poteau vicinity.
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19 (25) A new turnpike or any part or parts thereof beginning at a
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20 point in the vicinity of northwest Tulsa, and extending in a
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21 northwesterly direction, by means of a connection or connections
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22 with the cities of Pawhuska and Newkirk, to a point intersecting in
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23 the vicinity of US U.S. Highway No. 77 and the Kansas State Line
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24 state line.
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Req. No. 1342 Page 6
1 (26) A full access interchange on the Indian Nation Turnpike
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2 south of Interstate 40, in the vicinity of Henryetta, Oklahoma, and
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3 in the vicinity of the proposed theme park, museum, or an industrial
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4 facility which qualifies for the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program Act,
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5 from any monies available to the Authority.
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6 (27) A new turnpike beginning at a point directly west of the
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7 Arkansas line and four-laning U.S. Highway 70 from that point to the
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8 farthest western reach within the bounds of Oklahoma of U.S. Highway
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9 70 creating a southern route through Oklahoma.
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10 (28) A new turnpike and bridge or any parts thereof from a
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11 point in the vicinity of the city City of Mustang southerly across
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12 the South Canadian River to the H.E. Bailey Turnpike in the vicinity
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13 of the city City of Tuttle; and then easterly across the South
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14 Canadian River to a point in the vicinity of the city City of
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15 Norman.
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16 (29) A new turnpike or any parts thereof beginning at a point
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17 in the vicinity of the city City of Altus and extending in a
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18 northwesterly direction to a point in the vicinity of the city City
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19 of Sayre.
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20 (30) A new turnpike or any parts thereof beginning at a point
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21 in the vicinity of the city City of Enid and extending in a westerly
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22 direction to a point in the vicinity of the city City of Woodward.
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23 (31) An on- and off-ramp or any parts thereof at Fletcher,
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24 Oklahoma, in the vicinity of the Interstate 44 and State Highway 277
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Req. No. 1342 Page 7
1 intersection. Any existing on- or off-ramp or any parts thereof in
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2 the vicinity of Fletcher, Oklahoma, shall not be removed and shall
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3 be maintained pursuant to Section 1701 et seq. of this title.
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4 (32) A new bridge crossing the Arkansas River between South
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5 Delaware Avenue and Memorial Drive in Tulsa County. This project
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6 shall commence upon a determination by the Oklahoma Transportation
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7 Turnpike Authority that such bridge shall be self-sufficient at some
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8 point over a thirty-year time period from the toll charges
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9 associated with the bridge project.
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10 (33) An exit ramp or any parts thereof from the eastbound lane
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11 of the Turner Turnpike at 96th Street in Tulsa.
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12 (34) An on- and off-ramp or any parts thereof on the Cimarron
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13 Turnpike in the vicinity of the northside of the Glencoe, Oklahoma,
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14 municipal limits.
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15 (35) A new turnpike or any parts thereof beginning at
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16 Interstate 44 at or near its intersection with 49th West Avenue,
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17 past State U.S. Highway 64/412, turning northeasterly, crossing 41st
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18 West Avenue, and continuing eastward to the L.L. Tisdale Expressway
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19 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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20 All access roads, interchanges, or lead roads connecting such
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21 turnpikes with existing highways must be built by funds furnished by
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22 the Authority.
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23 The minimum and maximum wages for the construction of the roads,
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24 highways and projects provided for in Sections 1701 through 1734
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Req. No. 1342 Page 8
1 1736 of this title shall be in accordance with the schedules of
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2 wages used or adopted by the Commission in construction of state
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3 highways.
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4 The Authority is hereby authorized to enter into contracts or
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5 agreements with agencies and instrumentalities of other states or
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6 the national government for construction, maintenance, and operation
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7 of interstate turnpikes or highways.
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8 The Authority is hereby required to construct and install
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9 automatic tollgates on the Will Rogers Turnpike at State Highway No.
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10 28 near Adair.
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11 (f) To issue turnpike revenue bonds of the Authority, payable
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12 solely from revenues, including the revenues accruing to the trust
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13 fund created by Sections 1701 through 1734 1736 of this title, for
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14 the purpose of paying all or any part of the cost of any one or more
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15 turnpike projects. Provided that any further:
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16 (1) Any bonds issued for the construction of the proposed
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17 turnpike referred to in subparagraphs (10), (20), (21), and (22) of
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18 paragraph (e) of this section shall be issued as one issue for all
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19 four of the proposed turnpikes and shall be financed, constructed,
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20 and operated under one bond indenture;
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21 (2) Prior to the approval of any turnpike revenue bond sale by
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22 the Council of Bond Oversight, the Authority shall:
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23 (i) submit to the State Auditor and Inspector for review,
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24 accuracy, reliability, and reasonableness, all
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Req. No. 1342 Page 9
1 information contained in feasibility studies,
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2 schedules, and documentation compiled by the
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3 Authority, consultants of the Authority, or
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4 contractors of the Authority, and any other
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5 documentation as may be requested by the State Auditor
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6 and Inspector necessary for the determination of the
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7 feasibility and economic soundness of any turnpike
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8 project or parts thereof listed in paragraph (e) of
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9 this section which are to be financed with such
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10 revenue bonds. The State Auditor and Inspector shall
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11 prepare a report and make recommendations, if any, to
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12 be submitted to the Authority, the Council of Bond
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13 Oversight, and the Attorney General as to the results
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14 of such review, and
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15 (ii) submit to the State Auditor and Inspector and the
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16 Attorney General a complete financial plan for any
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17 turnpike capital program which anticipates the
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18 issuance of revenue bonds in one or more issues in
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19 order to provide bond proceeds for the cost of
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20 financing and constructing one or more turnpike
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21 projects of which the construction period is estimated
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22 to exceed three (3) years from the date of the initial
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23 bond issue to the estimated time of completion of such
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24 turnpike capital program. The financial plan for such
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Req. No. 1342 Page 10
1 turnpike capital program shall present estimated debt
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2 service requirements schedules for each anticipated
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3 bond issue, debt coverage schedules for all future
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4 years until the final maturity of all revenue bonds
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5 anticipated to be issued related to such turnpike
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6 capital program, and projected toll increases,
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7 identifying dates and rates of each toll increase
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8 until final maturity of all such revenue bonds issued
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9 for such turnpike capital program. For each
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10 subsequent revenue bond issue related to such turnpike
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11 capital program, the information required in this
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12 subparagraph shall be updated to reflect the remaining
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13 term of such turnpike capital program.
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14 (3) Prior to implementation of toll increases by the Authority
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15 and during the time period that the turnpike capital program is in
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16 progress, the State Auditor and Inspector shall evaluate such toll
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17 increases to ascertain and confirm to the Authority and the Attorney
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18 General that such toll increases comply with Section 1711 of Title
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19 69 of the Oklahoma Statutes and the toll covenants of applicable
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20 trust agreements under which such turnpike revenue bonds are issued.
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21 Any compliance issues are to be resolved by the Attorney General,
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22 the Authority, and the State Auditor and Inspector.
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23 (g) To fix and revise from time to time tolls for the use of
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24 any turnpike projects.
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Req. No. 1342 Page 11
1 Any common carrier having authority at the time of opening any
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2 turnpike project to operate upon a highway approximately paralleling
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3 the turnpike project shall be granted without further showing
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4 authority to operate over the turnpike project to all municipalities
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5 which such carrier is serving at the time the turnpike project is
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6 opened to traffic. But nothing herein shall be construed as
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7 granting any new operation rights to any common carriers.
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8 (h) To acquire, hold, and 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 (i) To acquire in the name of the Authority by purchase or
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11 otherwise on such terms and conditions and in such manner as it may
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12 deem proper, or by exercise of the right of condemnation in manner
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13 hereinafter provided, such public or private lands, including public
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14 parks, playgrounds, or reservations, or parts thereof or rights
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15 therein, rights-of-way, property, rights, easements, and interests,
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16 as it may deem necessary for carrying out the provisions of Sections
16
17 1701 through 1734 1736 of this title; provided, that all public
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18 property damaged in carrying out the powers granted by Sections 1701
18
19 through 1734 1736 of this title shall be restored or repaired and
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20 placed in its original condition as nearly as practicable.
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21 (j) To designate, except as is provided for herein, the
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22 location, and establish, limit, and control such points of ingress
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23 to and egress from each turnpike project as may be necessary or
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24 desirable in the judgment of the Authority to insure the proper
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Req. No. 1342 Page 12
1 operation and maintenance of such project, and to prohibit entrance
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2 to such project from any point or points not so designated.
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3 (k) 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
4
5 execution of its powers, and to employ consulting engineers,
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6 attorneys, accountants, construction and financial experts,
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7 superintendents, managers, and such other employees and agents as
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8 may be necessary in its judgment, and to fix their compensation;
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9 provided, that all such expenses shall be payable solely from the
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10 proceeds of turnpike revenue bonds issued under the provisions of
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11 Sections 1701 through 1734 of this title or from revenues; provided,
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12 further, no attorney employed by the Authority, nor any member of
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13 any law firm of which the attorney may be connected, shall ever be
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14 paid any fee or compensation for any special or extraordinary
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15 services.
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16 (l) To receive and accept from any federal agency grants for or
16
17 in aid of the construction of any turnpike project, provided, the
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18 acceptance of such grants will not reduce the amount of federal aid
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19 for the construction, repair, or maintenance of farm-to-market roads
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20 and other highways and bridges in this state; and to receive and
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21 accept aid or contributions from any source of either money,
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22 property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and
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23 applied only for the purposes for which such grants and
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24 contributions may be made.
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Req. No. 1342 Page 13
1 (m) To adopt such rules, and to do any and all things necessary
1
2 to comply with rules, regulations, or requirements of the Bureau of
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3 Public Roads, Multistate Economic Development Regional Commission,
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4 as defined in Sections 1151 through 1153, inclusive, of Title 74 of
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5 the Oklahoma Statutes, Ozarka Region Commission Federal Highway
5
6 Administration or any other federal agency administering any law
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7 enacted by the Congress of the United States to aid or encourage the
7
8 construction of highways.
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9 (n) To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the
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10 powers expressly granted in Sections 1701 through 1734 1736 of this
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11 title. The design standards for all paving shall comply with the
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12 design standards of the American Association of State Highway and
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13 Transportation Officials as modified by the Oklahoma Department of
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14 Transportation. All contracts for construction work on turnpike
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15 projects shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, or bidders,
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16 after notice by publication in a newspaper published in the county
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17 where the work is to be done in two consecutive weekly issues of the
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18 newspaper. In all cases where more than eight (8) miles of
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19 construction is let at the same time and is not an advertisement for
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20 a surface-treatment-only project, such advertisement shall provide
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21 for bids on sections of the turnpike not to exceed eight (8) miles.
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22 If the project advertised is a surface-treatment-only project of
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23 more than twenty (20) miles of road, the advertisement shall provide
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24 for bids on sections of the road no longer than twenty (20) miles,
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Req. No. 1342 Page 14
1 as well as bids on the project as a whole. Subject to the following
1
2 restrictions and limitations, the Authority shall, when contracting
2
3 for construction work, divide such work into paving projects, bridge
3
4 projects, including underpasses and overpasses, and earthmoving or
4
5 miscellaneous projects, according to the type of work to be done.
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6 Each project shall be let under a separate contract or contracts and
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7 no contract or project shall include more than one of such types of
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8 construction work. Each contract for construction work shall
8
9 contain a provision that ninety percent (90%) of all labor employed
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10 on the project shall be residents of Oklahoma. However, contracts
10
11 for bridges may include earthwork and structures for the approaches
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12 thereto.
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13 (o) It shall be unlawful for any member, officer or employee of
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14 the Authority to transact with the Authority, either directly or
14
15 indirectly, any business for profit of such member, officer, or
15
16 employee; and any person, firm, or corporation knowingly
16
17 participating therein shall be equally liable for violation of this
17
18 provision.
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19 The term "business for profit" shall include, but not be limited
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20 to, the acceptance or payment of any fee, commission, gift, or
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21 consideration to such member, officer, or employee.
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22 Violation of this provision shall constitute a felony punishable
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23 by incarceration in the State Penitentiary custody of the Department
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24 of Corrections for a term not to exceed five (5) years or a fine of
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Req. No. 1342 Page 15
1 not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) and not more than Five
1
2 Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or both such imprisonment and fine.
2
3 (p) In the event of a national emergency, the Authority,
3
4 subject to any vested rights or claims, may enter into contracts
4
5 with the federal government or any authorized agency thereof to
5
6 allow the federal government or agency thereof to use such turnpikes
6
7 partly or exclusively during the existence of such emergency,
7
8 provided, that the federal government agrees in such contract to
8
9 pay, during the term of such contract, an amount sufficient, when
9
10 added to any tolls collected, to meet all operating and maintenance
10
11 expenses, interest payments, and the minimum sinking fund and
11
12 reserve requirements of the trust agreement for the turnpike covered
12
13 by the contract.
13
14 (q) All meetings of the Authority shall be open public
14
15 meetings, and all records shall be public records, except when
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16 considering personnel or litigation.
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17 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
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18 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
18
19 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
19
20 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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21 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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22
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23 60-1-1342 MSBB 1/19/2025 5:47:11 AM
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Req. No. 1342 Page 16Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.