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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
SENATE BILL 1204 By: Young
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to state government; creating the
Oklahoma Commission on Race and Equal ity; providing
for membership, appointment, term s, removal,
vacancies, and reimbursement; providing for meetings
and officers; providing for staff and meeting space;
providing for powers and duties; establishing
revolving fund; providing for codification; and
providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 777 of Title 74, unless there is
created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Commission on Race and
Equality. The Commission shall consist of thirty (30) members. The
members shall be appointed as follows : seven members shall be
appointed by the Governor, seven members shall be appointed by t he
President Pro Tempore of the Senate , seven members shall be
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Repres entatives, and nine
members shall be app ointed by the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus .
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All members shall be appointed by the appropriat e appointing
authority for a term of three (3) years commencing with the date
that the previous appointee ’s term expired. Each member shall serve
no more than three terms. The member shall only serve two
consecutive terms and shall be inactive for a period of on e (1) year
prior to serving the maximum three-term limit. In making such
appointments, consideration shall be give n to making the membership
broadly representative of the geographic areas of the state and the
several racial and et hnic groups residing in t he state. Each member
shall hold office until the successor of the member is appointed and
has qualified. A member of the Commission may be removed by the
appropriate appointing authority for cause. A member appointed to
fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of a term of a member
separated from the Commission for any cause shall b e appointed for
the remainder of the term of the member whose offic e has been so
vacated. Members of the Commission shall receive no salary but
shall be entitled to tr avel reimbursement as provided by t he State
Travel Reimbursement Act from funds available to the appropriate
appointing authority.
B. The Office of Manage ment and Enterprise Services shall
provide staff support to the Oklahoma Commission on Race and
Equality and make arrangements for sui table meeting space for the
Commission as needed.
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C. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall name the chair
of the Oklahoma Commission on Race and Equal ity, and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives shall name the vice-chair. Any other
officers deemed necessary sh all be elected from among the members at
the first meeting of the Commission. Thereafter, at the fi rst
meeting of each fiscal year, the Commission shall elect a chair, a
vice-chair and such other offi cers deemed necessary to conduct the
business of the Commission from among its members. The Commission
shall meet at least once every three (3) months and at such other
times as called by the chair or by a majority of the Commission.
D. The Oklahoma Comm ission on Race and Equality shal l have the
power and the duty to:
1. Advise on equality issues relating to racial discrimination
and bias, state agencies and employees, communities, organizations
and businesses of this state which desire the services of t he
Commission;
2. Monitor legislation to determine whether legislation is
discriminatory toward one race or ethni city or whether the race or
ethnicity of an individual would have an effect o n the enforcement
of the legislation;
3. Act as a resource and a clearinghouse for research on issues
related to racial discrimination and bias;
4. Act as a resource in any state appointments to commissions
and boards for diversity ;
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5. Conduct meetings and se minars within the state as
appropriate to support the goals and duties of the Commission; and
6. Report to the Governor, the Presiden t Pro Tempore of the
Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of its
activities. The report may include recommendations concerning
needed legislation or regulatory changes relating to racial
discrimination and bias.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 777.1 of Title 74, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
for the Office of Management and Enterprise Services designated the
“Oklahoma Commission on Race and Equality Revolving Fund”. The fund
shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations,
and shall consist of all gifts and d onations contributed to sup port
the work of the Oklahoma Commission on Race and Equality. All
monies accrued to the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and
may be budgeted and expended by the Director of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Servi ces on behalf of the Okla homa
Commission on Race and Equality for the purposes prescribed by the
Legislature in creating the Commission. Expenditures from the fund
shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against
claims filed as prescribed by law with the Direct or of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services for approval and paym ent.
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SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022.
58-2-2548 KR 1/6/2022 2:54:21 PM