SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB944 SFLR Page 1 (Bold face denotes Committee Amen dments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 SENATE FLOOR VERSION February 18, 2021 SENATE BILL NO. 944 By: Taylor An Act relating to the Corporation Commission ; providing that certain employees be in the unclassified service; providing tha t certain appointees be in the unclassified service; providing option to remain classified to certain employees; requiring certain elections be in writing; 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 40.2 of Title 17, unless there is created a duplication in numberi ng, reads as follows: Any employee hired by the Corporation Commission on or after the effective date of this act shall be in the unclassified service unless the position is required to be subject to merit protections as required by a federal program admin istered by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. 1. All future appointees to positions not required to be subject to merit protections as required by a federal program administered by the Commission shall be in the unclassified service . SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB944 SFLR Page 2 (Bold face denotes Committee Amen dments) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. In accordance with existing law, any classified employee who is serving in a posi tion on the effective date of the removal of the position from classified service and placement into the unclassified service shall have the option of retaining the employee ’s classified status. If the employee chooses to remain in the classified service, the position occupied by the employee shall remain in the classified service until the employee either vacates the position or elects unclassified status in writing. All future appointees to such positions shall be in the unclassified service . SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021. COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS February 18, 2021 - DO PASS