Req. No. 1596 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021) SENATE BILL 992 By: Jett AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to the Oklahoma Open Records Act; amending 51 O.S. 2011, Sections 24A.3, as amended by Section 2, Chapter 266, O.S.L. 2014 , 24A.7, as amended by Section 1, C hapter 130, O.S.L. 2014 and 24A.10, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 197, O.S.L. 2018 (51 O.S. Supp. 2020, Sections 24A.3 , 24A.7 and 24A.10), which relate to definitions, personnel records and voluntarily supplied information; modifying definition; allowing confidentiality of personnel records at the sole discretion of public body; requiring confidentiality for certain voluntar ily provided information; updating statutory reference; and providing an effective date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 51 O.S. 2011, Section 24A.3, as amended by Section 2, Chapter 266, O.S.L. 2014 (51 O.S . Supp. 2020, Section 24A.3), is amend ed to read as follows: Section 24A.3. As used in the Oklahoma Open Records Act: 1. “Record” means all documents, including, but not limited to, any book, paper, photograph, microfilm, data fi les created by or used with computer software, computer tape, d isk, record, sound recording, film recording, video record or other material regardless Req. No. 1596 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 of physical form or characteristic, created by, received by, under the authority of, or coming into the c ustody, control or possession of public officials, public bodie s, or their representatives in connection with the transaction of public business, the expenditure of public funds or the administering of public property. “Record” does not mean: a. computer software, b. nongovernment persona l effects, c. unless public disclosure is required by other laws or regulations, vehicle movement records of the Oklahoma Transportation Authority obtained in connection with the Authority’s electronic toll collection syst em, d. personal financial informat ion, credit reports or other financial data obtained by or submitted to a public body for the purpose of evaluating credit worthiness, obtaining a license, permit, or for the purpose of becoming qualified to contract with a public body, e. any digital audio/video recordings of the tol l collection and safeguarding activities of the Oklahoma Transportation Authority, f. any personal information provided by a guest at any facility owned or operated by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department or the Board of Trustees of the Req. No. 1596 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center and Nature Park to obtain any service at the facility or by a purchaser of a product sold by or through the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department or the Q uartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center and Nature Park, g. a Department of Defense Form 214 (DD Form 214) filed with a county clerk, including any DD Form 214 filed before July 1, 2002, or h. except as provided for in Section 2 -110 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes, (1) any record in connection with a Motor Vehi cle Report issued by the Department of Public Safety, as prescribed in Section 6 -117 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or (2) personal information within driver records, as defined by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, 18 United States Code, Sections 2721 through 2725, which are stored and maintained by the Department of Public Safety; or i. any information provided to a state agency or entity that will be utilized to provide a license or certificate to an individual including, but not limited to, an applicant’s personal address, phone number, other contact information or any other Req. No. 1596 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 material provided in order to qualify for or receive a license or certificate. Provided, however, the license or certificate shall be a public record. 2. “Public body” shall include, but not be limited to, any office, department, board, bureau, commission, agency, trusteeship, authority, council, committee, trust or any entity cr eated by a trust, county, city, village, town, township, district, school district, fair board, court, executive offic e, advisory group, task force, study group, or any subdivision thereof, supported in whole or in part by public funds or entrusted with th e expenditure of public funds or administering or operating public property, and all committees, or subcommittees ther eof. Except for the records required by Section 24A.4 of this title, “public body” does not mean judges, justices, the Council on Judicia l Complaints, the Legislature, or legislators; 3. “Public office” means the physical location where public bodies conduct business or keep records; 4. “Public official” means any official or employee of any public body as defined herein; and 5. “Law enforcement agency” means any public body charged with enforcing state or local criminal laws and initiating criminal prosecutions, including, but not limited to, police departments, county sheriffs, the Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerou s Drugs Control, the Alcoholic Req. No. 1596 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission , and the Oklahoma State B ureau of Investigation. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 51 O.S. 2011, Section 24A.7, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 130, O.S.L. 2014 (51 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 24A.7), is amended to rea d as follows: Section 24A.7. A. A At the sole discretion of the public body, a public body may keep personnel records confidential: 1. Which relate to internal personnel inv estigations including examination and selection material for employment, hiring, appointment, promotion, dem otion, discipline, or resignation; or 2. Where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy such as employee eval uations, payroll deductions, employment applications submitted by persons not hi red by the public body, and transcripts from instit utions of higher education maintained in the personnel files of certified public school employees; provided, however, that no thing in this subsection shall be construed to exempt from disclosure the degree obtained and the curriculum on the transcripts of certified public school employees. B. All personnel records not specifically falling within the exceptions provided in subse ction A of this section shall be available for public inspection and copying inc luding, but not limited to, records of: Req. No. 1596 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1. An employment application of a person who becomes a public official; 2. The gross receipts of public funds; 3. The dates of employ ment, title or position; and 4. Any final disciplinary action resulting in loss of pay, suspension, demotion of position, or termination. C. Except as may otherwise be made confidential by statute, an employee of a public body shall have a right of acces s to his own personnel file. D. Public bodies shall keep confidential the home address, telephone numbers and social security numb ers of any person employed or formerly employed by the public body. E. Except as otherwise required by Section 6 -101.16 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, public bodies shall keep confidential all records created pursuant to the Oklahoma Teacher and Le ader Effectiveness Evaluation System (TLE) which identify a current or former public employee and contain any evaluation, obs ervation or other TLE record of such employee. SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 51 O.S. 2011, Section 24A.10, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 197, O.S.L. 2018 (51 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 24A.10), is amended to read as follows: Section 24A.10. A. Any information, records or other material heretofore voluntarily supplied to any state agency , board or Req. No. 1596 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 commission shall be subject to full disclosure pursuant to Section 24A.1 et seq. of this title. B. If disclosure would give an unfair advantage to competitors or bidders, a public body may keep confidential records r elating to: 1. Bid specifications for competitive bidding prior to publication by the public body; or 2. Contents of sealed bids prior to the opening of bids by a public body; or 3. Computer programs or software but not data thereon; or 4. Appraisals relating to the sale or acqui sition of real estate by a public body prior to award of a contract; or 5. The prospective location of a private business or industry prior to public disclosure of such prospect except for records otherwise open to inspection s uch as applications for perm its or licenses. C. Except as set forth hereafter, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, the technology center school districts, the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, ins titutions within the Oklahom a State System of Higher Education, and the Department of Corrections may keep confidential: 1. Business plans, feasibility studies, financing proposals, marketing plans, financial statements or trade secrets submitted by Req. No. 1596 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 a person or entity seeking econom ic advice, business dev elopment or customized training from such Departments or school d istricts; 2. Proprietary information of the business submitted to the Department or school districts for the purpose of business development or customized training, an d related confidentiali ty agreements detailing the information or records designated as confidential; and 3. Information compiled by such Departments or school districts in response to those submissions. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Oklahoma D epartment of Career and Technology Education, the technology center school districts, the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education , and the Department of Corrections may not keep confidential that su bmitted information when and to the extent the person or entity submitting the information consents to disclosure. D. Although they must provide public access to their records , including records of the address, rate paid for se rvices, charges, consumption rates, adjustments to the bill, reasons for adjustment, the name of the person that aut horized the adjustment, and payment for each customer, public bodies that provide utility services to the public may shall keep confidential and shall redact from any record, personal email a ddresses, credit information, credit card numbers, telephone numbers, social sec urity numbers, bank account Req. No. 1596 Page 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 information for individ ual customers, and any portion of any record that contains the name or any other identifier of the occupants of any residential structure. Public bodies that provide utility services to the public may keep confidential utility supply and utility equipment supply contracts for any industrial customer with a connected electric lo ad in excess of two thousand five hundred (2,500) kilowatts if public access to such contracts would give an unfair advantage to competitors of the customer; provided that, where a public body performs billing or collection services for a utility regulated by the Corporation Commissi on pursuant to a contractual agreement, any customer or individual payment data obtained or created by the public body in performance of the agreement shall not be a record for purposes of this act the Oklahoma Open Records Act. SECTION 4. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021. 58-1-1596 TEK 1/21/2021 8:34:14 PM