Req. No. 517 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 59th Legislature (2023) SENATE BILL 900 By: Weaver AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to contracts for professional services; amending 74 O.S. 2021, Section 85.42, which relates to one-year limitation on cer tain contracts; authorizing the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System to enter into certain contracts; updating statutory language; and providing an effective date . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 74 O.S. 2021, Section 85.42, is amended to read as follows: Section 85.42. A. 1. Except as otherwise provided for in this section or other applicable law, any agency, whether or not su ch agency is subject to the Oklahoma Central Purcha sing Act, is prohibited from entering into a sole source contract or a contra ct for professional services with or for the services of any person, who has terminated employment with or who has been terminat ed by that agency for one (1) year after the termin ation date of the employee from the agency. The provisions of this subsectio n shall not prohibit an agency from hiring or rehiring such person as a state employee. Req. No. 517 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 2. Any chief administrative officer of an agency, whether or not such agency is subject to the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act, shall not enter into any contract for n onprofessional or professional services for the purpose of or which would result in the circumvention of the full -time equivalent employee limitation established by law for such a gency. B. Each contract entered into by any person or firm w ith the State of Oklahoma shall include a statement certifying that no person who has been involved in any manner in the development of that contract while employed by the state shall be employed to fulfill any of the services provided for under the contra ct. This subsection shall not preclude faculty and staff of the institutions within The State System of Higher Education from negotiating and participating in research grants and educational con tracts. Nor shall this subsection apply to Oklahoma Departme nt of Commerce personnel who contract to provide services to the Oklahoma Capital Investment Board. C. As used in this section, “person” is defined as means any state official or employee of a d epartment, board, bureau, commission, agency, trusteeship, au thority, council, committee, trust, school district, fair board, court, executive office, advisory group, task force, study group, supported in whole or in part by public funds or entrusted with the expenditure of public funds or administering or operating public property, and all Req. No. 517 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 committees, or subcommittees thereof, judges, justices and state legislators. D. Notwithstanding anything to the cont rary in this section, the following sole source or professional services contracts are allowed at any time: 1. A contract for professional services at any time with a person who is a qualified interpreter for the deaf; and 2. A contract between a busines s entity that is a part -time certified court report er and the Administrative Office of the Courts, on behalf of the district courts, or the Office of the Attorney General; and 3. A contract entered into by the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System for the purpose of providing court - appointed representation for indigent defendants pursuan t to the Indigent Defense Act. E. Provided the provisions specified in subsection B of this section are satisfied, the following professional services contracts are allowed: 1. The Department of Trans portation, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Department of Environm ental Quality, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry may contract with a person who has re tired from state service; Req. No. 517 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 2. To maintain public health infrastru cture and preparedness, the State Department of Health and city -county health departments may contract with a physician assistant, registere d nurse, advanced practice nurse, nurse midwife, re gistered dietician, occupational therapist, physical therapist or speech-language pathologist who has retired from state service; and 3. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services may contract with a physician, re gistered nurse, register ed pharmacist or person meeting the definitio n of a licensed ment al health professional, as defined in Title 43A of the Oklahoma Statutes, who has separated and/or retired from state service. SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023. 59-1-517 TEK 1/19/2023 10:27:23 AM