Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1088 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

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29		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION
30		-	March 4, 2025
	28	+	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
31	29
	30	+	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
32	31
33	32		COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
34	33		FOR
35		-	SENATE BILL ~~NO.~~ 1088 By: Prieto
	34	+	SENATE BILL 1088 By: Prieto
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	39	+
	40	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
40	41
41	42		An Act relating to courts; amending 20 O.S. 2021,
42	43		Sections 1651, 1656, 1658, and 1659, which relate to
43	44		the Council on Judicial Complaints; modifying certain
44	45		statement of public policy; removing quarterly
45	46		reporting requirement; authorizing Council to employ
46	47		attorney; modifying certain penalty; authorizing
47	48		filing of certain petition; requiring notice to
48	49		certain parties of certain complaints; requiring
49	50		Council to forward certain information to Supreme
50	51		Court; clarifying manner to conduct certain
51	52		proceedings; updating statutory references; updating
52	53		statutory language; providing for confidentiality of
53	54		certain records; requiring maintenance of certain
54	55		complaint docket; specifying information to be
55	56		included on docket; requiring publication of certain
56	57		docket; providing certain confidentiality exceptions;
57	58		requiring annual report to certain officials by
58	59		certain date; requiring publication of report on
59	60		website; prohibiting inclusion of certain identifying
60	61		information; providing exceptions; specifying
61	62		contents of report; providing for codification; a nd
62	63		providing an effective date .
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67	68		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
68	69		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 20 O.S. 2021, Section 1651, is
69	70		amended to read as follows:
70		-	Section 1651. It is hereby declared to be the public policy of
71		-	this state:
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	97	+	Section 1651. It is hereby declared to be the public policy of
	98	+	this state:
99	99		1. To afford a means for efficiently and impartia lly
100	100		investigating complaints by any person concerning the conduct of
101	101		persons occupying positions subject to the jurisdiction of the Court
102	102		on the Judiciary;
103	103		2. To provide an agency which can determine whether such
104	104		complaints should:
105	105		a. be made the subject of action before the Court on the
106	106		Judiciary for the purpose of removal , reprimand, or
107	107		admonition, or compulsory retirement,
108	108		b. be made the subject of action before the Supreme Court
109	109		for the purpose of imposing discipline other than
110	110		removal or compulsory re tirement,
111	111		c. be dismissed with a letter of caution or warning,
112	112		d. be forwarded to the Oklahoma State Bure au of
113	113		Investigation to investigate allegations of wrongdoing
114	114		under the laws of this state, or
115	115		e. be dismissed;
116	116		3. To provide means for procuring neces sary information to
117	117		enable the agency to perform its functions, including the power to
118	118		issue and enforce subpoenas to testify or to produce tangible
119	119		evidentiary materials; and
120		-	4. To better the administration of justice in this state
121		-	through the means enumerated in Sections 1651 through 1662 1663 of
122		-	this title.
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	146	+	4. To better the administration of justice in this state
	147	+	through the means enum erated in Sections 1651 through 1662 1663 of
	148	+	this title.
150	149		SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 20 O.S. 2021, Section 1656, is
151	150		amended to read as follows:
152	151		Section 1656. A. The members of the Council on Judicial
153	152		Complaints shall qualify by taking the constitutional oath of
154	153		office.
155	154		B. The Council shall elect a chair and vice-chair vice chair.
156	155		The chair and vice-chair vice chair shall serve for terms of office
157	156		set by the Council, not to exceed their terms as members of the
158	157		Council.
159	158		C. The Council shall adopt rules pursuant to the Adminis trative
160	159		Procedures Act.
161	160		D. The Council shall provide to the Pr esident Pro Tempore of
162	161		the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives quarterly
163	162		reports of the number of judicial complaints filed, dismiss ed, and
164	163		referred for further disciplinary action.
165	164		SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 20 O.S. 2021, Section 1658, is
166	165		amended to read as follows:
167	166		Section 1658. A. The Council on Judicial Complaints shall
168	167		promptly investigate all complaints rec eived by it, and shall
169	168		determine the proper disposition thereof, as provided in Sections
170	169		1651 through 1661 1663 of this title.
171		-	B. The Council shall have power to hold hearings, administer
172		-	oaths or affirmations, receive testimony and other evidence, and
173		-	issue and serve or cause to be served subpoenas requiring testi mony
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	196	+	B. The Council shall have power to hold hearings, administer
	197	+	oaths or affirmations, receive testimony and other evidence, and
	198	+	issue and serve or cause to be served subpoenas requiring testimony
201	199		or the production of books, records, papers or other tangible
202	200		evidence.
203	201		C. 1. Subject to funding limitations provided by law, the
204	202		Council, as needed, may retain, by contract, a court repor ter and,
205	203		as needed, may employ or retain an attorney by contract with either
206	204		the Office of the Attorney G eneral or other counsel.
207	205		2. No person acting as counsel to the Council on Judicial
208	206		Complaints shall be eligible for election or appointment to the
209	207		Judicial Nominating Commission during the term of his or her
210	208		employment or contract for services.
211	209		D. The Council is hereby authorized to require in aid of its
212	210		investigatory functions the services of the Oklahoma State Bureau of
213	211		Investigation as provided for in Section 150.34 of Title 74 of the
214	212		Oklahoma Statutes or of any governmentally supported investigatory
215	213		agency or, upon authorization of the Board of Governors of the
216	214		Oklahoma Bar Association, of the services of the Oklahoma Bar
217	215		Association.
218	216		E. In the event of contemptuous refusal to obey its lawful
219	217		orders, the Council may take steps necessary to maintain order in
220	218		its session; as to contempts not affecting the maintenance of order,
221	219		it shall certify the matter to the Chief Justice of the Supreme
222		-	Court, which shall assign the case for trial and appropriate
223		-	disposition to a judge of a district court. In a contempt
224		-	proceeding in district court, the counsel for the Council on
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	246	+	Court, which shall assign the case for trial and appropriate
	247	+	disposition to a judge of a district court. In a conte mpt
	248	+	proceeding in district court, the counsel for the Council on
252	249		Judicial Complaints shall act as prosecutor against the alleged
253	250		contemnor.
254	251		F. 1. All proceedings under this section shall be held in
255	252		secrecy to the same extent as proceedings before a grand jury.
256	253		2. A complainant or a witness appearing before the Council who
257	254		reveals or causes to be revealed to the public any information about
258	255		a proposed or pending judicial complaint shall be subject to a fine
259	256		not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) contempt proceedings
260	257		before the district court upon certification of the matter to the
261	258		Chief Justice of the Supreme Court . The Council on Judicial
262	259		Complaints shall promulgate rules pursuant to the Administrative
263	260		Procedures Act governing proceedings under this subsection.
264	261		3. In addition to the fine provided for in paragraph 2 of this
265	262		subsection, any Any judicial officer who reveals or causes to be
266	263		revealed any information about a proposed or pending judicial
267	264		complaint shall be subject to public reprimand by the Court on the
268	265		Judiciary.
269	266		SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 20 O.S. 2021, Section 1659, is
270	267		amended to read as follows:
271		-	Section 1659. A. In the event the Council on Judicial
272		-	Complaints finds tha t the complaint should be made the subject of
273		-	proceedings before the Court on the Judiciary, it shall forward:
274		-	1. Forward all papers concerning the same complaint, together
275		-	with its findings, to either the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice
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	294	+	Section 1659. A. In the event the Council on Judicial
	295	+	Complaints finds that the complaint should be made the subject of
	296	+	proceedings before the Court on the Judiciary, it shall forward:
	297	+	1. Forward all papers concerning the same complaint, together
	298	+	with its findings, to either the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice
303	299		thereof, the Governor, the Attorney General, the Executive Secretary
304	300		of the Oklahoma Bar Association, or the House of Representatives,
305	301		who shall promptly may file a petition invoking the jurisdiction of
306	302		the trial division of the Court on the Judiciary in accordance with
307	303		subsection (a) of Section 4 of Article 7-A VII-A of the Oklahoma
308	304		Constitution of Oklahoma; provided, however, filing by the Executive
309	305		Secretary of the Oklahoma Bar Association shall be at the di rection
310	306		of the majority of the members of the Executive Council or by
311	307		resolution of the House of Delegate s of the Oklahoma Bar
312	308		Association; and
313	309		2. Provide notice of its findings, conclusions, and
314	310		recommendations that the complaint should be the subject of
315	311		proceedings before the Court on the Judiciary to the Secretary of
316	312		State and to those individuals or bodies with authority to invoke
317	313		the jurisdiction of the Court on the Judiciary, as described in
318	314		Section 4 of Article VII-A of the Oklahoma Constitution .
319	315		Thereafter, the matter shall proceed in accordance with the
320	316		applicable constitutional provisions, statutes, and rules of the
321	317		Court on the Judiciary.
322		-	B. In the event the Council on Judicial Complaints finds that
323		-	the complaint should be made the subject of proceedings before the
324		-	Supreme Court for discipline less than r emoval or compulsory
325		-	retirement, the Council shal l forward all papers concerning the
326		-	complaint, together with its findings, to the Supreme Court for
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	344	+	B. In the event the Council on Judicial Complaints finds that
	345	+	the complaint should be made the subject of pr oceedings before the
	346	+	Supreme Court for discipline less than removal or compulsory
	347	+	retirement, the Council shal l forward all papers concerning the
	348	+	complaint, together with its findings, to the Supreme Court for
354	349		review and possible discipline. The matter shall proceed in
355	350		accordance with the Rules Governing Complaints on Judicial
356	351		Misconduct, Appendix 4 -A of Title 5 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
357	352		SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
358	353		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1664 of Title 20, unless there
359	354		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
360	355		A. All records of the Council on Judicial Complaints relating
361	356		to judicial complaints and the investigation and dispositio n thereof
362	357		shall be kept confidential and not open t o public inspection;
363	358		provided, however:
364	359		1. The Administrative Director to the Council on Judicial
365	360		Complaints shall maintain a docket of all complaints filed for which
366	361		a final disposition has been made by the Council on Judicial
367	362		Complaints by majority vote . The docket shall be a permanent and
368	363		searchable record and shall be made available on the Council ’s
369	364		website within thirty (30) days of the final disposition of a
370	365		complaint. The docket shall detail an id entification number, the
371	366		nature of litigation givin g rise to the complaint, the primary
372	367		subject of the complaint, and the legal basis for the final
373		-	disposition of the complaint. Except as otherwise provided in this
374		-	section, the docket shall not contain any identifying i nformation
375		-	relative to the complainant or respondent judge; and
376		-	2. In the event the Council ’s final disposition of a complaint
377		-	results in submission of findings pursuant to Section 1659 of Title
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	394	+	disposition of the complaint. Except as otherwise provided in this
	395	+	section, the docket shall not contain any identifying information
	396	+	relative to the complaina nt or respondent judge; and
	397	+	2. In the event the Council ’s final disposition of a complaint
	398	+	results in submission of findings pursuant to Section 1659 of Title
405	399		20 of the Oklahoma Statutes with a recommendation that is not a
406	400		private reprimand, the docket sh all include the identity of the
407	401		respondent judge, a brief summary of the alleged misconduct, and the
408	402		Council’s recommendation.
409	403		B. 1. Not later than February 28 of each year, the Council
410	404		shall submit to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker
411	405		of the House of Representatives, the Governor, the Lieutenant
412	406		Governor, the Secretary of State, and the Chief Justice of the
413	407		Supreme Court an electronic report for the preceding calendar year
414	408		ending December 31. The report shall be posted on the Council ’s
415	409		public website in a searchable format. Other than the information
416	410		included in the report pursuant to d ivisions 5 and 6 of subparagraph
417	411		b of paragraph 2 of this subsection, the report shall not include
418	412		any identifying information relative to the complain ant or the
419	413		respondent judge.
420	414		2. The report shall include:
421	415		a. an explanation of the role of the Council, and
422	416		b. annual statistical information for the preceding
423	417		calendar year including:
424		-	(1) the number of complaints received by the Council,
425		-	the nature of the litigation giving rise to the
426		-	complaints, and the primary s ubject of the
427		-	complaints,
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	444	+	(1) the number of complaints received by the Council,
	445	+	the nature of the litigation giving rise to the
	446	+	complaints, and the primary subject of the
	447	+	complaints,
455	448		(2) the number of complaints dismissed, the legal
456	449		basis for the dismissal, and the number of
457	450		complaints that remain pending,
458	451		(3) a list of complaints dismissed with a le tter of
459	452		caution or warning to the judge and brief summary
460	453		of the alleged misconduct,
461	454		(4) a list of complaints referred to the Supreme
462	455		Court pursuant to Section 1659 of Title 20 of the
463	456		Oklahoma Statutes wit h a recommendation of a
464	457		private reprimand and a bri ef summary of the
465	458		alleged misconduct,
466	459		(5) a list of complaints referred to the Supreme
467	460		Court pursuant to Section 1659 of Title 20 of the
468	461		Oklahoma Statutes with a recommendation other
469	462		than a private reprimand, the identity of the
470	463		respondent judge, a brief s ummary of the alleged
471	464		misconduct, and the Council ’s recommendation,
472	465		(6) a list of complaints referred to any of the
473	466		bodies or officials enumerated in Article VII-A
474	467		of the Oklahoma Constitution with a
475		-	recommendation of removal proceedings or
476		-	compulsory retirement proceedings before the
477		-	Court on the Judiciary, the ide ntity of the
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	494	+	recommendation of removal proceedings or
	495	+	compulsory retirement proceedings before the
	496	+	Court on the Judiciary, the identity of the
505	497		respondent judge, a brief summa ry of the alleged
506	498		misconduct, and the Council ’s recommendation,
507	499		(7) the number of complaints for which a response was
508	500		sought from the judge that ultima tely resulted in
509	501		a dismissal,
510	502		(8) an explanation of the Council ’s processes, and
511	503		(9) any additional public information deemed relevant
512	504		by the Council for inclusion in the annual
513	505		report.
514	506		SECTION 6. This act shall become effective November 1 , 2025.
515		-	~~COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY~~
516		-	~~March~~ 4, 2025 ~~- DO PASS AS AMENDED BY CS~~
	507	+
	508	+	60-1-1771 TEK 3/4/2025 5:31:54 PM