State government; adding the State Board of Career and Technology Education to certain exceptions regarding employment of attorneys. Effective date. Emergency.

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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
March 3, 2026

SENATE BILL NO. 1743 By: Green of the Senate

and

Wilk of the House

An Act relating to state government; amending 74 O.S.
2021, Section 18c, as amended by Section 5, Chapter
199, O.S.L. 2025 (74 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 18c),
which relates to the employment of attorneys by
certain officers, boards, or commissions; adding the
State Board of Career and Technology Education to
certain exception; updating statutory language;
providing an effective date; and declaring an
emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 74 O.S. 2021, Section 18c, as
amended by Section 5, Chapter 199, O.S.L. 2025 (74 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 18c), is amended to read as follows:
Section 18c. A. 1. Except as otherwise provided by this
subsection, no state officer, board, or commission shall have
authority to employ or appoint attorneys to advise or represent said
such officer, board, or commission in any matter.
2. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the
Corporation Commission, the Council on Law Enforcement Education and

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Training, the Consumer Credit Commission, the Board of Managers of
the State Insurance Fund, the Oklahoma Tax Commission, the
Commissioners of the Land Office, the Oklahoma Public Welfare
Commission also known as the Commission for Human Services, the
State Board of Corrections, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the
Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics
and Dangerous Drugs Control, the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement
Commission, the Transportation Commission, the Oklahoma Energy
Resources Board, the Oklahoma Merit Protection Commission, the
Office of Management and Enterprise Services, the Oklahoma Water
Resources Board, the Department of Labor, the Department of
Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, the Northeast Oklahoma Public
Facilities Authority, the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and
Retirement System, the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System,
the Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges, the Oklahoma
Conservation Commission, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the State
Board of Pharmacy, the State Board of Career and Technology
Education, and the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
3. The provisions of paragraph 2 of this subsection shall not
be construed to authorize the Office of Juvenile Affairs to employ
any attorneys that are not specifically authorized by law.
4. All the legal duties of such officer, board, or commission
shall devolve upon and are hereby vested in the Attorney General;
provided that:

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a. the Governor shall have authority to employ special
counsel to protect the rights or interest of the state
as provided in Section 6 of this title, and
b. liquidation agents of banks shall have the authority
to employ local counsel, with the consent of the Bank
Commissioner and the Attorney General and the approval
of the district court.
B. At the request of any state officer, board, or commission,
except the Corporation Commission, the Oklahoma Tax Commission and
the Commissioners of the Land Office, the Grand River Dam Authority,
the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control,
the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission, the Oklahoma
Firefighters Pension and Retirement System, the Oklahoma Public
Employees Retirement System, the Uniform Retirement System for
Justices and Judges, and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact
Commission, the Attorney General shall defend any action in which
they may be sued in their official capacity. At the request of any
such state officer, board, or commission, the Attorney General shall
have authority to institute suits in the name of the State of
Oklahoma on their relation, if after investigation the Attorney
General is convinced there is sufficient legal merit to justify the
action. Any officer, board, or commission which has the authority
to employ or appoint attorneys may request that the Attorney General

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defend any action arising pursuant to the provisions of The
Governmental Tort Claims Act.
C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal or
affect the provisions of the statutes of this state pertaining to
attorneys and legal advisors of the several commissions and
departments of state specified in subsection B of this section, and
all acts and parts of acts pertaining thereto shall be and remain in
full force and effect.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
March 3, 2026 - DO PASS