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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
SENATE BILL 1869 By: Standridge
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to the Oklahoma Educational
Television Authority; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Sections
23-105, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 296, O.S.L.
2023, 23-106, as amended by Section 574, Chapter 486,
O.S.L. 2025, and 23-118 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Sections
23-105 and 23-106), which relate to the Oklahoma
Educational Television Authority; removing certain
essentiality of the Authority; altering certain
powers of the Authority; prohibiting the Authority
from charging certain fee for certain programs;
prohibiting transfer of appropriated monies to the
Authority; directing transfer of certain funds to the
Healthy Parks Healthy Minds Fund; transferring
certain facilities to the Office of Management and
Enterprise Services; authorizing the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services to lease certain
facilities to the Authority; creating the Healthy
Parks Healthy Minds Fund; repealing 70 O.S. 2021,
Sections 23-101, 23-107, 23-108, 23-109, 23-110, 23-
111, 23-112, 23-113, 23-114, 23-115, 23-116, 23-117,
23-120, 23-121, 23-122, 23-123, 23-124, and 23-126,
which relate to the Oklahoma Educational Television
Authority; providing for codification; providing an
effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-105, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 296, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 23-105), is amended to read as follows:
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Section 23-105. There is hereby re-created, to continue until
July 1, 2026, in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma
Sunset Law, Section 3901 et seq. of Title 74 of the Oklahoma
Statutes, a body corporate and politic to be known as the “Oklahoma
Educational Television Authority”, and by that name the Authority
may sue and be sued, and plead and be impleaded. The Authority is
hereby constituted an instrumentality of the state, and the exercise
by the Authority of the powers conferred by this article for the
planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of educational
television facilities shall be deemed and held to be an essential
function of the state.
The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority shall consist of
thirteen (13) members, including the President of the University of
Oklahoma, the President of Oklahoma State University, the State
Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chancellor of the Oklahoma
State Regents for Higher Education, the president of one of the
state-supported four-year colleges to be chosen by the presidents of
this group of institutions, the president of one of the state-
supported two-year colleges to be chosen by the presidents of this
group of institutions, and seven additional members to be appointed
by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve
seven-year terms.
The appointed members shall have been residents of the state for
at least five (5) years preceding the date of their appointment.
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The appointed members shall include one member from each of the
congressional districts and any remaining members shall be appointed
from the state at large. However, when congressional districts are
redrawn each member appointed prior to July 1 of the year in which
such modification becomes effective shall complete the current term
of office and appointments made after July 1 of the year in which
such modification becomes effective shall be based on the redrawn
districts. Appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such
modification becomes effective shall be from any redrawn districts
which are not represented by an authority member until such time as
each of the modified congressional districts are represented by an
authority member. A majority of the appointed members shall be
actively engaged in the profession of education. Each appointed
member of the Authority, before entering upon the duties of the
member, shall take the oath provided for by Section 1 of Article XV
of the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma.
The seven original members appointed by the Governor shall
continue in office for terms expiring on June 30, 1954; June 30,
1955; June 30, 1956; June 30, 1957; June 30, 1958; June 30, 1959;
and June 30, 1960, respectively. The terms of each of the original
appointed members shall be designated by the Governor, and said
members shall serve for their appointed terms and until their
respective successors shall be appointed and qualified. The
successor of each appointed member shall be appointed for a term of
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seven (7) years, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy
shall be appointed to serve only for the unexpired term in said
vacancy.
The Authority shall elect from the membership of the Authority a
chair, a vice-chair, and a secretary-treasurer. Any such officers
elected by the Authority on or after July 1, 1984, shall be
appointed to serve a term of one (1) year. Seven members of the
Authority shall constitute a quorum, and the vote of seven members
shall be necessary for any action taken by the Authority. No
vacancy in the membership of the Authority shall impair the right of
a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of
the Authority. The Authority shall meet at least quarterly.
The members of the Authority shall not be entitled to
compensation for their services, but each member shall be reimbursed
for travel expenses incurred in performing official duties in
accordance with the provisions of the State Travel Reimbursement
Act. No liability or obligation shall be incurred by the Authority
beyond the extent to which monies shall have been provided pursuant
to the authority of this article.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-106, as
amended by Section 574, Chapter 486, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp.
2025, Section 23-106), is amended to read as follows:
Section 23-106. The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority
is hereby authorized and empowered:
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1. To accept, assume, and control the television channels
assigned by the Federal Communications Commission to the State of
Oklahoma for educational purposes;
2. To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the
conduct of its business;
3. To adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure;
4. To maintain an office at such place or places within the
state as it may designate designated by the Office of Management and
Enterprise Services;
5. To sue and be sued in its own name, plead and be impleaded;
provided, however, that any and all actions, at law or in equity,
against the Authority shall be brought in the county in which the
principal office of the Authority shall be located, or in the county
of the residence of the plaintiff, or in the county where the cause
of action arose;
6. To construct, maintain, repair and operate television
facilities which with their access connections are designated
ultimately to extend to and include all sections and areas of the
State of Oklahoma;
7. To issue revenue bonds of the Authority, payable solely from
dedicated revenues, for the purpose of paying all or any part of the
cost of needed facilities;
8. To fix and revise from time to time any necessary charges
for the use of any facilities;
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9. To pay for the annual cost of the operation, maintenance and
repair of such facilities;
10. To pay as and when due the principal and interest on the
revenue certificates or bonds issued to pay for such facilities;
11. To accumulate and maintain such reserves as are provided
for in the resolution or trust indenture under which such bonds are
issued or secured;
12. To acquire, hold, or dispose of real and personal property
in the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties
under this act;
13. To acquire in the name of the Authority by purchase or
otherwise, on such terms and conditions and in such manner as it may
deem proper, or by the exercise of the right of condemnation in
manner hereinafter provided, such public or private lands, rights-
of-way, property, rights, easements, and interests, as it may deem
necessary for carrying out the provisions of this article; and it is
the intent of the Legislature that all public property damaged in
carrying out the powers granted by this article shall be restored or
repaired and placed in its original condition as nearly as
practicable;
14. To designate, except as is provided for herein, the
locations; and to establish, limit and control such points of
ingress to and egress from each facility as may be necessary or
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desirable in the judgment of the Authority to insure the proper
operation and maintenance of such facility;
15. 8. To make and enter into all contracts and agreements
necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the
execution of its powers under this article, and to employ consulting
engineers, attorneys, accountants, construction and financial
experts, superintendents, managers, and such other employees and
agents as may be necessary in its judgment, and to fix their
compensation;
16. To receive appropriations from the State Legislature and
accept from any federal agency grants for or in aid of the
construction and operation of any project; provided, the acceptance
of such grants or appropriations will not reduce the amount of
federal aid for other education in this state; and to receive and
accept aid or contributions from any source of either money,
property, labor, or other things of value;
17. 9. To do any and all things necessary to comply with rules,
regulations, or requirements of the Federal Communications
Commission or any other federal agency administering any law enacted
by the Congress of the United States to aid or encourage education;
and
18. 10. To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out
the powers expressly granted in this article.
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It shall be unlawful for any member, officer, or employee of the
Authority to transact with the Authority, either directly or
indirectly, any business for profit of such member, officer, or
employee; and any person, firm or corporation knowingly
participating therein shall be equally liable for violation of this
provision.
The term “business for profit” shall include, but not be limited
to, the acceptance or payment of any fee, commission, gift or
consideration to such member, officer, or employee.
Any person found guilty of violating any of the provisions of
this section shall be guilty of a Class D1 felony offense, and shall
be punishable by a fine of not less than Five Hundred Dollars
($500.00), and not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or
by imprisonment as provided for in subsections B through F of
Section 20N of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or by both such
fine and imprisonment.
SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-118, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 23-118. Each project when constructed and placed in use
shall be maintained and kept in good condition and repair by the
Authority. When all bonds issued under the provisions of this
article in connection with any project and the interest thereon
shall have been paid or a sufficient amount for the payment of all
such bonds and the interest thereon to the maturity thereof shall
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have been set aside in trust for the benefit of the bondholders,
such project, if then in good condition and repair to the
satisfaction of the State Legislature, shall become part of the
State Educational System.
A. All counties, cities, towns, municipalities and, school
districts of the state and all, institutions of higher education,
state boards, commissions, officials, and other public agencies,
notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, are hereby authorized
and empowered:
1. To lease, lend, grant or convey to the Authority at its
request upon such terms and conditions as the proper authorities of
such counties, cities, towns, municipalities, school districts of
the state, and all state boards, commissions, officials and other
public agencies may deem reasonable and fair and without the
necessity for any advertisement, order of court or other action or
formality other than the regular and formal action of the
authorities concerned, any personal property, real property and
other things of value which may be necessary or convenient to the
effectuation of the authorized purposes of the Authority, including
real property already devoted to public use; and
2. To lease, rent or contract to receive from the Authority,
for telecasting purposes, any programs that would be beneficial to
their interest and that of the State of Oklahoma. The Authority
shall not charge a fee for such programs.
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B. No counties, cities, towns, municipalities, school
districts, institutions of higher education, state boards,
commissions, officials, or other public agencies shall transfer to
the Authority any monies that have previously been appropriated by
this state to such entities.
SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 23-127 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
On the effective date of this act, all remaining funds and
monies to the credit of or in the possession of the Oklahoma
Educational Television Authority that were previously appropriated
by this state in fiscal year 2026 and earlier shall be transferred
into the Healthy Parks Healthy Minds Fund, as provided for in
Section 6 of this act.
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 23-128 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
All facilities of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority,
as defined in Section 23-104 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
shall be transferred to the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services (OMES). OMES shall lease such facilities to the Oklahoma
Educational Television Authority, with the proceeds of such leases
to be deposited in the Healthy Parks Healthy Minds Fund, as provided
for in Section 6 of this act.
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SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2295 of Title 74, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
for the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department to be designated
the “Healthy Parks Healthy Minds Fund”. The fund shall be a
continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall
consist of all monies received by the Department from transfers from
the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, as provided for in
Section 4 of this act, and all monies received by the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services from leasing such facilities, as
provided for in Section 5 of this act. All monies accruing to the
credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and
expended by the Department for the maintenance of transferred
facilities and the improvement and maintenance of state parks.
Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the
State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the
Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for
approval and payment.
SECTION 7. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-101, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 8. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-107, is
hereby repealed.
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SECTION 9. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-108, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 10. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-109, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 11. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-110, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 12. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-111, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 13. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-112, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 14. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-113, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 15. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-114, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 16. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-115, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 17. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-116, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 18. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-117, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 19. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-120, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 20. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-121, is
hereby repealed.
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SECTION 21. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-122, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 22. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-123, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 23. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-124, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 24. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 23-126, is
hereby repealed.
SECTION 25. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 26. 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.
60-2-2856 MSBB 1/15/2026 7:44:34 AM