Oklahoma Statutes
Title 61. Public Buildings and Public Works
§61-130. Emergencies.

A. The provisions of the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974 with reference to notice and bids shall not apply to an emergency if:

1. The governing body of a public agency declares by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all of the members of the governing body that an emergency exists;
2. The Transportation Commission and the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission, by majority vote of all the members of each Commission, declare that an emergency exists; or
3. The chief administrative officer of a public agency without a governing body declares that an emergency exists.
B. The governing body of a public agency may, upon approval of two-thirds (2/3) majority of all of the members of the governing body, delegate to the chief administrative officer of a public agency the authority to declare an emergency whereby the provisions of the Public Competitive Bidding Act of 1974 with reference to notice and bids shall not apply to contracts less than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) in amount; provided, such authority of the Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority shall not extend to any contract exceeding Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($750,000.00) in amount and such authority of the Department of Corrections shall not extend to any contract exceeding Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) in amount for situations in which the emergency impacts the conditions of confinement, health and safety of correctional officers and inmates in the custody of the Department of Corrections.
C. Upon approval of a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission may delegate to the Executive Director the authority to declare an emergency and set a monetary limit for the declaration. The provisions of this subsection may only be used for the purpose of responding to an emergency involving the reclamation of abandoned coal mines or the repair of damaged upstream floodwater retarding structures.
D. An emergency declared by the Board of Corrections pursuant to subsection C of Section 65 of this title shall exempt the Department of Corrections from the limits which would otherwise be imposed pursuant to subsection B of this section for the contracting and construction of new or expanded correctional facilities.
E. The chief administrative officer of a public agency with a governing body shall notify the governing body within ten (10) days of the declaration of an emergency if the governing body did not approve the emergency. The notification shall contain a statement of the reasons for the action, and shall be recorded in the official minutes of the governing body.
F. Emergency as used in this section shall be limited to conditions resulting from a sudden unexpected happening or unforeseen occurrence or condition whereby the public health or safety is endangered or further damage to state property is likely if the situation is not addressed promptly.
G. The chief administrative officer of a public agency shall report an emergency within ten (10) days of the emergency declaration and include the official minutes of the governing body of the public agency, if applicable, to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services which shall compile an annual report detailing all emergencies declared pursuant to this section during the previous calendar year. The report shall be submitted to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives upon request.
H. The Risk Management Administrator of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services may declare an emergency on behalf of a public agency when an insurable loss has occurred which would lead to further economic loss or additional property damage if not addressed promptly. Such declaration shall not relieve the public agency of fiscal responsibility for its deductible, uninsured losses, and other related expenses.
Added by Laws 1974, c. 298, § 30, operative Aug. 1, 1974. Amended by Laws 1975, c. 266, § 10, emerg. eff. June 5, 1975; Laws 1981, c. 51, § 1, emerg. eff. April 13, 1981; Laws 1982, c. 151, § 1, emerg. eff. April 12, 1982; Laws 1997, c. 133, § 84, eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 1998, c. 364, § 16, emerg. eff. June 8, 1998; Laws 2000, c. 6, § 32, emerg. eff. March 20, 2000; Laws 2000, c. 363, § 12, emerg. eff. June 6, 2000; Laws 2001, c. 298, § 4, emerg. eff. May 31, 2001; Laws 2002, c. 294, § 24, eff. Nov. 1, 2002; Laws 2007, c. 265, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2007; Laws 2011, c. 362, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2011; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 317; Laws 2014, c. 184, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2014, c. 271, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2016, c. 293, § 1, emerg. eff. May 11, 2016; Laws 2021, c. 340, § 9, eff. Nov. 1, 2021; Laws 2022, c. 238, § 27, eff. Nov. 1, 2022.
NOTE: Laws 1997, c. 72, § 2 repealed by Laws 2000, c. 6, § 34, emerg. eff. March 20, 2000.

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