Bill > HB4229

This bill allows school districts and public schools in Oklahoma to declare an emergency to enter into an "emergency contract," which is a contract for immediate repairs or services needed due to unforeseen circumstances, bypassing normal bidding processes. This authority can only be used if a school building is unoccupied due to damage or unsafe conditions, or if students have been displaced from their regular classrooms. The emergency declaration is strictly limited to actions necessary to fix the building or allow students to return, such as emergency repairs or providing temporary classrooms, and it explicitly excludes routine maintenance, planned renovations, or projects done for convenience. Any such emergency declaration must be approved by the school's governing board, documented with specific reasons, and kept as a public record. This new provision clarifies and defines when schools can use emergency contracting powers without affecting other existing emergency contracting authorities.

Government Affairs

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb4229&Session=2600