Attorney General; modifying duty related to deposit of certain monies. Emergency.
SB 170 amends Oklahoma law governing the duties of the Attorney General, specifically updating Section 18b of Title 74. The bill largely restates and reorganizes the Attorney General’s statutory responsibilities, but it makes a targeted change to the handling of money received by the office. Under the bill, the Attorney General must pay into the State Treasury immediately upon receipt all monies belonging to the state, while preserving the existing exception for monies received on behalf of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority. The bill also updates statutory language throughout the section and includes an emergency clause, meaning it would take effect immediately upon passage and approval.
The measure leaves in place the Attorney General’s broad duties to represent the state in court, advise state officials, enforce proper use of appropriated funds, investigate state audit findings, represent utility and insurance consumers, monitor federal actions for possible Tenth Amendment issues, cross-deputize law enforcement under interlocal agreements, and maintain human trafficking data. It also preserves the rule that the Attorney General is not required to represent certain entities, including the Oklahoma Tax Commission, the State Insurance Fund board, and the Commissioners of the Land Office. Overall, the bill is a technical and administrative update to the Attorney General’s governing statute rather than a major policy overhaul.
The bill’s impact on state law is narrow but important for fiscal administration. It clarifies and reinforces the requirement that state-owned monies received by the Attorney General be deposited into the State Treasury immediately, which affects how the office handles funds and may improve consistency in state financial procedures. Because the bill amends the core statute defining the Attorney General’s duties, it also serves as a codification update that keeps the law aligned with current practice and terminology.
There is little evidence of controversy in the available record. No committee transcript or recorded vote information is provided, and the bill’s status shows only referral after second reading. Based on the text and caption, the measure appears to have been treated as a routine statutory cleanup with an emergency clause, suggesting a generally favorable or at least non-contentious posture. Any potential concern would likely center on the Attorney General’s handling of state funds and the scope of the office’s duties, but no specific opposition is documented in the materials provided.
SB 170 amends 74 O.S. Section 18b, the statute defining the Attorney General’s duties, by updating language and clarifying that monies received by the Attorney General belonging to the state must be deposited immediately into the State Treasury, while retaining the existing exception for monies received on behalf of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority. The bill does not materially change most of the Attorney General’s powers and responsibilities, but it does affect state fiscal handling procedures and preserves the office’s authority over litigation, advisory opinions, consumer protection, investigations, and related functions.
The available materials suggest a neutral to favorable sentiment. The bill appears to be a technical update to an existing statute, includes an emergency clause, and there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes indicating opposition or debate. Its referral history suggests it was moving through the legislative process in a routine manner.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided record. If any concerns arise, they would most likely relate to the bill’s clarification of how the Attorney General must deposit state monies and the broader scope of the office’s statutory duties, but the available materials do not show any named opponents or disputed provisions.