§ 51-305. Powers and responsibilities of Ethics Commission.

The Ethics Commission shall:

1.  Serve as the official repository for financial disclosure statements, campaign contributions and expenditures reports and such other documents filed by candidates or candidate committees for county office and public officials and public employees of county government as pertain to its duties;

2.  Accept and file any information voluntarily supplied that exceeds the requirements of the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act; provided, the Commission shall not require the disclosure of any information other than as specifically provided by the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act;

3.  Make available from its website forms upon which information shall be provided as required by the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act and copies of the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act for all candidates, committees, officials, and employees required to submit such forms;

4.  Make campaign contributions and expenditures reports, political action committees' registrations and financial disclosure statements filed with it available during regular business hours to the public subject to the Oklahoma Open Records Act, Section 24A.1 et seq. of this title.  No original or record copies of reports, registrations and statements shall be removed from the office of the Commission.  No records or materials of the Commission shall be subject to the Oklahoma Open Records Act unless expressly provided for in this act;

5.  Preserve such reports, registrations and statements in accordance with the Records Management Act, Section 201 et seq. of Title 67 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or for a period of at least two (2) years from date of receipt;

6.  Issue ethics interpretations pertaining to the provisions of the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act when requested by any person or committee under the jurisdiction of the Commission and publish its ethics interpretations annually; provided, that failure of a person to request an ethics interpretation shall have no relevance in any subsequent proceeding under the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act.  Provided further, such interpretation shall be binding on the Commission in any subsequent proceeding under the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act.  Sufficient deletions shall be made by the Commission in published ethics interpretations to prevent the disclosure of the identity of the persons involved in the situations presented in the ethical interpretations;

7.  Pursuant to a complaint filed under the provisions of Section 307 of this title and as specifically authorized by law, hold hearings, subpoena witnesses upon a vote of a majority of the members of the Commission, and compel their attendance and testimony, administer oaths and affirmations, take evidence, and require by subpoena the production of any books, papers, records, or other items relevant to the performance of the Commission's duties or exercise of its powers;

8.  Enforce and collect such late filing fees as provided for by the Political Subdivisions Ethics Act.  The Commission shall establish a procedure by which an employee of or person contracting with the Commission shall conduct a hearing regarding any late filing fee imposed upon written request.  The hearing shall be conducted within thirty (30) days of the request.  The decision of the person conducting the hearing may be appealed to the Commission upon written request; and

9.  Initiate and continue programs for the purpose of educating officials, employees and citizens of political subdivisions of this state on matters of ethics and government service.

Added by Laws 1995, c. 343, § 19, eff. July 1, 1995.  Amended by Laws 2010, c. 442, § 1 , eff. July 1, 2010.