§ 85A-20. Power and authority of Commission.

A.  In addition to its other duties and powers, the Commission is given and granted full power and authority:

1.  To appoint administrative law judges to hear all claims for compensation, including claims based on injuries which occurred outside this state for which compensation is payable under this act.  An administrative law judge shall have been licensed to practice law in this state for a period of not less than three (3) years and shall have not less than three (3) years of workers’ compensation experience prior to appointment;

2.  To remand any case to an administrative law judge for the purpose of taking additional evidence;

3.  To assess penalties;

4.  To prescribe rules governing the representation of employees, employers, and carriers in respect to claims before the Commission;

5.  To make available all records in connection with all cases of personal injury to the Oklahoma Department of Labor.  The Commissioner of Labor may propose rules for the prevention of injuries and transmit the rules to the Commission.  The Commission may recommend proposed rules for prevention of injuries to the Commissioner of Labor; and

6.  To have and exercise all other powers and duties conferred or imposed by this act.

B.  1.  In addition to the other powers and duties granted to the Commission in this section and otherwise provided by law, the Commission is authorized to establish and impose reasonable administrative fees to recover the cost of preparation of various informative materials distributed by the Commission.

2.  The administrative fees shall be established by regulation of the Commission.

3.  Funds derived from administrative fees shall be deposited into the Workers' Compensation Fund to be used to defray expenses incurred in preparation and distribution of materials.

Added by Laws 2013, c. 208, § 20.