Oklahoma § 51-24A.3 - Definitions

§ 51-24A.3. Definitions

As used in the Oklahoma Open Records Act:

1. “Record” means all documents including, but not limited to,

any book, paper, photograph, microfilm, data files created by or

used with computer software, computer tape, disk, record, sound

recording, film recording, video record or other material regardless

of physical form or characteristic, created by, received by, under

the authority of, or coming into the custody, control or possession

of public officials, public bodies or their representatives in

connection with the transaction of public business, the expenditure

of public funds or the administering of public property. Record

shall also mean applications and other documents related to

licensure matters that are filed of record in a district court,

including, but not limited to, marriage licenses, process server

licenses, closing out sale licenses, transient merchant licenses,

pool hall licenses, and bail bondsmen registration. Record does not

mean:

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 51. Officers

a.

computer software, or

b.

nongovernment personal effects;

2. “Public body” shall include, but not be limited to, any

office, department, board, bureau, commission, agency, trusteeship,

authority, council, committee, trust or any entity created by a

trust, county, city, village, town, township, district, school

district, fair board, court, executive office, advisory group, task

force, study group or any subdivision thereof, supported in whole or

in part by public funds or entrusted with the expenditure of public

funds or administering or operating public property, and all

committees, or subcommittees thereof. Except for the records

required by Section 24A.4 of this title, public body does not mean

judges, justices, the Council on Judicial Complaints, the

Legislature or legislators. Public body shall not include an

organization that is exempt from federal income tax under Section

501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and

whose sole beneficiary is a college or university, or an affiliated

entity of the college or university, that is a member of The

Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. Such organization shall

not receive direct appropriations from the Legislature. The

following persons shall not be eligible to serve as a voting member

of the governing board of the organization:

a.

a member, officer, or employee of the Oklahoma State

Regents for Higher Education,

b.

a member of the board of regents or other governing

board of the college or university that is the sole

beneficiary of the organization, or

c.

an officer or employee of the college or university

that is the sole beneficiary of the organization;

3. “Public office” means the physical location where public

bodies conduct business or keep records;

4. “Public official” means any official or employee of any

public body as defined herein; and

5. “Law enforcement agency” means any public body charged with

enforcing state or local criminal laws and initiating criminal

prosecutions including, but not limited to: police departments;

state and local fire marshals when investigating potential

violations of federal, state, or local criminal laws or when acting

on behalf of a law enforcement agency; county sheriffs; the

Department of Public Safety; the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics

and Dangerous Drugs Control; the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement

Commission; and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Added by Laws 1985, c. 355, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1985. Amended by Laws

1987, c. 222, § 117, operative July 1, 1987; Laws 1988, c. 187, § 3,

emerg. eff. June 6, 1988; Laws 1993, c. 39, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993;

Laws 1996, c. 209, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 1998, c. 315, § 4,

emerg. eff. May 28, 1998; Laws 1998, c. 368, § 11, eff. July 1,

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 51. Officers

1998; Laws 2001, c. 355, § 1, emerg. eff. June 1, 2001; Laws 2002,

c. 478, § 2, eff. July 1, 2002; Laws 2003, c. 3, § 42, emerg. eff.

March 19, 2003; Laws 2004, c. 328, § 1, eff. July 1, 2004; Laws

2005, c. 199, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2014, c. 266, § 2, eff.

Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2022, c. 307, § 1; Laws 2022, c. 402, § 1, eff.

Nov. 1, 2022; Laws 2023, c. 271, § 11, eff. Nov. 1, 2023; Laws 2024,

c. 116, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2024; Laws 2024, c. 358, § 1, eff. Nov. 1,

2024; Laws 2025, c. 404, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2025.

NOTE: Laws 2002, c. 293, § 3 repealed by Laws 2003, c. 3, § 43,

emerg. eff. March 19, 2003.