1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
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3 SENATE BILL 1923 By: Alvord
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5 AS INTRODUCED
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6 An Act relating to transportation; amending 47 O.S.
6 2021, Section 1-159, which relates to safety zones;
7 modifying term; amending 47 O.S. 2021, Section 11-
7 203, which relates to pedestrian-control signals;
8 modifying actions for pedestrians when presented
8 certain instructions; amending 47 O.S. 2021, Section
9 11-308, which relates to one-way roadways and rotary
9 traffic island; modifying name of responsible entity;
10 requiring certain traffic move in certain manner;
10 amending 47 O.S. 2021, Section 11-309, which relates
11 to additional rules for driving on roadways laned for
11 traffic; modifying requirements for vehicles driven
12 on multi-laned roadways; amending 47 O.S. 2021,
12 Section 11-803, which relates to when local
13 authorities may and shall alter maximum limits;
13 modifying description of certain streets and
14 highways; amending 69 O.S. 2021, Section 241, which
14 relates to the definition of shoulder; clarifying
15 certain use of shoulder; amending 69 O.S. 2021,
15 Sections 242 and 301, which relate to the Department
16 of Transportation; updating statutory language;
16 updating statutory references; and providing an
17 effective date.
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19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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20 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 1-159, is
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21 amended to read as follows:
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22 Section 1-159. The area or space officially set apart within a
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23 roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected
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24 or is so marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly
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 1 visible at all times while set apart shall be known as a safety zone
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2 pedestrian refuge.
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3 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 11-203, is
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4 amended to read as follows:
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5 Section 11-203. Whenever special pedestrian-control signals
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6 exhibiting the words “Walk” or “Wait” a flashing “Don’t Walk” or
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7 “Don’t Walk” the WALKING PERSON or UPRAISED HAND symbols are in
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8 place, such signals shall indicate as follows:
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9 1. Walk. Pedestrians facing such signal may proceed across the
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10 roadway in the direction of the signal and shall be given the right
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11 of way right-of-way in the direction of the signal by the drivers of
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12 all vehicles.;
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13 2. Wait or Flashing Don’t Walk or flashing UPRAISED HAND. No
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14 pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway in the direction of such
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15 signal, but any pedestrian who has partially completed his or her
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16 crossing on the walk signal shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety
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17 island pedestrian refuge while the wait steady Don’t Walk or
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18 UPRAISED HAND signal is showing.; and
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19 3. Steady Don’t Walk or steady UPRAISED HAND. No pedestrian
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20 shall enter the roadway in the direction of the signal indication.
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21 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 11-308, is
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22 amended to read as follows:
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23 Section 11-308. (a) A. The State Highway Transportation
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24 Commission or local authorities, within their respective
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 1 jurisdictions, may designate any street or highway or any separate
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2 roadway under their respective jurisdictions for one-way traffic and
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3 shall erect appropriate signs giving notice thereof.
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4 (b) B. Upon a roadway designated and signposted for one-way
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5 traffic, a vehicle shall be driven only in the direction designated.
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6 (c) C. A vehicle passing around a rotary traffic the central
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7 island of a circular intersection shall be driven only to the right
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8 of counterclockwise around such islands.
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9 SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 11-309, is
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10 amended to read as follows:
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11 Section 11-309. Whenever any roadway has been divided into two
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12 or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, the following requirements
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13 in addition to all others consistent herewith shall apply.:
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14 1. A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely
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15 within a single lane.;
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16 2. A vehicle shall not be moved from the lane until the driver
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17 has first ascertained that the movement can be made with safety and
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18 then given a signal, not less than the last one hundred (100) feet
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19 traveled by the vehicle, of his or her intention to change lanes.;
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20 3. Upon a roadway which is divided into three lanes, a vehicle
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21 shall not be driven in the center lane except when overtaking and
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22 passing another vehicle where the roadway is clearly visible and the
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23 center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance, or in
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24 preparation for a left turn or where the center lane is at the time
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 1 allocated exclusively to traffic moving in the direction the vehicle
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2 is proceeding and is signposted to give notice of the allocation.
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3 4. A two-way left-turn lane is a lane near the center of the
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4 highway set aside for use by vehicles making left turns in both
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5 directions from or into the roadway. Two-way left-turn lanes shall
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6 be designated by distinctive roadway markings consisting of parallel
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7 double yellow lines, interior line dashed and exterior line solid,
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8 on each side of the lane. A vehicle shall not be driven in a
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9 designated two-way left-turn lane except when preparing for or
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10 making a left turn from or into a roadway. Vehicles turning left
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11 from the roadway shall not be driven in the two-way left-turn lane
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12 for more than two hundred (200) feet while preparing for and making
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13 the turn. A vehicle turning left onto the roadway may utilize the
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14 two-way left-turn lane as a staging area by stopping and waiting for
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15 traffic proceeding in the same direction to clear before merging
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16 into the adjacent lanes of travel. A left turn shall not be made
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17 from any other lane where a two-way left-turn lane has been
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18 designated. Provided, however, this section shall not prohibit
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19 driving across a two-way left-turn lane when moving from a service
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20 drive onto such marked roadway.;
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21 5. 4. A vehicle shall not be driven in the left lane of a
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22 roadway except when overtaking and passing another vehicle;
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23 provided, however, this paragraph shall not prohibit driving in the
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24 left lane when traffic conditions, flow or road configuration, such
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 1 as the potential of merging traffic, require requires the use of the
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2 left lane to maintain safe traffic conditions; provided further,
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3 this paragraph shall not prohibit driving in the left lane of a
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4 roadway within the city limits of a municipality or upon a county
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5 road as long as such roadway is not part of the National System of
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6 Interstate and Defense Highways or a turnpike.; and
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7 6. 5. Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving
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8 traffic to use a designated lane or designating those lanes to be
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9 used by traffic moving in a particular direction regardless of the
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10 center of the roadway, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the
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11 directions of every such sign.
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12 Any person convicted of violating any provision of this section
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13 shall be punished as provided for in Section 17-101 of this title.
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14 SECTION 5. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 11-803, is
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15 amended to read as follows:
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16 Section 11-803. A. Whenever local authorities in their
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17 respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering
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18 and traffic investigation that the maximum speed permitted under
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19 this article is greater or less than is reasonable and safe under
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20 the conditions found to exist upon a highway or part of a highway,
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21 the local authority may determine and declare a reasonable and safe
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22 maximum limit thereon which:
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23 1. Decreases the limit at intersections; or
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 1 2. Increases the limit within an urban district, but not to
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2 more than sixty-five (65) miles per hour; or
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3 3. Decreases the limit outside an urban district, but not to
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4 less than thirty (30) miles per hour.
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5 B. Local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall
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6 determine by an engineering and traffic investigation the proper
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7 maximum speed for all arterial streets and shall declare a
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8 reasonable and safe maximum limit thereon which may be greater or
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9 less than the maximum speed permitted under Section 1-101 et seq. of
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10 this title for an urban district.
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11 C. Any altered limit established as hereinabove authorized
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12 shall be effective at all times or during hours of darkness or at
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13 other times as may be determined when appropriate signs giving
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14 notice thereof are erected upon such street or highway.
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15 D. As to streets and highways within the corporate limits which
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16 have been constructed or reconstructed with state or federal funds
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17 are maintained by the Department of Transportation, local
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18 authorities shall have joint authority with the Transportation
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19 Commission to establish or alter speed limits; provided, however,
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20 the speed limit on an interstate highway within such corporate
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21 limits shall not be decreased to less than sixty (60) miles per
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22 hour; and provided further, that no local authority shall impose
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23 speed limits on any such street or highway substantially lower than
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 1 those justified by the highway design, capacity, and traffic volume
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2 as determined by engineering studies.
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3 E. Not more than six such alterations as hereinabove authorized
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4 shall be made per mile along a street or highway except in the case
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5 of reduced limits at intersections, and the difference between
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6 adjacent limits shall not be more than ten (10) miles per hour.
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7 SECTION 6. AMENDATORY 69 O.S. 2021, Section 241, is
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8 amended to read as follows:
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9 Section 241. The portion of the roadway contiguous with the
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10 traveled way for accommodation of stopped vehicles, for emergency
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11 use, for travel under certain conditions, and for lateral support of
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12 base and surface courses.
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13 SECTION 7. AMENDATORY 69 O.S. 2021, Section 242, is
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14 amended to read as follows:
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15 Section 242. The system of state roads designated by the State
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16 Highway Transportation Commission, including necessary urban
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17 extension, the responsibility for which is lodged in the Department
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18 of Highways Transportation.
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19 SECTION 8. AMENDATORY 69 O.S. 2021, Section 301, is
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20 amended to read as follows:
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21 Section 301. (a) A. There is hereby created a Department of
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22 Highways Transportation and a State Highway Transportation
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23 Commission in and for the State of Oklahoma this state, pursuant to
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24 the provisions of Section 1, of Article 16, XVI of the Oklahoma
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 1 Constitution of the State of Oklahoma, and such department shall be
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2 governed by the State Highway Director of the Department of
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3 Transportation, provided for by Section 305 of this Code title,
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4 under such reasonable rules, regulations and policies and road
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5 improvement programs as may be prescribed by the Commission. Such
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6 rules and regulations and amendments thereto as adopted by the
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7 Commission shall be filed and recorded in the office Office of the
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8 Secretary of State.
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9 (b) B. The Department and the Commission created by the
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10 preceding paragraph subsection A of this section and the State
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11 Highway Director of the Department of Transportation provided for by
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12 Section 305 of this Code title shall be the legal successors of, and
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13 unless and except as otherwise provided by this Code title shall
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14 also have the powers and duties vested by other laws in, and shall
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15 take immediate charge of all equipment, supplies and property now in
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16 the possession of, the Department, Commission and Director,
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17 respectively, created and provided for by 69 O.S. 1961, Sections
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18 20.1 and 20.6, as amended, and shall be liable for their respective
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19 obligations.
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20 SECTION 9. This act shall become effective November 1, 2024.
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22 59-2-2809 MSBB 1/18/2024 11:34:06 AM
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