The bill amends the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act to refine the process for exempted entities and enhance the authority of the State Purchasing Director. It mandates that entities seeking exemptions must provide evidence to the Director, who will review and approve these exemptions with legislative oversight. Key changes include the deletion of specific exemptions for entities like county governments and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, along with a new requirement for annual legislative approval of exemptions. The bill also updates terminology, replacing "Committee" with "Advisory Council" in reference to the State Use Advisory Council, and clarifies the Director's responsibilities in managing state agency acquisitions.

Additionally, the bill allows certain state agency purchases to bypass the acquisition threshold if certified by the State Purchasing Director, contingent on alignment with statewide spending initiatives. It requires entities with exemptions to submit annual evidence of cost reductions and efficiency improvements, with penalties for contractors submitting false compliance affidavits. The bill also removes the requirement for the Department to make purchases under a statewide contract for revenue-generating facilities and eliminates the biannual review of exemptions by the State Purchasing Director. Instead, it introduces a requirement for legislative approval of rules related to these exemptions. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, with an emergency clause for immediate enactment upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 74-85.3A, 74-85.5, 74-85.12