Oklahoma 9-1-1 Management Authority allows liaison to negotiate changes to House Bill 2710 while board remains neutral

At a special meeting, the Oklahoma 9-1-1 Management Authority voted to remain neutral on House Bill 2710 for now and authorized its legislative liaison and the legislative committee to continue negotiating bill language with lawmakers and to speak for or against changes that could affect the authority’s mission.

Lance, the authority’s state 9-1-1 coordinator and legislative liaison, told members the latest draft of House Bill 2710 (the Oklahoma Emergency Communications Act) has been revised several times and that current and future drafts could move responsibilities and funding away from the existing 9-1-1 Management Authority. "My recommendation would be, you can either support or not support or remain neutral," Lance said, asking the board for direction as the bill moves through the legislative process.

The liaison and other members described the bill’s earlier version as creating a new Office of Emergency Communications and placing the 9-1-1 authority and a separate radio authority under that office. Lance said leadership in the House indicated there would not be dedicated funding for the radio portion, and later drafts remove the office language and place the emergency communications authority under the Department of Public Safety (DPS) instead. He told the board that Sections 10–12 of the earlier draft, which would have changed the 9-1-1 Management Authority’s statutory role, were expected to be stripped from the bill.

Board members repeatedly raised concern about "mission creep"—the risk that responsibilities or funding for radio infrastructure could be shifted into the authority’s purview and thereby dilute or jeopardize protected 9-1-1 funds. A member asked how binding any vote by the board would be given the multiple opportunities for changes during the legislative process; Lance explained the bill still must pass additional committees and both legislative chambers and could be altered at several points, creating ongoing opportunities for change.

To respond to that uncertainty, Sean, an authority member, moved that the board "allow the liaison, Lance, and the legislative committee to continue working with Representative Ford and others on this bill, while the board remains neutral at this time," giving the liaison authority to support language if it aligned with the authority’s interests. Mark Sharpton seconded the motion. The board conducted a roll-call vote and recorded affirmative votes from Adam Griffith, Belinda McGee, Brandon Reynolds, Chris Palmer, Chrissy Brown, Mark Sharpton, Nick Correa and John Barnett. The motion passed.

The action instructs the liaison and legislative committee to monitor the bill closely, to offer recommended changes that protect the 9-1-1 authority’s mission and funding, and to return to the full board if members want to give different direction. Lance said the committee can provide email updates or convene additional meetings if significant changes arise.

No formal change to the authority’s statutory status was adopted at the meeting; the board’s vote was limited to authorizing engagement and maintaining neutrality unless it later votes otherwise. The special meeting adjourned after the vote.