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Oklahoma Secretary of State
| Oklahoma Secretary of State | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| 2012 FY Budget: | $3,389,000 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Article VI, Section 6 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by Governor |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | Larry Parman |
| Officeholder Party: | Republican |
| Assumed office: | March 1, 2013 |
| Compensation: | $90,000 |
| Other Oklahoma Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
Contents |
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Republican Larry Parman. Gov. Mary Fallin (R) named him to take over the role on a permanent basis effective March 1, 2013.
Parman replaced Michelle Day, who was serving as interim officeholder. She temporarily replaced Glenn Coffee, who resigned from the office on January 31, 2013. [1]
Authority
The office of the Oklahoma Secretary of State is established in Article VI, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution.
Article VI, Section 1:
| A. The Executive authority of the state shall be vested in a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor and Inspector, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Labor, Commissioner of Insurance and other officers provided by law and this Constitution, each of whom shall keep his office and public records, books and papers at the seat of government, and shall perform such duties as may be designated in this Constitution or prescribed by law.
B. The Secretary of State shall be appointed by the Governor by and with the consent of the Senate for a term of four (4) years to run concurrently with the term of the Governor. |
Qualifications
Article VI, Section 3 of the Oklahoma Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
| No person shall be eligible to the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor and Inspector, Attorney General, State Treasurer or Superintendent of Public Instruction except a citizen of the United States of the age of not less than thirty-one (31) years and who shall have been ten (10) years next preceding his or her election, or appointment, a qualified elector of this state.. |
- a citizen of the United States.
- at least 31 years old.
- a qualified elector of Oklahoma for the 10 preceding years.
Appointments
In Oklahoma, the secretary of state is a position that is filled via appointment by the governor with the consent of the state senate. According to Article 6, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution, the secretary serves a term of four years in length concurrent with that of the governor.
Vacancies
Under Article 6, Section 13 of the state constitution, in the event of a vacancy in the office the governor appoints a person to serve until a successor is either elected or appointed and qualified by law.
Duties
The secretary of state has a number of duties and responsibilities in several distinct areas:[2]
- Executive functions: The secretary attests to the governor's signature, files all official gubernatorial acts, and certifies all executive orders, appointments, and proclamations.
- Court on Judiciary: The secretary designates five district judges to serve on the Appellate Division of the Court on Judiciary and eight district judges to serve on the Trial Division of the Court on Judiciary.
- Legislative Functions: The secretary maintains a record of all acts of the Oklahoma State Legislature.
- Initiative and Referendum Petitions: Statewide initiative and referendum petitions are filed in the office of secretary of state.
- Office of Administrative Rules: The office of secretary of state files state agency rules, rule making notices, and executive orders.
- Corporate Filing/Records Functions: The secretary's office maintains a database of business entities and any associated amendments, trade names, mergers, withdrawals and dissolutions.
- Notaries Public: The secretary appoints and commissions notaries public.
- Certification: The secretary copies and/or certifies documents filed by the corporate filing office, authenticates county court clerk signatures on documents, and certifies the signatures of public officials.
- Central Filing System: The secretary's office files and publishes information that allows buyers, commission merchants, and selling agents to identify farm products that are subject to a security interest.
- Trademarks: The secretary of state files applications of trademarks and issues certificates of registration, and also issues trademark renewals, assignments, and cancellations.
- Oaths and Loyalty Oaths: The secretary of state files an oath of office and a loyalty oath for every officer of a state agency, board, commission, court, institution, and member of the state legislature.
- Public Meeting Notices: All state agencies, boards, commissions and public trusts must file notices of their meetings with the secretary's office.
- Athlete Agent Registration: The office files registration paperwork for all athlete agents.
- Summons: The secretary acts as a registered agent for all business entities, unless an additional agent has been appointed, and for any domestic corporation whose agent has resigned.
- Transmitting Utility and Railroad Mortgages: The office files every mortgage, deed of trust, and supplementary instruments of all utility corporations and companies.
- Invention Developer Bonds: The office maintains copies of inventor's surety bonds after they have been approved by the attorney general.
- Surface Damage Bonds: Every mineral owner or lessee who drills or prepares to drill for oil or gas is required to file a corporate surety bond, letter of credit from a bank, cash, or a CD. The secretary of state files and records each of these bonds.
- Other Duties: Additional duties include filing and/or certifying policy statements of each public institution of higher education, personality rights as successor-in-interest, public trust indentures and amendments thereto, preliminary and final official statements, facsimile signatures, bonds of public officials and employees.
Divisions
- Accounting Division
- Administration Division
- Business Services Division
- Central Filing Division
- Executive and Legislative Services Division
- Information Services Division
- Notary Division
- Office of Administrative Rules
State budget
The budget for the Secretary of State's office in Fiscal Year 2012 was $3,389,000.[3]
Compensation
In 2010, the Oklahoma Secretary of State was paid an estimated $94,500 according to the Council of State Governments.[4]
Contact Information
Capitol Address:
2300 North Lincoln Boulevard
Suite 101
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Phone: (405) 521-3911
Fax: (405) 521-3771
E-mail: Susan.savage@sos.state.ok.us
See also
- Glenn Coffee, Oklahoma Secretary of State
- Governor of Oklahoma
- Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
- Attorney General of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma Constitution
External links
References
- ↑ KTUL, "Governor Fallin Appoints New Secretary Of State," February 14, 2013
- ↑ Sos.OK.gov, "About the office of the Oklahoma secretary of state," accessed September 27, 2011
- ↑ Office of Management and Enterprise Services, "FY-2014 Executive Budget Historical Document," accessed April 11, 2013
- ↑ The Council of State Governments,"The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," retrieved May 14, 2011
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