2018 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 19. Counties and County Officers
§19-8.4. Provisions of charter.
A. A charter shall set forth the structure of the county government and the manner in which it is to function. The charter may provide for a governing body, which may be other than as presently constituted, which shall be elective, and service shall be upon the qualifications, terms, plan of representation and conditions of tenure and compensation as may be fixed by the charter. The term for service of the governing body shall not exceed four (4) years. In addition to the powers and duties provided by the charter, the governing body shall exercise all powers, and discharge all duties which, in the absence of the provisions of said charter, would devolve by law to the board of county commissioners or any other county governmental board, agency, commission or council. Said charter may provide for the organization, reorganization, establishment and administration of the government of the county, including the control and regulations of the performance of and the compensation for all duties required in the conduct of county affairs. The charter may authorize the governing body to create or consolidate any county office, department or agency, define the duties thereof, fix the compensation for service therein, make the same elective or appointive, and prescribe the time, qualifications and conditions of tenure in any such county office, department or agency.
B. Any county electing to operate pursuant to such charter as authorized by the provisions of this act shall have the power by charter provision to levy, assess and collect taxes pursuant to the provisions of Section 20 of Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution. The limit of the aggregate taxes which may be levied, assessed and collected by such county shall not exceed the limit or total fixed, or hereafter fixed, by the Oklahoma Constitution or by statute.
C. In addition to the powers herein provided and in addition to powers included in County Home Rule Charters, any county may amend its charter to include powers, functions and duties which may be provided for by the Oklahoma Constitution or by statute.
D. Any county operating pursuant to such charter as authorized by the provisions of this act shall have the power to borrow money for all lawful purposes under its charter, including the refunding of a lawful debt, in a manner conforming to the Oklahoma Constitution and the general laws of the state, and may issue obligations for such purposes. Such obligations and such tax to be levied to meet said liability shall not be valid unless authorized by a vote of the registered voters of the county pursuant to the provisions of the laws of this state. County obligations maturing after a period of five (5) years shall be issued to mature serially, fixing the first maturity of principal at a time not to exceed two (2) years after the date of the issuance of such obligations. The obligations may pledge the full faith and credit of the county, but in no event shall the aggregate obligations so issued, in principal amount outstanding at any one time, exceed the constitutional limits for such obligations and indebtedness and its supporting tax shall constitute a first and superior lien upon the property taxable in such county.
E. Charters adopted shall make appropriate provisions for the abandonment, revocation and amendment of such charter, subject only to the requirement that a majority of the registered voters of the county must approve such proposal. The provisions of the County Home Rule Charter Act shall be self-executing.
Added by Laws 1992, c. 220, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1992.
