Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 1 - EXECUTIVE ORDERS › Section 1:2020-13C

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
On April 20 
			 th, 2020, the 2,680 
			 th case of a novel coronavirus
			 ("COVID-19"), was confirmed in the State of Oklahoma. As noted in a previous
			 Executive Order, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
			 has identified the potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 as "high"
			 both globally and in the United States. In addition, on March 14, 2020, the
			 President of the United States declared a national health emergency in the
			 United States as a result of the national spread of COVID-19. On March 15,
			 2020, I issued Executive Order 2020-07 (which was last amended by Eighth
			 Amended Executive Order 2020-07 dated April 2, 2020) declaring an emergency
			 caused by the impending threat of COVID-19 to the people of this State and the
			 public's peace, health, and safety. Further, on April 2, 2020, I declared a
			 health emergency in the State of Oklahoma as defined in 63 O.S. § 6104 of
			 the Oklahoma Statutes.
Therefore, I, J. Kevin Stitt, Governor of the State of Oklahoma,
			 pursuant to the power vested in me by Section 2 of Article VI of the Oklahoma
			 Constitution and 63 O.S. §§ 6101-6900 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
			 specifically 63 O.S. § 6401, do hereby declare and order the
			 following:
1. There is hereby declared
		  an emergency caused by the impending threat of COVID-19 to the people of this
		  State and the public's peace, health, and safety. The counties included in this
		  declaration are:
All 77 Oklahoma Counties
2. The State Emergency Operations
		  Plan has been activated, and resources of all State departments and agencies
		  available to meet this emergency are hereby committed to the reasonable extent
		  necessary to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 and to protect the health and
		  safety of the public. These efforts shall be coordinated by the Director of the
		  Department of Emergency Management with comparable functions of the federal
		  government and political subdivisions of the State.
3. State agencies, in responding to this
		  emergency, may make necessary emergency acquisitions to fulfill the purposes of
		  this declaration. If using a P-Card to make such acquisitions, agencies may
		  purchase the necessary acquisitions without regard to the current P-Card policy
		  limitation of $5,000.00 purchase limit. Agencies may make the necessary
		  emergency acquisitions without the requirement to follow bidding
		  requirement/limitations on such emergency acquisitions, without the need to
		  purchase from State Use Vendors, or to purchase from mandatory State Wide
		  contracts. Such necessary emergency purchases shall be capped at $250,000.00
		  per transaction. All such purchases must be readily identifiable as such, as
		  following the conclusions of this threat, all such necessary emergency
		  acquisitions will be audited to determine if they were made for emergency
		  purposes.
4. Effective immediately,
		  a moratorium is placed on all out-of-state travel for all employees and
		  officers of agencies that is paid for, in whole or in part, by the State of
		  Oklahoma. This moratorium shall apply to all travel expenses not already
		  incurred as of the date of this Order. Any state employee or officer seeking an
		  exception to this moratorium may submit a written request to the Governor, who
		  shall have the sole discretion to approve or deny the request.
5. State agencies, in responding to this
		  emergency, may employ additional staff without regard to the classification
		  requirements of such employment.
6.
		  So long as this Order is in effect, the requirement in Amended Executive Order
		  2019-3 that the Chief Administrative Officer request and obtain approval from
		  the Cabinet Secretary for an exemption to the personnel freeze for agencies
		  under the Secretary of Health and Mental Health shall be waived.
7. State agencies shall continue to follow
		  guidance for interaction with the public provided by the Oklahoma Department of
		  Health.
8. Emergency responders
		  employed by the State of Oklahoma who are correctional officers, law
		  enforcement officers, and fire personnel shall not be excluded from the
		  application of and benefits under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act of the
		  Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) if:
a. They are subject to a coronavirus
		  quarantine or isolation order;
b.
		  They have been advised by a healthcare provider to self-quarantine due to
		  coronavirus concerns; or
c. They
		  are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus and are seeking a medical
		  diagnosis;