Section 65.15 - [Multiple versions] Joint operations(a) Authorization. For the purposes of this section, unless otherwise qualified, the term "public agency" includes municipality, as defined in this act, an agency of the state government and of the United States, and any municipality, political subdivision and agency of another state, but shall not include institutions of higher education constituting the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education under Section 1, Article 13A, Constitution of the State of Oklahoma; or other institutions coordinated with the State System of Higher Education under Section 4, Article 13A, Constitution of the State of Oklahoma; and the term "governing body" means the governing body of a county or municipality, and the head of the agency if the public agency is other than a county or municipality. All powers, privileges and authority granted to any municipality by this act may be exercised and enjoyed jointly with any public agency of this state, and jointly with any public agency of any other state or of the United States to the extent that the laws of such other state or of the United States permit such joint exercise or enjoyment. If not otherwise authorized by law, any agency of the state government when acting jointly with any municipality, may exercise and enjoy all of the powers, privileges and authority conferred by this act upon a municipality.(b) Agreement. Any two or more public agencies may enter into agreements with each other for joint action pursuant to the provisions of this section. Concurrent action by ordinance, resolution or otherwise or the governing bodies of the participating public agencies shall constitute joint action. Each such agreement shall specify its duration, the proportionate interest which each public agency shall have in the property, facilities and privileges involved, the proportion to be borne by each public agency of preliminary costs and costs of acquisition, establishment, construction, enlargement, improvement, and equipment of the airport, vertiport, or air navigation facility, the proportion of the expenses of maintenance, operation, regulation and protection thereof to be borne by each, and such other terms as are required by the provisions of this section. The agreement may also provide for; amendments thereof, and conditions and methods of termination of the agreement; the disposal of all or any of the property, facilities and privileges jointly owned upon said property, facilities and privileges, or any part thereof, ceasing to be used for the purposes provided by this act, or upon termination of the agreement; the distribution of the proceeds received upon any such disposal, and of any funds or other property jointly owned and undisposed of; the assumption or payment of any indebtedness arising from the joint venture which remains unpaid upon the disposal of all assets or upon a termination of the agreement; and such other provisions as may be necessary or convenient.(c) Joint Board. Public agencies acting jointly pursuant to this section shall create a joint board which shall consist of members appointed by the governing board of each participating public agency. The number to be appointed, their term and compensation, if any, shall be provided for in the joint agreement. Each such joint board shall organize, select officers for terms to be fixed by the agreement, and adopt and amend from time to time rules for its own procedure. The joint board shall have power to plan, acquire, establish, develop, construct, enlarge, improve, maintain, equip, operate, regulate, protect, and police any airport, vertiport, or air navigation facility or airport hazard to be jointly acquired, controlled and operated, and such board may exercise on behalf of its constituent public agencies all the powers of each with respect to such airport, vertiport, air navigation facility or airport hazard, subject to the limitations of subsection (d) of this section.(d) Limitations on Joint Board. (1) Expenditures. The total expenditures to be made by the joint board for any purpose in any fiscal year shall be determined by a budget approved by the governing bodies of its constituent public agencies.(2) Acquisitions Beyond Sums Allotted. No airport, vertiport, air navigation facility, airport hazard, or real or personal property, the cost of which is in excess of sums therefor fixed by the joint agreement or allotted in the annual budget, may be acquired by the joint board without the approval of the governing bodies of its constituent public agencies.(3) Eminent Domain. Eminent domain proceedings under this section may be instituted only by authority of the governing bodies of the constituent public agencies of the joint board. If so authorized, such proceedings shall be instituted in the names of the constituent public agencies jointly, and the property so acquired shall be held by said public agencies as tenants in common until conveyed by them to the joint board.(4) Disposal of Real Property. The joint board shall not dispose of any airport, vertiport, air navigation facility or real property under its jurisdiction except with the consent of the governing bodies of its constituent public agencies, provided that the joint board may, without such consent, enter into contracts, leases, or other arrangements contemplated by Section 5 of this act.(5) Police Regulations. Any resolutions, rules, regulations or orders of the joint board dealing with subjects authorized by Section 8 of this act shall become effective only upon approval of the governing bodies of the constituent public agencies provided that upon such approval, the resolutions, rules, regulations or orders of the joint board shall have the same force and effect in the territories or jurisdictions involved as the ordinances, resolutions, rules, regulations, or orders of each public agency would have in its own territory or jurisdiction.(e) Joint Fund. For the purpose of providing a joint board with moneys for the necessary expenditures in carrying out the provisions of this section, a joint fund shall be created and maintained, into which shall be deposited the share of each of the constituent public agencies as provided by the joint agreement. Each of the constituent public agencies shall provide its share of the fund from sources available to each. Any federal, state or other contributions or loans, and the revenues obtained from the joint ownership, control and operation of any airport or air navigation facility under the jurisdiction of the joint board shall be paid into the joint fund, which said joint fund shall be kept and maintained at such place or places as shall be mutually agreed between the constituent agencies. Disbursements from such fund shall be made by order of the board, subject to the limitations prescribed in subsection (d) of this section.Okla. Stat. tit. 3, § 65.15
Amended by Laws 2024 , c. 18, s. 10, eff. 11/1/2024.