{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-18-18-438.4","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 18, § 18-438.4","heading":"Powers of cooperative","body":"A cooperative shall have power:\n\n1. To sue and be sued in its corporate name;\n\n2. To have a perpetual existence unless a limited period of\n\nduration is stated in its articles of incorporation;\n\n3. To adopt a corporate seal and alter the same;\n\n4. To furnish, improve and expand any or all communications\n\nservices to its members, to other persons, and through\n\ninterconnection of facilities to any number of subscribers of other\n\ncommunications systems, and through pay stations to any number of\n\nusers; provided, however, that no such regulated communications\n\nservices, as determined by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission,\n\nshall be furnished to persons located within the certified territory\n\nof another local exchange telephone company; and provided further\n\nthat a cooperative which acquires existing communications\n\nfacilities, systems or territories may continue service to persons\n\nwho are already receiving service from such facilities and systems\n\nor who are located or who become located within the acquired\n\nterritories. Such persons may become members as provided in the\n\nbylaws;\n\n5. To construct, purchase, lease as lessee, or otherwise\n\nacquire, and to improve, expand, install, equip, maintain, and\n\noperate, and to sell, assign, convey, lease as lessor, mortgage,\n\npledge, or otherwise dispose of or encumber, communication lines,\n\nfacilities or systems, lands, buildings, structures, plants and\n\nequipment, exchanges, and any other real or personal property,\n\ntangible or intangible, which shall be deemed necessary, convenient\n\nor appropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the cooperative\n\nis organized; provided, however, that a cooperative shall not\n\nduplicate existing telephone lines, facilities or systems providing\n\nreasonably adequate service;\n\n6. To connect and interconnect its communication lines,\n\nfacilities or systems with other communication lines, facilities or\n\nsystems; provided that any such connection or interconnection shall\n\nbe in such manner and according to such specifications as will avoid\n\ninterference with or hazards to existing communication lines,\n\nfacilities or systems;\n\n7. To make its facilities available to persons furnishing\n\ncommunication services within or without this state;\n\n8. To purchase, lease as lessee, or otherwise acquire, and to\n\nuse and exercise and to sell, assign, convey, mortgage, pledge or\n\notherwise dispose of or encumber, franchises, rights, privileges,\n\nlicenses and easements;\n\n9. To issue membership certificates and nonvoting shares of\n\nstock as hereinafter provided;\n\n10. To borrow money and otherwise contract indebtedness, and to\n\nissue or guarantee notes, bonds, and other evidences of\n\nindebtedness, and to secure the payment thereof by mortgage, pledge,\n\nor deed of trust of, or any other encumbrance upon, any or all of\n\nits then-owned or after-acquired real or personal property, assets,\n\nfranchises, or revenues;\n\n11. To construct, maintain and operate communication lines and\n\nfacilities along, upon, under and across publicly owned lands and\n\npublic thoroughfares, including, without limitation, all roads,\n\nhighways, streets, alleys, bridges and causeways; subject, however,\n\nto the same requirements and limitations with respect to the use or\n\noccupancy of such thoroughfares and lands as are now or hereafter\n\nimposed by the laws of this state;\n\n12. To exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner\n\nprovided by the laws of this state for the exercise of such power by\n\nother corporations constructing or operating telephone lines,\n\nfacilities or systems;\n\n13. To become a member of other cooperatives, joint ventures,\n\npartnerships, corporations or other legal entities or to own stock\n\ntherein;\n\n14. To conduct its business and exercise its powers within or\n\nwithout this state;\n\n15. To adopt, amend and repeal bylaws;\n\n16. To make any and all legal contracts necessary, convenient\ntions constructing or operating telephone lines,\n\nfacilities or systems;\n\n13. To become a member of other cooperatives, joint ventures,\n\npartnerships, corporations or other legal entities or to own stock\n\ntherein;\n\n14. To conduct its business and exercise its powers within or\n\nwithout this state;\n\n15. To adopt, amend and repeal bylaws;\n\n16. To make any and all legal contracts necessary, convenient\n\nor appropriate for the full exercise of the powers herein granted;\n\nand\n\n17. To do and perform any other acts and things, and to have\n\nand exercise any other powers which may be necessary, convenient or\n\nappropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the cooperative is\n\norganized.","path":["OK Code","Title 18"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os18.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"c20887d3b83a38d2e0ca93e462b4af61352264b29a27064deb80d9796422e8da","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-18-18-438.35","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-18-18-438.5"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}