{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-683.8","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-683.8","heading":"Powers and duties of Governor","body":"A. The Governor shall have general direction and control of the\n\nOklahoma Department of Emergency Management and shall be responsible\n\nfor carrying out the provisions of the Oklahoma Emergency Management\n\nAct of 2003. In the event of an emergency that exceeds local\n\ncapability, the Governor may assume direct operational control over\n\nall or any part of the emergency management functions within this\n\nstate.\n\nB. The Governor shall have general direction and control of\n\nemergency management within the state and all officers, boards,\n\nagencies, individual or groups established under the Emergency\n\nOperations Plan. The Governor shall have the authority pursuant to\n\nthe Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003 to establish such\n\noffices, boards, agencies or positions as may be necessary to carry\n\ninto effect the Emergency Operations Plan.\n\nC. The Governor is authorized to cooperate with the federal\n\ngovernment, with other states and with private agencies in all\n\nmatters pertaining to the emergency management of this state and of\n\nthe nation.\n\nD. To effect the policy and purpose of the Oklahoma Emergency\n\nManagement Act of 2003, the Governor is further authorized and\n\nempowered to:\n\n1. Make, amend and rescind the necessary orders and rules to\n\ncarry out the provisions of the Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of\n\n2003 within the limits of authority conferred upon the Governor\n\nherein, with due consideration of the emergency management plans of\n\nthe federal government;\n\n2. Cause to be prepared and updated annually a comprehensive\n\nplan and program for emergency management of this state, such plans\n\nand programs to be integrated into and coordinated with the plans of\n\nthe federal government and of other states to the fullest possible\n\nextent, and to coordinate the preparation of plans and programs for\n\nemergency management by the political subdivisions of this state;\n\n3. Procure supplies and equipment in accordance with such plans\n\nand programs, institute training programs and public information\n\nprograms, take all other preparatory steps including the partial or\n\nfull activation of emergency management organizations in advance of\n\nactual disaster, and to ensure the furnishing of adequately trained\n\nand equipped personnel in time of need, during periods of national\n\nemergency or man-made or natural disasters that might occur in this\n\nstate, or which develop into emergency situations;\n\n4. On behalf of this state, enter into mutual aid arrangements\n\nwith other states and coordinate mutual aid plans between political\n\nsubdivisions of this state;\n\n5. Delegate any administrative authority vested in the Governor\n\npursuant to the Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003, and\n\nprovide for subdelegation of any such authority;\n\n6. Confirm the appointment of qualified emergency managers upon\n\nrecommendations of local authorities as provided in Section 683.11\n\nof this title;\n\n7. Cooperate with the President of the United States and the\n\nheads of the Armed Forces, the Federal Emergency Management Agency\n\nand other appropriate federal officers and agencies, with the\n\nofficers and agencies of other states in matters pertaining to the\n\nemergency management of the state and nation including the direction\n\nand control of:\n\na. state emergency management activations and exercises,\n\nb. warnings for actual or exercise events and the\n\nequipment to be used in connection therewith,\n\nc. the conduct of civilians and the movement of and\n\ncessation of movement of pedestrians and vehicular\n\ntraffic during, prior and subsequent to natural and\n\nman-made disasters and emergencies,\n\nd. public meetings or gatherings, and\n\ne. the evacuation and reception of the civil population;\n\nand\n\n8. Prescribe uniform signals, warnings, alerts, credentials and\n\ninsignia.\n\nE. In addition to prevention measures included in the state and\nr\n\ntraffic during, prior and subsequent to natural and\n\nman-made disasters and emergencies,\n\nd. public meetings or gatherings, and\n\ne. the evacuation and reception of the civil population;\n\nand\n\n8. Prescribe uniform signals, warnings, alerts, credentials and\n\ninsignia.\n\nE. In addition to prevention measures included in the state and\n\nlocal comprehensive plans and programs for emergency management, the\n\nGovernor shall consider on a continuing basis steps that could be\n\ntaken to mitigate the harmful consequences of emergencies and\n\nnatural disasters. At the Governor’s direction and pursuant to any\n\nother authority specified by law, state agencies including, but not\n\nlimited to, those charged with responsibilities in connection with\n\nfloodplain management, stream encroachment and flow regulation,\n\nweather modification, fire prevention and control, air quality,\n\npublic works, land use and land use planning, and construction\n\nstandards, shall make studies of matters related to potential\n\nemergency and man-made or natural disasters or to mitigate emergency\n\nand natural disasters. The Governor, from time to time, shall make\n\nsuch recommendations to the Legislature, to political subdivisions\n\nand to other appropriate public and private entities as may\n\nfacilitate measures for mitigation of the harmful consequences of\n\nemergencies and natural disasters.\n\nF. Pursuant to the Inherent Rights clause in Section 2 of\n\nArticle II of the Oklahoma Constitution which states “All persons\n\nhave the inherent right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness,\n\nand the enjoyment of the gains of their own industry”, during a\n\npandemic under a declared state of emergency by the Governor or the\n\nPresident of the United States, the Governor of this state shall not\n\nclose or force the closing of any business without documented\n\nscientific evidence that the nature of a particular business\n\nactually contributes to the direct spreading of disease relating to\n\nthe pandemic. The Governor shall be required to give notice and\n\nhearing to any business determined to be nonessential or detrimental\n\nto the health and safety of citizens during a pandemic before\n\nissuing an executive order against keeping such business open.","path":["OK Code","Title 63"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os63.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"0c3b6828ff9a08fc082e8a5cdcc397887bfbbacfd2f290b3f0205b1a6c323dde","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-683.6","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-63-63-683.9"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}