FIRST AMENDED EXECUTIVE ORDER 2021-7
On March 12, 2021, the 431,366
th case of a novel coronavirus
("COVID-19"), was confirmed in the State of Oklahoma. While we are one of the
national leaders in COVID-19 vaccinations as more than 24% of eligible
Oklahomans have received their first dose, the pandemic still needs to be
addressed in various ways by Executive Order. Therefore, I believe, after
consultation with numerous health experts within my administration, it is still
necessary to provide for the rendering of mutual assistance among the State and
political subdivisions of the State and to cooperate with the Federal
Government with respect to carrying out emergency functions during the
continuance of the State emergency pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma
Emergency Management Act of 2003.
In view of the foregoing, 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 hereby declare and order the following:
1. There is hereby declared an emergency
caused by the 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 Statewide
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. State agencies, in
responding to this emergency, may employ additional staff without regard to the
classification requirements of such employment.
5. State agencies engaging in rulemaking as
set forth in 75 O.S. § 303 may conduct virtual public comment hearings via
videoconference.
6. Any medical
professional who holds a license, certificate, or other permit issued by Board
of Medical Licensure and Supervision, State Board of Osteopathic Examiners, or
Board of Nursing pursuant to the Emergency Management Compact may continue to
practice in this state until the expiration of such license.
7. Hospitals and Physician Clinics
(collectively referred to as "hospitals") operating in the State shall
cooperate with and respond to all requests for critical data from the OSDH, as
applicable to the services they provide. This shall include, but will not be
limited to, the submission as set forth below, no later than noon, of critical
data in a manner and format prescribed by OSDH. Critical Data shall include,
but not be limited to:
a. The daily
submission of the number of available (i) ICU beds, (ii) medical surgery beds,
and (iii) the number of Covid positive patients in the hospital receiving
treatment; and
b. The weekly
submission, on each Wednesday, of (i) the Personal Protective Equipment stock
on hand; (ii) the number of available ventilators; and (iii) the number of
available anesthesia machines capable of ventilation.
8. Every public or private entity that is
utilizing, or has utilized, an FDA-approved test, including an emergency use
authorization test, for human diagnostic purposes of COVID-19, shall submit to
OSDH, as well as to the local health department, reports in a format prescribed
by OSDH on a daily basis (or as often as new specimens have been received or
processed) of all test results, both positive and negative, and the number of
samples/specimens received and pending processing, for all days from the date
hereof forward. In addition, OSDH shall promptly share this information with
the CDC.
This Order shall be effective until the end of
thirty days after the filing of this Order.
Copies of this Executive Order shall be distributed to the
Director of Emergency Management, the Oklahoma State Health Commissioner, the
Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, and the Director of the Office
of Management and Enterprise Services who shall cause the provisions of this
Order to be implemented by all appropriate agencies of State government.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and caused the Great Seal
of the State of Oklahoma to be affixed at Oklahoma City, this 12
th day of March, 2021.
BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
J. Kevin Stitt
ATTEST:
Brian Bingman
Secretary of State
