| Agency Name: | Oklahoma Corporation Commission |
| Seal: | Seal of Oklahoma.svg |
| Formed: | November 16, 1907 |
| Employees: | 372 classified 95 unclassified |
| Budget: | $304 million (FY 2010) |
| Headquarters: | Jim Thorpe Building 2101 N. Lincoln Blvd Oklahoma City |
| Minister1 Name: | Todd Hiett |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Chair of the Commission |
| Website: | Oklahoma Corporation Commission |
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is the public utilities commission of the U.S state of Oklahoma run by three statewide elected commissioners. Authorized to employ more than 400 employees, it regulates oil and gas drilling, utilities and telephone companies.
The commission was established in 1907 and the First Oklahoma Legislature gave the commission authority to regulate public service corporations.[1]
Railroad, telephone and telegraph companies were the companies first regulated by the commission, which also collected records of the stockholders, officers and directors of corporations chartered or licensed to do business in Oklahoma.[1] Record collection duties were later split; the commission keeping records only for public service companies.[1] The commission added pipelines, water, heat, light and power in early years.[1]
The commission began regulating oil and gas in 1914 and was given additional regulatory power over the industry the following year.[1]
Candidates for the commission must be a citizen of Oklahoma for over two years before their election, at least 30 years of age and have no interest in any entity regulated by the commission.[2]
Commissioners serve a six-year term.[3] The terms are staggered so that one commissioner is up for re-election every two years, in even-numbered years. The chair of the commission is determined by the three commissioners.
In case of vacancy the Governor of Oklahoma appoints a replacement, to stand until the next general election.[3] The commissioner elected at that election will serve the remaining unexpired term, so as to maintain the staggered term system.[3]
The Commission regulates and enforces the laws and supervised the actives associated with:
Early emphasis for the commission was on regulation of railroad routes and rates. Through changes by the Legislature, and the change in services considered essential to the public welfare, the commission presently regulates public utilities, oil and gas industry (exploration, drilling, production and waste disposal), motor carrier transport, and petroleum products industry (transportation, storage, quality and dispensing). The commission also monitors a number of federal programs for compliance in Oklahoma. The commission also oversees the conservation of natural resources, avoiding waste production, abate pollution of the environment, and balancing the rights and needs of the people of Oklahoma with those of the regulated entities. The Public Utility Division acts as the Administrator for the states $30 million Universal Services Fund. This fund supports rural telecommunications as well as internet to Oklahoma public schools, libraries, and health centers.
As of January 2023, the following are the members of the commission:
| Member | Officer | Since | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Anthony | Vice Chairman | January 9, 1989 | Republican | |
| Todd Hiett | Chairman | January 12, 2015 | Republican | |
| Kim David | Commissioner | January 9, 2023 | Republican |
| Years[4] | Seat 2 | Seat 1 | Seat 3 | Partisanship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1907-1911 | J. J. McAlester (D) | A.P. Watson (D) | J.E. Love (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1911-1915 | George A. Henshaw (D) | A.P. Watson (D) | J.E. Love (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1915-1917 | George A. Henshaw (D) | Walter Davis Humphrey (D) | J.E. Love (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1917-1918 | Campbell Russell (D) | Walter Davis Humphrey (D) | J.E. Love (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1918-1919 | Campbell Russell (D) | Walter Davis Humphrey (D) | Art L. Walker (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1919-1920 | Campbell Russell (D) | R. E. Echols (D) | Art L. Walker (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1921-1922 | Campbell Russell (D) | E. R. Hughes (R) | Art L. Walker (D) | 2 (D)- 1 (R) | |
| 1923-1923 | Frank Carter (D) | E. R. Hughes (R) | Art L. Walker (D) | 2 (D)- 1 (R) | |
| 1923-1925 | Frank Carter (D) | E. R. Hughes (R) | Joe B. Cobb (D) | 2 (D)- 1 (R) | |
| 1925-1926 | Frank Carter (D) | E. R. Hughes (R) | Fred Capshaw (D) | 2 (D)- 1 (R) | |
| 1927-1928 | Frank Carter (D) | Charles C. Childers (D) | Fred Capshaw (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1929-1930 | E. R. Hughes (R) | Charles C. Childers (D) | Fred Capshaw (D) | 2 (D)- 1 (R) | |
| 1931-1932 | E. R. Hughes (R) | Charles C. Childers (D) | Paul A. Walker (D) | 2 (D)- 1 (R) | |
| 1933-1934 | E. R. Hughes (R) | Jack C. Walton (D) | Paul A. Walker (D) | 2 (D)- 1 (R) | |
| 1934-1935 | E. R. Hughes (R) | Jack C. Walton (D) | Reford Bond (D) | 2 (D)- 1 (R) | |
| 1935-1938 | A. S. J. Shaw (D) | Jack C. Walton (D) | Reford Bond (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1939-1940 | A. S. J. Shaw (D) | Ray O. Weems (D) | Reford Bond (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1941-1946 | William J. Armstrong (D) | Ray O. Weems (D) | Reford Bond (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1947-1954 | Ray C. Jones (D) | Ray O. Weems (D) | Reford Bond (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1954-1955 | Ray C. Jones (D) | Ray O. Weems (D) | Wilburn Cartwright (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1955-1969 | Ray C. Jones (D) | Harold Freeman (D) | Wilburn Cartwright (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1969-1973 | Ray C. Jones (D) | Charles R. Nesbitt (D) | Wilburn Cartwright (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1973-1975 | Ray C. Jones (D) | Charles R. Nesbitt (D) | Rex Privett (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1975-1976 | Ray C. Jones (D) | Hamp Baker (D) | Rex Privett (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1977-1979 | Jan Eric Cartwright (D) | Hamp Baker (D) | Rex Privett (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1979-1981 | Norma Eagleton (D) | Hamp Baker (D) | Bill Dawson (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1981-1982 | Norma Eagleton (D) | Hamp Baker (D) | Bill Dawson (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1982-1987 | Norma Eagleton (D) | Hamp Baker (D) | James B. Townsend (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1987-1989 | Norma Eagleton (D) | Bob Hopkins (D) | James B. Townsend (D) | 3 (D) | |
| 1989-1991 | Bob Anthony (R) | Bob Hopkins (D) | James B. Townsend (D) | 2 (D) - 1 (R) | |
| 1991-1993 | Bob Anthony (R) | Cody L. Graves (D) | J. C. Watts (R) | 2 (R) - 1 (D) | |
| 1993-1995 | Bob Anthony (R) | Cody L. Graves (D) | J. C. Watts (R) | 2 (R) - 1 (D) | |
| 1995-1997 | Bob Anthony (R) | Cody L. Graves (D) | Ed Apple (R) | 2 (R) - 1 (D) | |
| 1997-2003 | Bob Anthony (R) | Denise Bode (R) | Ed Apple (R) | 3 (R) | |
| 2003-2007 | Bob Anthony (R) | Denise Bode (R) | Jeff Cloud (R) | 3 (R) | |
| 2007-2009 | Bob Anthony (R) | Jim Roth (D) | Jeff Cloud (R) | 2 (R) - 1 (D) | |
| 2009-2011 | Bob Anthony (R) | Dana Murphy (R) | Jeff Cloud (R) | 3 (R) | |
| 2011-2015 | Bob Anthony (R) | Dana Murphy (R) | Patrice Douglas (R) | 3 (R) | |
| 2015-2023 | Bob Anthony (R) | Dana Murphy (R) | Todd Hiett (R) | 3 (R) | |
| 2023-present | Bob Anthony (R) | Kim David (R) | Todd Hiett (R) | 3 (R) |
The commission, with an annual budget of over $60 million, is one of the larger employers of Oklahoma state government. For fiscal year 2012, the commission was authorized 430 full-time employees, but experience numerous vacancies.[5]
| Division | Number of Employees | Budget (in millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration Division | 34 | $4.4 | |
| Consumer Services Division | 17 | $1.4 | |
| Petroleum Storage Tank Division | 55 | $9.2 | |
| Oil and Gas Conservation Division | 123 | $15 | |
| Administrative Hearings Office | 35 | $3.4 | |
| Public Utilities Division | 58 | $7.5 | |
| Office of Legal Services | 26 | $2.7 | |
| Transportation Division | 131 | $16.2 | |
| Information Technology | 26 | $2.8 | |
| Total | 480 | $60.2 |