A. Within the limitations provided by law, the Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights Enforcement has the following additional powers:

1. To promote the creation of local commissions on human rights, and to contract with individuals and state, local and other agencies, both public and private, including agencies of the federal government and of other states;

2. To accept public grants or private gifts, bequests, or other payments;

3. To receive, investigate, seek to conciliate, hold hearings on, and pass upon complaints alleging violations of Section 1101 et seq. of this title;

4. To furnish technical assistance requested by persons subject to this act to further compliance with Section 1101 et seq. of this title or an order issued thereunder;

5. To make provisions for technical and clerical assistance to an advisory committee or committees appointed in accordance with paragraph (b) of Section 953 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

6. To require answers to interrogatories, under the procedures established by Section 3233 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, compel the attendance of witnesses, examine witnesses under oath or affirmation, and require the production of documents in connection with complaints filed under Section 1101 et seq. of this title, said powers to be exercised only in relation to areas directly and materially related to the complaint;

7. To hear, and issue orders on, complaints involving state government agencies and departments on the same basis as complaints involving private employers; and

8. To provide technical assistance and public information to assist in preventing and eliminating discriminatory housing practices; and

9. To promulgate rules as necessary to implement the provisions of Section 1101 et seq. of this title.

B. The Attorney General shall:

1. At least annually, publish a written report recommending legislative or other action to carry out the purposes of Section 1101 et seq. of this title as it relates to housing discrimination;

2. Make studies relating to the nature and extent of discriminatory housing practices in this state; and

3. Cooperate with and, as appropriate, may provide technical and other assistance to federal, state, local, and other public or private entities that are formulating or operating programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.

Added by Laws 1968, c. 388, § 501, emerg. eff. May 17, 1968. Amended by Laws 1970, c. 186, § 1, emerg. eff. April 13, 1970; Laws 1973, c. 195, § 3, emerg. eff. May 16, 1973; Laws 1985, c. 289, § 5; Laws 1989, c. 353, § 3, emerg. eff. June 3, 1989; Laws 1991, c. 177, § 5; Laws 2013, c. 214, § 9, emerg. eff. May 7, 2013.

NOTE: Laws 1985, c. 165, § 12 repealed by Laws 1989, c. 353, § 14, emerg. eff. June 3, 1989.