A. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce is hereby designated to receive Community Services Block Grant Funds appropriated, authorized or allocated for usage within the State of Oklahoma by the United States Government. These funds shall be used for, but not limited to the following:

1. Provide a range of services and activities having major impact on causes and effects of poverty in the community or those areas of the community where poverty is a particularly acute problem;

2. Provide activities designed to assist low-income participants including the elderly poor;

a.to secure and retain meaningful employment,

b.to attain an adequate education,

c.to make better use of available income,

d.to obtain and maintain adequate housing and a suitable living environment,

e.to obtain emergency assistance,

f.to remove obstacles and solve problems which block the achievement of self-sufficiency,

g.to make more effective use of other programs;

3. Provide on an emergency basis for the provision of such supplies and services, nutritious foodstuffs and related services, as may be necessary to counteract conditions of starvation and malnutrition among the poor or temporarily indigent;

4. Coordinate and establish linkages between government and other social services programs to assure the effective delivery of such services to low-income individuals; and

5. Encourage the use of entities in the private sector of the community in efforts to eliminate poverty in the community.

B. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall promulgate and ensure compliance on rules, regulations, policies and procedures to carry out all programs of the Community Services Block Grant.

C. At least ninety percent (90%) of the Community Service Block Grant funds received by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce for the state from the United States Government shall be allocated to community action agencies, as defined in this act.

D. If the Community Services Block Grant is consolidated with any other block grant or other federal program, then a proportional share of the consolidated funds shall be used for services under the Community Services Block Grant program in accordance with this act for at least twelve (12) months. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall retain administrative responsibility of these funds.

E. For each consolidated program, proportional share shall be the percentage of total funds received by all consolidated programs prior to the consolidation.

Added by Laws 1986, c. 207, § 41, operative July 1, 1986.