A. The Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System may sue and be sued in its official name, but its officers, employees, and agents shall not be personally liable for acts of the System. The service of all legal process and of all notices which may be required to be in writing, whether legal proceedings or otherwise, shall be had on the executive director at his or her office. All actions or proceedings directly or indirectly against the System shall be brought in Oklahoma County, including petitions for judicial review of individual proceedings under the Administrative Procedures Act despite any other provision to the contrary.

B. 1. Any member or participating employer, or in the case of a deceased member, a joint annuitant or beneficiary, aggrieved by any order or decision of the System made without a hearing may, within thirty (30) days after notice of the order or decision of the System, make written request to the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees for a hearing thereon. The Board may refer any such request to a hearing examiner to conduct the hearing and make recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law to the Board. The Board shall enter final orders in all such matters which shall be considered by the Board under the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act.

2. Nothing contained in Section 901 et seq. of this title shall require the observance at any hearing of the Board or a hearing examiner designated by the Board of formal rules of pleading or evidence.

3. The Board shall have jurisdiction under the Administrative Procedures Act relating to any disputes arising from the administration of the retirement or savings plans administered by the Board, including disputes involving a member, joint annuitant, beneficiary or participating employer of the System.

4. Upon written request reasonably made by a person affected by the hearing at such person's expense, the Board shall cause a full stenographic record of the proceedings to be made by a competent court reporter. If transcribed, such record shall be a part of the Board's record of the hearing, and a copy of such stenographic record shall be furnished to any other party having a direct interest therein at the request and expense of such party.

Added by Laws 1963, c. 50, § 4, emerg. eff. May 6, 1963. Amended by Laws 1967, c. 25, § 1, emerg. eff. March 13, 1967; Laws 1969, c. 349, § 2, emerg. eff. May 13, 1969; Laws 1979, c. 285, § 2, eff. July 1, 1979; Laws 2011, c. 75, § 1.