Oklahoma Archives And Records Commission

Commission Membership and Purpose 

The Archives and Records Commission (Commission) was created by statute in 1947 and has 5 members. With certain exceptions, the Commission has the sole, entire and exclusive authority for the disposition of all authority of the disposition for all public records and archives of state officers, departments, boards, commissions, agencies and institutions of this state.  No record created or received in the transaction of official business may be destroyed by a state agency without prior approval from the Commission. 

The Commission Chair is the member appointed by the Governor and the Vice-Chair/Secretary is the state librarian.  Any member may appoint and designate a subofficer or employee as his or her proxy for purposes of carrying on the duties of the Commission. The membership of the Commission is as follows:

Commission Duties

The duties of the Commission include but are not limited to:

1. Approval or disapproval of records disposition schedules submitted by  state boards, agencies, commissions, or institutions;
2. Adoption of administrative rules governing the administration of State Archives and Records Management programs;
3. Making declaratory rulings as to the applicability or interpretation of any rule or order of the Commission;
4. Upon request from state agencies wishing to dispose of types of records no longer being created or received, authorizing the disposition of such records by certifying that the records described in the request are not of sufficient administrative value to warrant maintenance in the agency;
5. Adopting General Records Disposition Schedules and General Records Disposition Authorizations authorizing disposition of records common to two or more state agencies, boards, commissions, or institutions; and
6. To encourage the deposit of certain records and papers of permanent value in the State Archives, restricting access to the records for a specified amount of time.

The Commission normally meets in January, April, July, and October to consider requests for records disposition from state agencies and to conduct other business. Special or emergency meetings of the Commission may be called by the Chairman at the request of any member. Staff for the Commission is provided by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL) Archives and Records Management Divisions.