HB 2155 Summary

• Executive branch agencies must obtain Attorney General approval before entering any contingency-fee contract with private attorneys, which requires a determination that the representation is cost-effective and in the public interest.

• Contingency-fee contracts are subject to a tiered fee schedule capped at 25% for the first $10 million in net recovery, declining to 5% for amounts exceeding $25 million, with an aggregate cap of $50 million.

• Attorney General retains veto power over all major decisions including settlement authority, case control, and outside counsel decisions, while defendants retain direct contact rights with government attorneys.

• Private contingency-fee attorneys must maintain detailed financial records for at least five years after contract termination and make records available to the public under the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

• Attorney General must file annual reports by February 1 describing all private attorney contracts with the Governor, legislative leadership, and appropriations committee chairs.

• Effective date: November 1, 2016.