Okla. Stat. tit. 47, § 47-2-108.5

A. 1. There is hereby created the Oklahoma State Award Program

Committee. The purpose of the Committee is to create, establish

eligibility requirements and make recommendation for awarding the

Oklahoma Medal of Valor for meritorious service, the Oklahoma

Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal for extended exemplary

service to the state and the Oklahoma Red Heart or Oklahoma Blue

Heart for serious line of duty injuries for law enforcement and

public safety members employed by municipal, county, state and

employees of federal agencies working in Oklahoma.

2. There is hereby established the Oklahoma Medal of Valor, the

Oklahoma Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal and the Oklahoma

Red Heart and Oklahoma Blue Heart, along with authorized

appurtenances, for award by the Governor, in the name of the state,

to any person who has demonstrated meritorious achievement, or a

distinct act of courage, shown distinguished meritorious service to

the state over an extended period of service or who has incurred

injury or wounds, while performing or actively engaged in public

service activities. The Oklahoma Red Heart is limited to municipal

firefighters employed by cities and towns. The Oklahoma Blue Heart

is limited to law enforcement and public safety members employed by

municipal, county, state and employees of federal agencies working

in Oklahoma.

3. The purpose of each award is to formally recognize

extraordinary acts of valor by public safety members and citizens of

Oklahoma who engage in extraordinary acts of bravery and valor and

to formally recognize public safety members in Oklahoma who have

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been seriously injured in the line of duty and to acknowledge the

distinguished meritorious service of citizens to the state.

B. The members of the Oklahoma State Award Program (OSAP)

Committee shall have experience in the field of public safety and

public service. The OSAP Committee shall be composed of nine (9)

members as follows:

1. The Lieutenant Governor, who shall serve as chair;

2. The Adjutant General of the Oklahoma National Guard;

3. The Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety;

4. The Director of the Department of Corrections;

5. The Director of the Department of Transportation;

6. The President of the Oklahoma Sheriffs' Association;

7. The President of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of

Police;

8. The President of the Oklahoma State Firefighters

Association; and

9. The President of the Oklahoma Sheriffs and Peace Officers

Association.

C. Except at any meeting to select recipients of the Oklahoma

Medal of Valor, the Oklahoma Distinguished Meritorious Service

Medal, the Oklahoma Red Heart or the Oklahoma Blue Heart, each

member, other than the chair, may be represented by a designee;

provided, the designee must be an active member in good standing

with the agency or association to which the appointed member

belongs. The Chairman reserves the right to appoint an advisory

board to collect, review and make initial award recommendations to

the OSAP Committee. The advisory board will be comprised of

designees from the nine-member OSAP Committee.

D. The Committee shall conduct its first meeting no later than

ninety (90) calendar days after the appointment of the last member.

The Committee shall meet at the direction of the chair, and shall

normally meet not less than once each year and not more than three

times each year.

E. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum to

conduct business.

F. The members of the Committee shall serve without

compensation, except that the members may be reimbursed for

reasonable and necessary expenses arising from Committee activities

or business. Such expenses shall be paid by the respective agencies

at which the member is employed at the time the expense is incurred.

G. No member of the OSAP Committee shall solicit, seek or
conduct business.

F. The members of the Committee shall serve without

compensation, except that the members may be reimbursed for

reasonable and necessary expenses arising from Committee activities

or business. Such expenses shall be paid by the respective agencies

at which the member is employed at the time the expense is incurred.

G. No member of the OSAP Committee shall solicit, seek or

request individuals to submit individuals for awards. OSAP

Committee members may explain the program to interested individuals.

The Committee may secure directly from any department or agency such

information as the Committee deems necessary to carry out its

duties.

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H. The Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety shall

promulgate rules to establish the following:

1. Design of the Oklahoma Medal of Valor, the Oklahoma

Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal and the Oklahoma Red Heart

or the Oklahoma Blue Heart and any authorized appurtenances proposed

by the Adjutant General;

2. Criteria for eligibility for award of the Oklahoma Medal of

Valor, the Oklahoma Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal or the

Oklahoma Red Heart or Oklahoma Blue Heart proposed by the Adjutant

General;

3. Criteria for the proper wear of the Oklahoma Medal of Valor,

the Oklahoma Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal or the Oklahoma

Red Heart or the Oklahoma Blue Heart proposed by the Adjutant

General;

4. Method of purchasing the Oklahoma Medal of Valor, the

Oklahoma Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal or the Oklahoma Red

Heart or Oklahoma Blue Heart;

5. Order of precedence relating to other state awards; and

6. Other rules deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of

this section.

I. The Committee shall consider candidates for award for the

Oklahoma Medal of Valor, the Oklahoma Distinguished Meritorious

Service Medal or the Oklahoma Red Heart or Oklahoma Blue Heart only

from the applications received. The OSAP Committee may go into

executive session to deliberate and select recommended recipients.

The Chair shall present to the Governor the names of recommendations

as Medal recipients.

J. The Committee shall not disclose any information which may

compromise an ongoing law enforcement investigation or information

that is otherwise required by law to be kept confidential. Only the

final recommendation for receipt of the Oklahoma Medal of Valor, the

Oklahoma Distinguished Service Medal and the Oklahoma Red Heart or

Oklahoma Blue Heart shall be subject to the Oklahoma Open Records

Act.

K. The Oklahoma Medal of Valor, the Oklahoma Distinguished

Service Medal and the Oklahoma Red Heart or Oklahoma Blue Heart may

not be awarded to any person who was not selected by the Committee.

L. The award of the Oklahoma Medal of Valor, the Oklahoma

Distinguished Service Medal and the Oklahoma Red Heart or Oklahoma

Blue Heart may be rescinded for suitable cause. The Chair, with the

consent of the Committee, shall forward the recommendation for

rescission to the Governor. The final decision to rescind must be

approved by the Governor.

M. The Oklahoma Medal of Valor, the Oklahoma Distinguished

Service Medal or the Oklahoma Red Heart or Oklahoma Blue Heart may

be awarded posthumously and may be presented to such representative

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of the deceased's family as may be deemed appropriate by the

Governor.