A. At each pari-mutuel race meeting held pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Act the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission shall employ three individuals to be stewards. At non-pari-mutuel race meetings and for training races, the organization licensee may employ its own stewards in accordance with the rules of the American Quarter Horse Association or have the Commission employ the stewards as provided in this subsection. The Commission shall designate one of the individuals as chief steward and the other two individuals as assistant stewards. If employed by the Commission, the compensation of the stewards, including but not limited to salaries, benefits and other reimbursable expenses as determined by the Commission, shall be paid by the Commission.

B. All other racing personnel shall be employed for race meetings as the Commission deems necessary. All other racing personnel required by the Commission at non-pari-mutuel race meetings or training races may be employed by the organization licensee in accordance with the rules of the American Quarter Horse Association. The compensation of racing personnel employed by the Commission, including but not limited to salaries, benefits and reimbursable expenses, shall be paid by the Commission.

C. The stewards and other racing officials at pari-mutuel race meetings, at non-pari-mutuel race meetings and at training races shall enforce the rules and regulations of the Commission and the provisions of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Act in the manner provided by law and shall render written reports of the activities and conduct of the race meetings to the Commission. In enforcing the rules of the Commission and officiating at races, the stewards shall not be required to comply with provisions of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act but shall be required to comply with applicable provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act.

Added by Laws 1983, c. 11, § 9, emerg. eff. March 22, 1983. Amended by Laws 1986, c. 223, § 11, operative July 1, 1986; Laws 1991, c. 269, § 7, eff. July 1, 1991; Laws 1992, c. 16, § 2, emerg. eff. March 26, 1992; Laws 1997, c. 305, § 1, eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 1998, c. 370, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 1998; Laws 1999, c. 297, § 1, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2001, c. 145, § 1, eff. July 1, 2001.