Lawmaker questions if Department of Corrections had authority to move headquarters

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections moved its headquarters without the proper authority to do so, a state lawmaker said Monday.

Speaking at a pre-session budget hearing at the state Capitol, state Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, said it was his belief the state Corrections Department moved its headquarters from its present location on Martin Luther King Avenue to a new location at 4345 Lincoln Boulevard without proper legislative approval.

A state Corrections Department memo about the move, obtained by The Oklahoman, indicated that some Corrections Department units were to begin moving to their new location on Dec. 28, 2023. The memo noted that moving boxes would be given to employees on Dec. 15 and outlined what staff could bring to the new headquarters. The memo also indicated mail would continue to be delivered to the agency's old address then brought to the new location daily.

Humphrey — who also called for an independent investigation of the state Corrections Department last week — said the agency's move wasn't authorized by state law.

On Jan. 5, Humphrey issued a media statement calling for an investigation of the state Corrections Department because of the increase in violence against inmates and staff. "Stabbings, assaults and rapes appear to have become a near daily occurrence. I am receiving multiple reports, like an inmate being tied up for approximately 12 hours and raped repeatedly. Another report is of inmates entering an employee’s office and repeatedly stabbing an inmate in front of that employee," Humphrey said.

Humphrey: Did DOC have legislative approval of HQ move?

On Monday, Humphrey raised numerous questions about the agency's move. "I'm hearing that we have a new (state Corrections Department) headquarters, is that correct?" Humphreys asked Corrections Department Director Steven Harpe. "Did you receive legislative approval for that, because I'm not aware there (was) any legislative approval."

The questions caught Harpe and other state Corrections Department officials off guard.

Harpe confirmed the agency had moved its headquarters, adding that the state Corrections Department had used the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to get bids for its location. "We went through the bid process with OMES. I talked to multiple legislators about it, including the speaker of the House, who also gave us a thumbs up, (he) liked the idea."

Harpe said the move was necessary because the current state Corrections Department building was "a couple of hundred years old," had previously caught on fire and had a massive amount of mold. "State employees deserved a lot better than that space," he said. "We have a purpose for all of it, so we have to get out of that space before we can refurb it."

More: Lawmaker calls for 'independent investigation' of Oklahoma Department of Corrections

Humphrey said he had no problem with a new headquarters for the state Corrections Department but said state law required legislative approval of the move. "I agree with you 100 percent that is a very old building, and I have no problem with getting a new headquarters, but state law says you must go through the legislators and get legislative approval."

Humphrey cited several different sections of state law that required legislative approval before an agency could move or lease new headquarters. "Again if you already done it, I don't know how you rectify that under the law, but it would have been nice to be made aware."

Harpe did not say how much the move cost. "We went through the OMES, did a bid process on it and that was our understanding what the process was," he said. "So if what you're saying Rep. Humphrey, it should have gone to the committee for a vote, to the floor for a vote, I'm unaware of that."

Harpe said the agency was "happy to take that back and work with you guys."

"If there is a process that we didn't (do) to get to the place where we're at, we're happy to do better the next time, for sure," he said.

Late Monday, after Humphrey raised the issue during the budget hearing, the agency issued a second media statement which said DOC "signed a lease agreement with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to help reduce ODOC’s overall administrative footprint."

Agency officials said the state statutes quoted by Humphrey alluding to the need for legislative approval to move office locations actually reference correctional work release centers and camps, correctional facilities, and the Board of Corrections duties.

"DOC is not required to receive legislative approval to enter into a lease with OHCA or move into its office building," the agency said, adding that "With this move, ODOC will relocate three Probation and Parole offices and a technology unit to the administrative complex located at 3400 N. Martin Luther King Ave. in Oklahoma City. This move will occur after that building is renovated."

Agency officials said most of ODOC’s administrative staff have relocated to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority building on Lincoln Blvd. in Oklahoma City. The Office of Inspector General, Fleet, Quartermaster, and Correctional Industries still have offices at the Martin Luther King Ave. location.

"DOC worked through the Office of Management and Enterprise Services Real Estate and Leasing Services as instructed in 61 O.S. § 327 (OSCN 2024), State Property to secure the new location," the media statement said. "DOC occupies a total of 34,498 square feet for an annual cost of $498,151.08 or $14.44 per square foot."

The office space was largely furnished, DOC said, helping reduce the moving cost. "Not including technology upgrades, the cost to move into the OHCA location was $282,142.74," the agency said.

DOC officials request $552 million for FY 2025

During the meeting, state Corrections Department officials requested a standstill budget of $552 million. Agency officials said the total Fiscal Year 2024 budget was $643.2 million, including $68.1 million in revolving funds and $2.8 million in federal dollars.

Harpe also touted the state Corrections Department's cost-saving efforts. A media statement, issued around 11:30, just as Monday's hearing began, noted that in early 2023, the Oklahoma City Community Corrections Center was closed, and the inmates were moved to the Eddie Warrior Correctional Center in Taft, reducing facility maintenance and payroll costs.

Harpe's statement said the agency was hiring more medical staff to reduce the need and cost of contract medical services. He said the agency anticipated $3 million in savings during FY 2024.

"ODOC also closed the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre, Okla., and opened the Great Plains Correctional Center in Hinton, in mid-2023," the agency's statement said. "This move had an actual lease cost savings of $3.7 million during Fiscal Year 2023 and has the same projected annual cost savings during fiscal years 2024 and 2025."

Following the meeting, Humphrey said the state Corrections Department's presentation raised many questions about the safety of both inmates and staff at Corrections Department facilities. "We're getting reports of lots and lots of problems," he said. "I"m not opposed to purchasing a new building but should that be the priority when you're setting at ground zero on staffing shortages."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Department of Corrections may have moved HQ with no authority