Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission votes to seek outside counsel, asks attorney general not to intervene in pending wildlife cases

The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission on Nov. 21 voted to retain independent outside counsel and, later in the meeting, approved a formal request that the state attorney general not intervene in wildlife cases currently pending in district court.

The commission first entered executive session under statutory authority cited by the chair to discuss pending and potential litigation "concerning enforcement of the wildlife code, hunting and fishing license[s], and tribal members," then returned to open session to take action. A commissioner (identified in the transcript as Speaker 3) moved "that we invoke the process of Title 74" and request separate counsel to represent the commission; the motion was seconded and passed on roll call. The transcript records multiple commissioners voting "Aye," including Commissioner Chapman, Commissioner Dill, Commissioner Dillingham, Commissioner Mabry, Commissioner Barwick, Commissioner Kane and Commissioner Holder.

After that vote, a commissioner (Speaker 3) moved that the attorney general convert an informal opinion previously sent to the commission into a formal opinion with the force of law, citing a letter the transcript summarizes as saying the commission "cannot enforce our wildlife laws at this point in time" against tribal members. The roll call recorded in the transcript for that motion is incomplete: the record shows Commissioner Zilpz (spelled variously in the transcript) voting "Yes" and Commissioners Barwick, Kane and Holder voting "No," but the transcript does not include a full roll call or a final tally for that motion, and a definitive outcome is not recorded.

Later, a separate motion from another commissioner (Speaker 4) asked the attorney general to "not interfere in wildlife cases that are pending before district courts." That motion was seconded and passed on the roll call recorded in the transcript; commissioners recorded as voting "Aye" include Commissioner Chapman, Commissioner Dill, Commissioner Dillingham, Commissioner Mabry, Commissioner Barwick, Commissioner Kane and Commissioner Holder.

The actions follow a period of executive session the commission said was authorized under Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and they address an ongoing dispute over jurisdiction and enforcement in cases involving tribal members. The transcript contains limited detail about the underlying legal claims, and the commission’s motions focus on securing independent legal representation and a clear statement from the attorney general about the state’s position.

The commission adjourned after the recorded votes. The transcript does not include additional public comment, staff reports, or a complete roll call tally for the motion seeking a formal AG opinion; it also reflects inconsistent spellings of one commissioner's name in the roll-call text. The meeting included multiple external attendees identified by the clerk/announcer, including representatives and tribal and media guests.

Actions recorded in the transcript: the commission voted to retain separate counsel (motion passed); a motion to request the AG issue a formal opinion is recorded but the final outcome is not fully captured in the transcript; and the commission approved a motion requesting the AG not to interfere in district-court wildlife cases.

Next steps: The commission’s recorded actions direct staff or legal committees to pursue independent counsel and to communicate the commission’s requests to the attorney general’s office. The transcript does not record any staff response or the AG's reaction.