TULSA STOCKYARDS, INC. v. CLARK

2014 OK 14
Supreme Court of Oklahoma·Decided March 11, 2014·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinion

OSCN Found Document:TULSA STOCKYARDS, INC. v. CLARK
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TULSA STOCKYARDS, INC. v. CLARK
2014 OK 14
Case Number: 112240
Decided: 03/11/2014
THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA


Cite as: 2014 OK 14, __ P.3d __

TULSA STOCKYARDS, INC., Petitioner,
v.
JASON CLARK, AS PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF COMPSOURCE OKLAHOMA, Respondent.

ORIGINAL PROCEEDING FOR DECLARATORY RELIEF
AND WRIT OF PROHIBITION OR MANDAMUS

¶0 In this original proceeding, petitioner seeks declaratory relief and an extraordinary writ. Petitioner challenges the CompSource Mutual Insurance Company Act, 2013 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 254 (codified at 85 O.S.Supp.2013, §§ 375.1 et seq.), as being contrary to the Oklahoma Constitution, Article X, § 15(A) (prohibiting gifts of public money), Article II, § 15 (prohibiting interference with contracts), and Article V, § 55 (prohibiting money being paid out of the State Treasury except by appropriation). The challenged legislation requires that CompSource Oklahoma be restructured to do business as a domestic mutual insurer under the name of CompSource Mutual Insurance Company effective January 1, 2015, and vests all of CompSource Oklahoma's assets in CompSource Mutual Insurance Company. We previously assumed original jurisdiction.

EXTRAORDINARY WRIT DENIED.

R. Stratton Taylor and Mark H. Ramsey, Claremore, OK, for petitioner;
Robert G. McCampbell, Klint A. Cowan, and Travis V. Jett, Oklahoma City, OK, for respondent;
Patrick R. Wyrick, Solicitor General, and Cara N. Rodriguez, Assistant Solicitor General, Oklahoma City, OK, for the Oklahoma Attorney General;
Sam Fulkerson and Elizabeth Bowersox, Oklahoma City, OK, for the State Chamber of Commerce, amicus curiae.

TAYLOR, J.

¶1 In this original proceeding, Tulsa Stockyards, Inc. (petitioner) challenges the constitutionality of the CompSource Mutual Insurance Company Act (Act), 2013 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 254 (codified at 85 O.S.Supp.2013, §§ 375.1 et seq.). The Act requires that CompSource Oklahoma (CompSource) be restructured to do business as a domestic mutual insurer without capital stock or shares under the name of CompSource Mutual Insurance Company (CompSource Mutual) effective January 1, 2015. Petitioner contends that CompSource is a state agency and its money and other assets, valued at approximately Two Hundred Sixty-five Million Dollars ($265,000,000.00), are assets of the people of Oklahoma. It contends that converting CompSource from a department of this State to an independent, licensed mutual insurance company without provision for the State to retain ownership of CompSource's assets is contrary to the prohibition against gifts of public money, Okla. Const., art. X, § 15(A); the prohibition against interference with contracts, Okla. Const., art. II, § 15; and the prohibition against money being paid out of the State Treasury except by appropriation, Okla. Const., art. V, § 55.1 CompSource responds that its money and other assets belong to its insured employers and their employees and that its money is not State money under Moran v. State ex rel. Derryberry, 1975 OK 69, 534 P.2d 1282.

¶2 We assumed original jurisdiction to revisit the nature and ownership of CompSource's money and other assets, to consider the continued efficacy of our Moran opinion, and to determine whether our constitution prohibits the Oklahoma Legislature from transferring CompSource's money and other assets to a domestic mutual insurer. We conclude that CompSource's money and other assets are held in trust for the benefit of the employers and employees protected by the insurance issued by CompSource, our Moran opinion remains sound law, and the Oklahoma Constitution does not prohibit the Legislature from placing CompSource's money and other assets in trust with a domestic mutual insurer.

I. COMPSOURCE OKLAHOMA
SUCCESSOR TO THE STATE INSURANCE FUND

¶3 The Oklahoma Legislature created the State Insurance Fund (Fund) in 1933 to provide workmen's compensation insurance to public employers and to private employers who were unable to secure insurance from private insurers. 1933 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 28 (most recently codified at 85 O.S.1991, § 131, et seq.). The Legislature established the Fund as a revolving fund2 in the State Treasury that consisted of any specific appropriation3 made to it, all insurance premiums received, and all property, securities, and interest acquired through the use of the money in the revolving fund. 1933 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 28, art. 2, § 1(a) (amended by 1937 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 72, art. 3, § 3(a) and codified at 85 O.S.1941, § 131(a)). The Legislature directed that the Fund's money shall be applicable to the payment of losses sustained on account of the insurance contracts issued by the Fund and to the payment of expenses to administer the Fund. 1933 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 28, art. 2, § 1(b) (amended by 1937 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 72, art. 3, § 3(b) and codified at 85 O.S.1941, § 131(b)). The Legislature made the State Treasurer the custodian of all monies in the Fund and required a separate bond from the State Treasurer for the faithful performance of the duties of custodian of the Fund. 1933 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 28, art. 2, § 5 (codified at 85 O.S.1941, § 135).

¶4 From its inception, state officials controlled the Fund expressly without liability on the part of the state beyond the money in the revolving fund. 1933 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 28, art. 2, § 1(a) (amended by 1937 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 72, art. 3, § 3(a) and codified at 85 O.S.1941, § 131(a)). Initially, the State Industrial Commission administered the Fund. 1933 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 28, art. 2, § 2. In 1937, the Legislature created a Board of Managers to supervise the operation of the Fund and authorized the Board of Managers to appoint a State Insurance Fund Commissioner to administer the Fund. 1937 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 72, art. 3, §§ 1 and 2 (codified at 85 O.S.1941, §§ 131a and 131b). The five members of the Board of Managers were the Governor, the Chairman of the State Industrial Commission, the Secretary of the State Insurance Board, the Insurance Commissioner, and the State Highway Commissioner.4 Id. § 131a. The Legislature authorized the Board of Managers to fix the premium rates to be charged by the Fund for insurance. 1937 Okla. Sess. Laws, ch. 72, art. 3, § 4 (codified at 85 O.S.1941, § 132). The Legislature authorized the State Insurance Fund Commissioner to conduct the insurance business as a private carrier might do, id.

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