As used in the Oklahoma Citizens Participation Act:
§ 1431.Definitions
Chapter 24: Injunction · Last amended November 1, 2014 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1431 defines the nine key terms the Oklahoma Citizens Participation Act uses, including "communication," the exercise of the rights of association, free speech, and petition, "governmental proceeding," "legal action," "matter of public concern," "official proceeding," and "public servant."
Full Text of § 1431
1. "Communication" means the making or submitting of a statement or document in any form or medium, including oral, visual, written, audiovisual or electronic;
2. "Exercise of the right of association" means a communication between individuals who join together to collectively express, promote, pursue or defend common interests;
3. "Exercise of the right of free speech" means a communication made in connection with a matter of public concern;
4. "Exercise of the right to petition" means any of the following:
a. a communication in or pertaining to:
(1) a judicial proceeding,
(2) an official proceeding, other than a judicial proceeding, to administer the law,
(3) an executive or other proceeding before a department or agency of the state or federal government or a political subdivision of the state or federal government,
(4) a legislative proceeding, including a proceeding of a legislative committee,
(5) a proceeding before an entity that requires by rule that public notice be given before proceedings of that entity,
(6) a proceeding in or before a managing board of an educational or eleemosynary institution supported directly or indirectly from public revenue,
(7) a proceeding of the governing body of any political subdivision of this state,
(8) a report of or debate and statements made in a proceeding described by division (3), (4), (5),
(6) or (7) of this subparagraph, or
(9) a public meeting dealing with a public purpose, including statements and discussions at the meeting or other matters of public concern occurring at the meeting,
b. a communication in connection with an issue under consideration or review by a legislative, executive, judicial or other governmental body or in another governmental or official proceeding,
c. a communication that is reasonably likely to encourage consideration or review of an issue by a legislative, executive, judicial or other governmental body or in another governmental or official proceeding,
d. a communication reasonably likely to enlist public participation in an effort to effect consideration of an issue by a legislative, executive, judicial or other governmental body or in another governmental or official proceeding, and
e. any other communication that falls within the protection of the right to petition government under the Constitution of the United States or the Oklahoma Constitution;
5. "Governmental proceeding" means a proceeding, other than a judicial proceeding, by an officer, official or body of this state or a political subdivision of this state, including an agency, board or commission, or by an officer, official or body of the federal government;
6. "Legal action" means a lawsuit, cause of action, petition, complaint, cross-claim, counterclaim or any other judicial pleading or filing that requests legal or equitable relief;
7. "Matter of public concern" means an issue related to:
a. health or safety,
b. environmental, economic or community well-being,
c. the government,
d. a public official or public figure, or
e. a good, product or service in the marketplace;
8. "Official proceeding" means any type of administrative, executive, legislative or judicial proceeding that may be conducted before a public servant; and
9. "Public servant" means a person elected, selected, appointed, employed or otherwise designated as one of the following, even if the person has not yet qualified for office or assumed the person's duties:
a. an officer, employee or agent of government,
b. a juror,
c. an arbitrator, referee or other person who is authorized by law or private written agreement to hear or determine a cause or controversy,
d. an attorney or notary public when participating in the performance of a governmental function, or
e. a person who is performing a governmental function under a claim of right but is not legally qualified to do so.
Amendment History
Added by Laws 2014, c. 107, s. 2, eff. 11/1/2014.
Plain-English Summary
This section builds the vocabulary the rest of the Oklahoma Citizens Participation Act relies on. "Communication" covers any statement or document, in any form or medium -- oral, visual, written, audiovisual, or electronic. The "exercise of the right of association" means people joining together to express, promote, pursue, or defend common interests, while the "exercise of the right of free speech" means a communication connected to a matter of public concern.
The "exercise of the right to petition" gets the broadest definition, covering communications tied to judicial, executive, legislative, and other government proceedings, public meetings dealing with public purposes, and any other communication protected by the constitutional right to petition. "Legal action" reaches beyond lawsuits to any judicial pleading or filing seeking legal or equitable relief -- a petition, complaint, cross-claim, or counterclaim. And "matter of public concern" covers issues touching health or safety, the environment, the economy, community well-being, government, public officials or figures, or goods and services in the marketplace. The remaining definitions -- "governmental proceeding," "official proceeding," and "public servant" -- fill out who and what counts as government action for the act's purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a "communication" under the Oklahoma Citizens Participation Act?
Making or submitting a statement or document in any form or medium -- oral, visual, written, audiovisual, or electronic.
What is a "matter of public concern" under this act?
An issue related to health or safety, environmental, economic, or community well-being, the government, a public official or public figure, or a good, product, or service in the marketplace.
Does "legal action" under this act mean only a full lawsuit?
No. It includes any lawsuit, cause of action, petition, complaint, cross-claim, counterclaim, or other judicial pleading or filing requesting legal or equitable relief.
How broadly does the act define the "exercise of the right to petition"?
Broadly -- it covers communications in or about judicial, executive, legislative, and other government proceedings, public meetings on public purposes, and any communication otherwise protected by the constitutional right to petition.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature.
Last verified August 3, 2026.
· Official source
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