§47-157.1.

§47-157.1.
   
   The Department of Transportation, the Board of Agriculture, and the
   Department of Human Services of the state are hereby authorized to
   carry insurance on vehicles, motorized machinery, or equipment owned
   and operated by the Department of Transportation, the Board of
   Agriculture, and the Department of Human Services, such insurance to
   be of the following kinds and in amounts not exceeding the following:
   
   (a) bodily injury liability, One Hundred Thousand Dollars
   ($100,000.00) each person, Three Hundred Thousand Dollars
   ($300,000.00) each accident;
   
   (b) property damage liability, Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00)
   each accident;
   
   (c) medical and hospital insurance, Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).
   
   Such insurance shall be on standard policy forms approved by the State
   Insurance Commissioner and with companies authorized to do business in
   Oklahoma, and shall be paid for out of administrative funds of such
   departments. Such insurance may cover not only the department or state
   agency purchasing the insurance but also the personal liability of the
   operator. The ownership, maintenance, operation and use of motor
   vehicles and motorized movable equipment owned, leased, used or
   operated by such departments or state agencies named in this section
   is hereby declared to be a public governmental function. An action for
   damages may be brought against such department or state agency, but
   the governmental immunity of such department or state agency shall be
   waived only to the extent of the amount of insurance purchased. Such
   department or state agency shall be liable for negligence only while
   such insurance is in force, but in no case in any amount exceeding the
   limits of coverage of any such insurance policy. No attempt shall be
   made in the trial of any action brought against any such department or
   state agency to suggest the existence of any insurance which covers in
   whole or in part any judgment or award which may be rendered in favor
   of the plaintiff, and if the verdict rendered by the jury exceeds the
   limits of the applicable insurance, the court shall reduce the amount
   of said judgment or award to a sum equal to the applicable limits
   stated in the policy. To the extent that the insurer has provided
   indemnity in the contract of insurance to a department or state agency
   described in this section, the said insurer may not plead as a defense
   in any action involving insurance purchased by the authority of this
   section, the governmental immunity of either the state or of any
   department or agency thereof purchasing insurance pursuant to this
   section. Venue of all actions provided for herein shall be in the
   county of the residence of the plaintiff or where the cause of action
   arose, but summons may be served upon the director, head or governing
   board or body of the department or state agency being sued and alleged
   to come within the purview of this section, wherever he may be found.
   If the State Insurance Fund is hereafter authorized to write such
   insurance, then the Department of Transportation, the Board of
   Agriculture, and the Department of Human Services shall obtain the
   insurance from the State Insurance Fund, if said State Insurance Fund
   is the lowest bid, after taking into account the premium tax being
   paid by any other bidder. Such policies shall be filed in the office
   of the Secretary of State as a public record.