(a) An action against any contractor or the surety on any bond required by this article may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in Oklahoma County or any county in which any work under any such contract is performed. The entering into of any contract for the performance of work in the State of Oklahoma by any such nonresident contractor shall be deemed to constitute an agreement to be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state and shall constitute an appointment of the Secretary of State of Oklahoma as service agent of such contractor in any such action, and the service of summons or other process issued in any such action when served on the Secretary of State shall have the same legal force and validity as if served upon the contractor personally within the State; provided, that the service agent may be served in any manner now provided by law or in lieu thereof by mailing such summons to said service agent by certified mail with return receipt requested, postage prepaid, which such in lieu service shall be sufficient upon proof of mailing with the return receipt attached. (b) The summons shall be directed to the Secretary of State and shall require the defendant to answer by a day certain not less than forty-one (41) days from the return date fixed therein. The Secretary of State shall immediately forward a copy of the summons to the contractor by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the address given by such contractor in the notice given to the Tax Commission, and shall thereupon make his return of said summons to the court from which the same issued, showing the date of its receipt by him, the date of forwarding, and the name and address of the contractor to whom the same was forwarded. The Secretary of State shall keep a suitable record of every such action showing the name of the court in which the action is brought, the date of commencement, the style of the case, and the date and manner of service. The plaintiff in any such action shall cause a fee of Two Dollars ($2.00) to be paid to the Secretary of State at the time of service. Every notice required of a contractor under this article to be given to the Tax Commission shall also contain the address of the principal place of business of the contractor, which shall be deemed to be the mailing address of such contractor for the purpose of service of process in any action brought under this article.
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